Is It A ‘Grit Your Teeth And Bear It’ Gospel?

Category:
Walking In The Spirit

GRIT  YOUR  TEETH

AND  BEAR IT ?

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Are you living under the gospel of  “Just Grit Your Teeth And Bear It“?

Or the gospel of  “Try To Hang On And Make It To The End, And Heaven Will Be Your Reward“?

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White knuckling your way through life, or “just saying no” to temptations and mental bondages that continually bombard your life,   IS NOT THE GOOD NEWS that Jesus Christ preached!!

In John 10:10 Jesus said,  “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV);

And in John 8:36 He said, “So if the Son sets you free, you WILL be FREE INDEED”.

Does that sound like having to “white knuckle” your way through the rest of your life?

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Believing God at His Word, believing it is  His good pleasure to GIVE us the Kingdom, and believing that Christ DID come to give us ABUNDANT LIFE is the first step in renewing our minds to God’s Truths and God’s purpose for our life.

Are you suffering mental anxiety today?
Depression?
Feelings of rejection or hopelessness?
Are you suffering through addictions?
Continual illness?
Family dysfunction?

Jesus said He came to give you life!  Abundant life!

According to 2 Peter 1:3, Peter states that God already has “given unto us ALL things that pertain unto LIFE AND GODLINESS“.

God has already given us weapons to fight with, to cast out demonic strongholds from our minds and way of thinking;
God has given us weapons to pull down demonic strongholds in our family’s lives;

God has given us weapons to warfare with to bring our bodies into health and strength;

and God has already given us weapons to bring our flesh and emotions in line with God’s Word to live godly, so that we won’t be tossed around by every lust or temptation that enters our mind.

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But you must
QUOTE THE WORD.
Daily.

Here is yet another reminder to DAILY quote the Word of God from your mouth in it’s present tense form as it is written …. for it is your sword for the spirit realm. Yes, the Word of God will bring every circumstance in your daily life in line with God’s will for you …. which is abundant life.

But the Word must be quoted …. For the  Word sitting on your nightstand has NO POWER. It must be spoken by someone, in order to bring results …. and YOU must be that someone FOR YOUR OWN LIFE.

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There are many Scriptures showing us that we have not been left alone on this earth, to “white knuckle” our way through life while hoping to make it to the end so that we can enter heaven!!!

And as the world and the times get even harder, there will be more and more “things” bombarding  us with which we will need to know how to OVERCOME.

2 Timothy 3:1-3 – There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God …

Jesus also said in Matthew 24  that there will be “wars and rumors of wars” which brings great fear, and is presently bringing great fear on people;

He said there will be famines, earthquakes, persecutions, betrayals against and hatred towards one another.  And He said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold“.  He also warned His disciples that we should NOT be TERRIFIED at these things (Luke 21:9, NAS).

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We are not of the world, that we should have our love grow cold;
We are not unbelievers, that we should be terrified about the things that are coming upon the earth.

No. We are BELIEVERS,   believing God at His Word, as present tense Truths, believing that His Word will uphold us, sustain us, feed us, heal us, protect our families, and more.

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But you must determine now,  to QUOTE THE SCRIPTURES of godliness over your life.  Quote the Scriptures of freedom over your life.  Quote the Scriptures of peace over your life.  Quote the Scriptures of protection over your life.  Start overcoming now, so that when things get even worse, you will KNOW that the Word is powerful and effective as you speak it, over  life’s circumstances. Start SPEAKING the Promises over your life now, so that as you see the Word ‘working’ in today’s trials, you will be made strong and able to overcome even greater trials that may be yet to come!

The Word and the Promises are your Sword to fight with.

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Take your stand in the spirit realm, and kick ungodliness and fear and bondages and addictions and sickness and attacks and poverty out of your life, now, by quoting the Scriptures which show that Jesus purchased ALL these things for your life and for your godliness.

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Because quoting the Scriptures:
1- renews your mind,
2-builds up your spirit man, and
3-tears down disobedient thoughts and mental strongholds or bondages AND tears down demonic strongholds and attacks!

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QUOTE THE SCRIPTURES as your present tense reality ….. and stop trying to
“white knuckle your way through life”.

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Scriptures To Quote Over Your Life:

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Praise God, I will no longer white knuckle my way through life.

I believe the Scriptures which say, It is for freedom that Jesus Christ set me free.

I believe the Scriptures which say, I AM free, present tense, from sin, and sin will no longer rule over me.

I believe the Scripture which states, that I have the mind of Christ RIGHT NOW, and so I know that depression, anxiety, confusion, sadness and fear, CANNOT hold me!

I believe the Scriptures, and I know that they are my defense!

I believe the Scriptures.   I am not a doubter.  I AM an OVER COMER.

I AM the righteousness of God, through Christ Jesus, and I OVERCOME ALL things by my faith! {1 John 5:4}

Thank You Father, for making me a co-heir with Christ Jesus .. a co-heir of all these Promises and a co-heir of all the authority and power of heaven!

And, thank You Father, for giving me ALL things that I need  in order to walk in victory and in godliness IN THIS LIFE!!!

I praise You and thank You, in Jesus’ name!  Amen.

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(c) 2007-2009 Faith Speaks Inc.
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc. Blog statement and/or teachings without prior written permission.
LINKING to this site is permitted. Thank You.

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Walk In The Spirit … Just Do It?

Category: Walking In The Spirit

Walk In The Spirit … Just Do It ?

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Paul writes:
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” {Gal 5:16 — NIV}
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” {Gal 5:16 — NKJV}

Many Christians  who state they live under the New Covenant, have traded one set of LAWS for another.

They have traded the Mosaic Law / the Old Covenant Laws but have put in its place a NEW set of Laws.

This is evidenced in many Christian circles and pulpits who preach things like:

We shouldn’t watch those kinds of movies or TV programs;
We shouldn’t drink alcohol at all;
We shouldn’t smoke;
Christian women should not dress like that;
We have to turn the other cheek;
We must forgive and not gossip;
And the list goes on and on … full of do’s and full of don’ts.

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Yes, the Epistles are filled with the teachings that the Christian should be living a holy life for Christ … for this is our  “spiritual act of worship” to   “offer (our) bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” {Romans 12:1},  but too many Christians are trying to accomplish this through will power, without experiencing the JOY and the Fruit of the Spirit which should be accompanying  Walking In The Spirit  …. and many Christians are simply writing New Laws (such as I mentioned above) to follow because actually producing the Fruit of the Spirit is just t0o difficult to do.

But, if we look  even at  just the  above two Scriptures which I just quoted, we will start to see the way in which we can actually Walk In The Spirit and thereby produce the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives … which  isn’t by following a new set of Laws.

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Paul writes:

“Walk in the Spirit, and (then) you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” {Gal 5:16}

and he writes

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, (so) that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”… (or so that you can Walk in the Spirit) {Romans 12:1-2}.

Walking In The Spirit comes BEFORE not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh (which actually include discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition and envy, BESIDES the outward impurity, sexual immorality, orgies, and drunkenness, which Christians usually hold up as “Law”)

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Being RENEWED in one’s mind comes BEFORE  “Walking In the Spirit”, or walking in the acceptable, perfect will of God.

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The only way that we will be able to Walk In The Spirit, therefore,   is by being TRANSFORMED and RENEWED in our minds … which comes by reading / meditating on God’s Word, and by believing what God’s Word says.

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We are NOT walking in the Spirit, when we “Just say NO” to temptation.  That is simply living a moral life.  Even  non-Christians can do that … if they want to.

No … there is more to living a godly life, and actually “Walking In The Spirit” than “Just saying NO”.

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Walking In The Spirit will produce the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, which is a life  filled with  “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control” {Galatians 5:22-23 — NIV} once we know and believe Who We Are In Christ Jesus, as it is written in God’s Word.

Again, just saying “NO” to temptations does not produce  the FRUIT of the Spirit, as listed above.

I tried it.
It didn’t work.

I was cranky while just saying “NO”.
I was frustrated.
And my mind was still squirrelly and unrenewed … desiring to do the things which the Epistles say I shouldn’t do.

Nope … I was NOT walking in the Spirit.

Jesus said it would be by God’s Word that we would be Sanctified, when He prayed:

“I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest  KEEP them from the evil … SANCTIFY them through Thy truth:  Thy word is truth” {John 17:15-17 — KJV}

But  if just READING God’s Word was all that it takes, then every Christian who reads the Bible should be free from sin and lust and over-powering temptation, and would be Walking In The Spirit and would be producing  the Fruit of the Spirit.

But many Christians have proven that just reading the Word is not the way to “Walk In The Spirit” … for if we are honest, we can all admit that we know many Christians who can quote entire passages of the Bible, yet they still walk in lusts of the flesh and/or show  no Fruit of the Spirit.

So, let’s look for some more light on the subject in the below noted Scriptures:

“I would like to learn just one thing from you:  Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by BELIEVING what you heard?” {Galatians 3:2}

I have  touched on this same topic in another post,  but want to bring it up again, since so many Christians struggle with their flesh and their minds on an ongoing basis.

Paul writes, did you receive the SPIRIT by observing the Law … or by observing/performing ANY PART of the Law … or by being good, and by just saying “NO”?  

Or did you receive the SPIRIT by BELIEVING what you heard?

Of course, our answer will be … we received the Holy Spirit by believing what we heard.

So why then,  “After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by  HUMAN EFFORT?” {Galatians 3:3}   …. in other words, why are you then trying to “Walk In the Spirit” and produce the Fruit of the Spirit, by “Just saying NO” to temptation and / or by setting up rules of “Don’t do this, don’t do that”?

I think this is the best, most perfect Scripture to answer our dilemma of  HOW SHOULD WE WALK IN THE SPIRIT.

For even as we began our Christian life by BELIEVING the Word of God unto salvation so we must choose to BELIEVE God’s Word unto Power and unto Freedom and unto Sanctification.

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Scripture tells us that we HAVE BEEN {past tense}:

Freed from sin {Rom 6:7,22}
Made the righteousness of God {2 Cor 5:21}
Made victorious {1 Cor 15:57, 1 John 5:4}
Given the mind of Christ {1 Cor 2:16}
Given authority over all the power of the enemy  {Luke 10:19}
Been freed from this present world and its darkness {Col 1:13}
And much more

But if we don’t BELIEVE these Scriptures in the present tense that they are written in, then we will continue to see ourselves as sinners, as powerless over sin, and as people who have to struggle against sin which continues to grip us, haunt us, and torment us, etc.

In other words, our MINDS won’t be  accepting the FACT  that we ARE, present tense, FREE from sin and its power and its grip.

In the Biblical  wording …. our minds won’t be RENEWED and TRANSFORMED to these Truths.

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But how do we get our minds renewed to these Truths?

By quoting these particular Scriptures out loud, every day, which tell us about our freedom.  And by personalizing them, quoting them in the Present Tense Form in which they are written.   For it is only by quoting the Word out loud, that our minds can shut down and be forced to  listen to what our mouths are saying.

As we keep speaking the pertinent Scriptures out loud every day …. Scriptures which tell us we ARE free, and Scriptures which tell us we DO have authority over sin and the enemy … then our faith can be built to believe God’s Word concerning Who We Are …. for it is by hearing God’s Word that faith is built {Romans 1017}.

Then as our faith builds to believe that what the Word says about us  is, indeed, present tense Truth,  we WILL have the overcoming power residing in us, to overcome all the lusts of the flesh and all the temptation that comes at us from the world and from our own thought life.

The Apostle John even tells us that it is this BELIEVING God at His Word which makes us overcomers, when he writes:

“this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our FAITH” {1 John 5:4}.

Again ….. what overcomes this world, with all of its lusts and temptations?

Our FAITH.

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Remember what James also  wrote in James 1:14-15:
“each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire (or evil thoughts), he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire (which starts in our thoughts) has conceived, it gives birth to sin …”

So, we see here again, the battle to sin starts in our minds.

But if we renew our minds to the Truths that we now have POWER over all sin, then the lure and temptation of sin will not have such a hold over us.

Our FAITH will make us overcomers.

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Sure, this “Faith Thing” may not make much sense to our natural minds …. but the Word promises us that, as we renew our minds to God’s Truths, we WILL be conformed into His image and we will then be able to walk as He walked in this world !!  {1 John 4:71, Rom 8:29}.

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So choose to renew your mind today, to the Truths about “Who You Currently Are in Christ Jesus”, now that you are Born Again…….

Choose to quote the Scriptures out loud every day to renew your mind to these  Truths  which is meditation on the Truth “day and night” so that you will have “good success”  in the  area of “Walking In the Spirit”  {Joshua 1:8}……

And then watch the Fruit of the Spirit simply begin to produce in your life, thereby enabling you to Walk In The Spirit, with the lusts of the flesh losing its enticing power over your mind and over your flesh…..

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God’s Word is Truth
God’s  Word is Spirit
God’s Word is Life
God’s Word is Powerful
God’s Word is Alive

And,  God has taught us that His Word is to be our two-edged Sword with which we are to fight all of our spiritual battles with (Eph 6:17).

So pick up your Sword of the Spirit and start reminding your mind, your flesh, and satan that it is YOU who has power over all satanic tactics, over all fleshy temptations, and over all sin.

You will see God’s Word remain True, as you  “resist the devil” he will flee from you {James 4:7}, and as you actually USE your sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, you will truly  see all disobedient thoughts come in line with God’s Word {2 Cor 10:4-5}.

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Final Reminders:

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” {Proverbs 13:3}

“He who guards his lips guards his life” {Proverbs 18:21}

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their MINDS set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” {Romans 8:5 — remember:  quoting the Scriptures out loud keeps your mind “set” on things above and “set” on what the Spirit desires.}

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT to make it obedient to Christ” {2 Cor 19:4-5}

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.© -2009 Faith Speaks Inc.
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize, or distribute FaithSpeaksInc. blog statements and/or teachings without prior written permission. Linking to this site is permitted. Thank you.

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Why Take The Thought?

Category:    Truths / Confessions to Speak Over Your Life

What Are You

Thinking About?

The Bible teaches us that we should be renewing our minds and bringing EVERY thought into obedience with God’s Word (2 Corinthians 10:5, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23, etc).

Jesus, Himself, even asked the question, why do you TAKE the thought AND SAY, “What will I eat, what will I drink, or what will I wear?” (Matthew 6:31-KJV)

In other words, why do you allow worries to roll around in your mind and believe the worries? And why do you SPEAK, as if those worries are your reality?

RATHER, why don’t you bring your thoughts and emotions in line with God’s Words, and SAY “My Father loves me and my family more than any bird of the air, and will always feeds us and satisfy our mouths with good things (Psalm 103:4)!! And my Father loves us more than any field which is ornately clothed with gorgeous flowers, and WILL clothe me and my family, always, with pretty clothing! I TRUST in the love of God for my family!” (Matthew 6:26)

We must actively, aggressively, and continually watch what we are THINKING!

As we meditate on negative thoughts and allow worry in our thinking, it will drop down into our heart, we will believe it, and then we will begin to speak it forth from our mouths, for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45 – KJV); and what we speak, WILL come to pass, for Proverbs 18:21 states that “death and life are in the power of the tongue” and Mark 11:23 states that whoever believes “that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (KJV).

Let’s aggressively look at what paths our thoughts are taking us down, and make an effort to change our thinking and change our speaking, so that the Blessings of God will manifest in our lives (Deut 30:11-14) !!

We CAN do this by remembering to combat LIES with TRUTHS to bring our thoughts in line with Christ Words.

{Some examples are shown below}

The LIE	The TRUTH
I’ll never be free from (addiction, hatred, lust, porn, etc); Old habits die hard…I just can’t seem to break the habit of (…fill in blank…)	For Freedom Christ HAS made me FREE; I am a Brand New Creation – old things have passed away from my life and behold ALL things are brand new in me; I can do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me
I’m always depressed; Depression runs in my family, so I guess I just have to struggle with this all my life	I have the MIND OF CHRIST right now, and therefore have a peaceful and free mind; God has given me a SOUND mind (2 Tim 1:7)
I’m dying; The doctors say I will be dead in six months	My life IS hidden in Christ and Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the LIFE; By Christ’s stripes I was healed
I’ll never make ends meet	God meets ALL my needs according to His RICHES in glory, by Christ Jesus; Christ was made poor, so that I could be rich (2 Cor 8:9)
I’m so confused on what to do; I just can’t seem to figure out what to do in this situation; I’ll never get it / I’ll never understand this	I have the MIND OF CHRIST right now; God has given me a sound mind; Christ was made unto me WISDOM (1 Cor 1:30, Eph 1:8)
It seems like my children will never be saved; It seems my child is just destined for trouble; I don’t think my child can get a hold of the Truth, unless he/she goes through trouble	God WILL pour out His Spirit on my children (Acts 2:17); Great is the peace of my children because God IS teaching them and leading them!!
I just can’t seem to understand the Bible	Jesus Christ has been made WISDOM unto me (1 Cor 1:30); I have the mind of Christ right now! (1 Cor 2:16)
I’m just a sinner, saved by grace;I’m unworthy	Jesus Christ has been made RIGHTEOUSNESS for me (1 Cor 1:30); I AM the Righteousness of God, in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21)
Maybe the gift of tongues just isn’t for me, or for my family	God DOES give His Holy Spirit to those who ask, and the Promise of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues IS for me, and for my children (Luke 11:13, Acts 2:39)
Maybe it isn’t God’s will to heal me, or to heal   (fill in name); Maybe  it is God’s will to let (so and so) die and take them home	By Christ’s stripes I WAS healed (1 Peter 2:24, Matthew 8:17); I praise You, Father that You heal ALL my diseases all the time {Ps 103}
Bad things ALWAYS happen to me	I am a DEARLY loved child of God (Ephesians 5:1, 1:5); God HAS LAVISHED on me, and enormously and generously poured upon me grace, wisdom, and every spiritual blessing! (Eph 1:3)

A little fear is healthy (This is a lie….is there a Scripture that shows that a “little fear is a good thing”? )	God has NOT given me a spirit of FEAR, but He has given me a SOUND MIND AND POWER over all the power of the enemy!! (Luke 10:19, Romans 8:15, 2 Tim 1:7)
I feel like I’m always under attack; I feel like I’m under a curse; Why is the enemy ALWAYS attacking me; Why doesn’t anything good ever happen to me?	Christ Jesus was made a CURSE for me, so that the Blessing of Abraham could come upon me (Galatians 3:13-14); I refuse ANYTHING that is found in the curse, for Jesus Christ became a curse for me, so that blessing of Abraham would come upon me; I am seated FAR above all powers, and all authority, and all principalities…they are under my feet, and I have all authority over all the power of the enemy, and NOTHING will harm me any longer!! (Luke 10:19, Ephesians 2:20-23 & 2:6)
I always get sick	By Christ’s stripes I WAS healed (1 Peter 2:24); Jesus bore more sicknesses and infirmities in His very own body (Matt 8:17); I have the blessing of Abraham upon my life, and sickness will not rule me, or keep on attacking me (Gal 3:14)

I can’t stop cursing	For freedom Christ DID set me free, and I know the Truth, and the Truth DOES make me FREE (Galatians 5:1, John 8:32); I CAN do ALL things through Christ Who strengthens me
It seems like God never hears my prayers; I wonder why God never answers my prayers	I know that I am asking God for something that is Promised in His Word, and I know therefore that He HEARS me, and DOES give me the petition that I ask of Him (1 Jn 5:14)
Diabetes (or any other family disease) has always been in my family, so it is just something I will have to live with	Jesus Christ became a curse for me! All the curses of my family ARE BROKEN NOW in Jesus name; NONE of the sicknesses of my family will come upon me, in Jesus’ name! (Galatians 3:14, Luke 10:19);

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Remember Jesus’ Words:
WHY TAKE THOUGHT!?

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Refuse the LIES of the enemy today …. by taking hold of God’s TRUTHS and making them your own.

Combat the LIES in your mind with the TRUTHS of God!!!!

The Word is living, and active, and able to pull down the lies from your mind, AND is able to reverse any Lies that HAVE taken hold in your life!!!!

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Prayer to pray over your life today:

Hallelujah! Thank You Father, for giving us Your great and precious Promises, by which we can combat EVERY lie that comes against us!!
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I choose to believe every Promise today!
I choose to believe every Promise for my family!
I believe Your Promises are FOR me, and I accept THEM as the Truth for my life, and I refuse to believe the Lie is stronger than the Truth, anymore!!! In Jesus’ name!
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Praise and glory be to You for Your great and loving kindness to me and to my family! In Jesus’ name! Amen.

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© 2009 LeeAnn Bell, Faith Speaks Inc
No permission given to reproduce, copy, commercialize or distribute FaithSpeaksInc Blog statements and teachings without prior written permission. LINKING to this site, is permitted. Thank You.

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