7 Ways to Renew Your MindSýnishorn

Fourth Step

Confess what you believe, not what you feel.

It's important to understand that we possess what we confess. We possess salvation by confessing Jesus as the Lord of our lives. We possess God’s promises by confessing them with our mouths. I believe that when you regularly confess only what you feel and see, you are hurting your faith and not helping to remove the negative thoughts.

When God saw the world in darkness, void, and without form (Genesis 1:2-4)– He did not use His words to describe the situation. Instead, He used the power of His word to change the situation. In the same way, I want to encourage you to not use your mouth as a thermometer, which only reads the temperature of your current condition, but instead, allow God’s Word to turn your mouth into a thermostat, which changes the temperature of your life by confessing what God says.

The Lord instructed Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth” (Joshua 1:8). Joshua not only had read the book and studied it, but he also needed to speak it. We also see in another portion of Scripture that Jesus did a similar thing in the wilderness while being tempted by the devil. Satan probably tempted Jesus the way he tempts us–through His thoughts. Regardless, we see in Scripture that Jesus did not merely think about the Scriptures to combat the devil’s arrows; instead, He spoke the Scripture.

When evil thoughts attack your mind, it’s a powerful act to open your mouth and speak in line with God’s Word, not your feelings or current circumstances. As it says in Joel 3:10, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” Don’t speak what you feel all the time, otherwise your mind can’t change. Learn to speak God’s word instead.

Let's Pray:

Father, I pray that you will help me to focus on your Word and Your faithfulness. Give me grace to not focus on how I feel over the truth of Your Word and Your nature. I pray for clarity in mind and heart.