Who Said That?

By Monica Fountain

We’re always sending ourselves messages. On a daily basis, we have an internal conversation, constantly thinking about and interpreting the world around us. Psychologists call this inner voice “self-talk” and it includes our conscious thoughts and unconscious assumptions or beliefs.

What we have to question is where are those messages coming from? When a thought comes to our mind, we need to ask, “Who said that?” Are the thoughts coming from God and based on His Word? Or are they coming from the Enemy of our souls? Are they based on the truth or a lie?

The Bible says that the devil wants to steal, kill and destroy. He goes around like a roaring lion, seeking whom He may devour. And one of the primary ways that the Enemy attacks us is through our thoughts. What we say to ourselves and how we interpret or receive what others say about us are powerful weapons.

The Enemy also is the father of lies. So you can’t trust anything He says. And he’s also the accuser of the brethren so what he says sometimes might be true but his intentions are not good. 

But God’s thoughts toward you and about you are good. And you are who God says you are.

The Enemy says no one likes you. God says you are loved. As a matter of fact, God loved you so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for you. (John 3:16)

The devil says you’re worthless. God says you are precious and priceless. You are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works. (Ephesians 2:10)

The Enemy says you are a failure. God says you are more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)

The next time a thought comes to your mind, ask yourself, “Who said that?” Was that the Enemy talking or God? Is it the truth or a lie? And then encourage yourself in the Lord. Start confessing his Word over your life. And even if something is true, you can say if you have accepted Jesus, “Yes, that may have been me. But now I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. The old has gone. The new is here.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

This article appears in The Well Magazine Spring 2013 Issue.

To download the magazine for only $1.99, click the cover.

 

 

 

Healing from Self Hatred

She believed lies about herself until she found healing in God's Truth

By Beverly Moore

 

Lord help me. I live with this deep-seated inner hate for myself that manifests every time I experience failure or rejection. Father, in the name of Jesus I look to You to help me; I keep failing to measure up. I really do need You Lord and I need the power of Your Holy Spirit to enable me to cast out this demon of self-hate.

 

This is a prayer I wrote after experiencing a setback.

Many of us have been bamboozled, hoodwinked and duped into believing lies about ourselves from the enemy of our souls, the Devil, without even realizing it. I used to think that when I heard these negative words coming up from myself that it was me, but I have come to discover that they are suggestive thoughts from the enemy using my voice as a channel and once I open the door through acceptance these negative voices take residence.

 For most of my life I have struggled with self-loathing or self-hatred. You may ask how can anyone hate themselves but it is a very real problem that stems from internal damage to the self-esteem and lack of self-worth.

I know the damage took place at an early age and has shown itself into adulthood. I also know that at the root of self-loathing is rejection. As a child I was teased, for being overweight, couple that with family dynamics which included divorce; both caused me to be deeply wounded with a sense of emotional abandonment.

Sociology teaches us that a child’s identity starts at home with the family and as a child develops their peers, school, and community play a pivotal role in formation. As one of my professors Dr. Reginald Blount notes, “These socializing forces are conversation partners in identity formation.”

If a person in development experiences trauma along the way, without a proper response of positive faith-filled reinforcement, the damage germinates into a healthy dose of low self-esteem. I am not writing this to place blame on my family or community but I do hope we recognize the power of our voices in helping to shape a child’s identity, the power of our voices in helping them fulfill their God-given purpose.

As a result my soul (mind, will and emotions) were murdered at a very young age with words; words that my socializing forces at the time did not consider lethal, but because of it, I struggled to see myself differently. I can honestly say that this problem has impacted every area of my life and one of the physical manifestations of its roots was my weight.