Claim your upgrade!

Rainy days are perfect days for playing "catch up" around the house and for listening to podcasts, worship music and whatever else I find that nourishes my soul in the Lord. I am getting ready to attend a conference in Franklin this weekend with Graham Cooke as the speaker. I love Graham's message on our identity in Christ and so I have been watching/listening to a session of his today.

Helping others discover who they are in Christ and who Christ is in them is one of my heart passions! You can imagine my excitement listening to speakers who teach on this very topic...I get REALLY HAPPY and indeed MY SOUL SINGS!

In this particular message Graham instructs the audience to go through an exercise which I think is AWESOME, LIBERATING and EMPOWERING. I just couldn't wait to share it with you, my blog family:)

Isaiah 54:17 tells us no weapon formed against us will prosper.

Deuteronomy 23:5 tells us God turns curses into blessing simply because He loves us!

Tuck those passages away from future mediation, because they are packed with goodness!

Now, get two sheets of paper (preferably notebook, so you have lines.) On the first sheet of paper make a numbered list of negative aspects in your life, they can be negative emotions, negative situations or negative character traits, curses or sin patterns. It might look something like this:

1. critical

2. depressed

3. alcoholism

4. hopelessness

5. broken relationship

Get the idea? Now after you have completed your list of negatives set that piece of paper aside and take the next sheet and number it the same as the first. For example, if you had 25 things listed on your negative sheet, number your second sheet 1-25.

Isaiah 61:3 is a beautiful and encouraging passage of scripture. It is an example of what God gives us in place of what the enemy tries to saddle us with....a garland instead of ashes, gladness instead of mourning and praise instead of heaviness.

Now, quiet yourself before the Lord and ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you a promise, prophecy, or an "instead of" for each item listed on your negative sheet. This is replacing the enemy's lie with God's truth.

He may give you a scripture reference, or simply one or two words for each. You will know it is from God if it lines up with His character as revealed to us in His Word. What He says will not be negative or condemning! God's words to us always bring Life (seriously, can I get a dollar for every time I have written this in a blog post?)

Using my example list of 5 negative things, my positive, or "instead of," list might go something like this:

1. gift of encouragement and edification

2. joy

3. filled with His Spirit, dependent on Him

4. HOPE and His vision

5. restored relationship

As Holy Spirit leads you spend some time repenting for your part in believing or wallowing in the items on the negative list. If others have been involved in these "curses" choose to forgive them. Curses are not part of your inheritance in Christ, nor are they part of your identity in Him. If you have focused on these negative things you have empowered them in your life. Break agreement with them. To repent means to "turn from." I like how Graham Cooke puts it, "if you have a thought that doesn't line up with His, have another thought." That's repentance, pure and simple! Making the list of truth is you having another thought...His thoughts!

Now, destroy the yucky, negative list. Shred it, flush it down the toilet, however you wish to properly discard of it:) Take the list of truth and declare them over yourself. It could go something like this: (using my example list from above)

"Holy Spirit, I receive the gift of encouragement and edification. I choose to use my words to bless and not curse. I will use my tongue to bring life to others and myself. I choose to be filled with the JOY of the Lord as my strength. I have much to be joyful about, Father, please help me to recognize the joy in my life and focus on Your goodness in all situations. As I walk in the Spirit I ask You to fill me with Your abundance. I will trust in You, Father, to meet the needs of my heart and to fill me to overflowing with Your presence and Your peace. I submit my relationships to You, Lord. May I bring about the spirit of reconciliation and restoration. Give me wisdom Father to know when and with whom Godly boundaries need to be exercised."

Choose to meditate on the list of who God says you are until your actions start lining up with these truths. When you are tempted to go back to the negative pull out your list and declare the truth over yourself again!

Choosing to seek His blessings, His viewpoint, His wisdom and insight will focus your heart and mind on His plan for you. I have seen some people choose to walk in denial of the problems in their life, as if they don't exist. This isn't His solution, nor will it bring about change. Focusing on Him and actively seeking His viewpoint will change YOU, and afterall, YOU are the only person YOU can control anyway:) Focusing on what others are doing, or not doing, never brings about a positive solution....trust me, I've tried that!

Heaven is full of unclaimed UPGRADES! Father God is waiting for you to claim your upgrade! What are you waiting for?

My Soul Sings because I have discovered the lavish love of the Father fully embracing His goodness, basking in His presence and seeking His solutions...now that's an upgrade worth claiming!!!!