It’s not just about praying but what we also see. If you see yourself as failing, no matter how much you pray to overcome, you’ll fail because your mind is not convinced. If you just keep praying but don’t expect anything to change, then it’s not faith, and things might not change.
Our minds are prayers. If all we expect is failure, we will receive failure but if we expect and believe in our hearts victory in Christ is possible, that to overcome is possible, that God will fulfil his promises, that God is able to heal us and that God hears us then our minds will speak faith.
Our minds can be contrary prayers to our words. We can pray for blessing over someone’s life, but our mind and heart want their failure. We can pray for God to speak to us but doubt that God hears us. We can pray for God to use us and then think less of ourselves, not recognising the King of kings abides in us.
Our words give messages or God. We can speak to God by giving requests, worship, and communication, but our prayers can also be worship. We can be reading the word, and our minds are constantly thinking about other things. We can have idols in our hearts of people and things where they are the number 1 thing in our minds. We can pray for God’s revival and always be thinking about how nothing much can be done and think in negativity.
We can pray for healing but be thinking of death and loss. We can be praying for security, but be thinking of how we can get hurt. Though it’s normal to experience fear during times of uncertainty, we are called to have faith.
Faith isn’t a maybe. It’s not saying we living crippled by fear and worries. We pray with this maybe attitude not fully trusting but kind of trusting. We go with words that sound right but with a contrary mind.
We can claim we trust God, but if your thoughts are always thinking scenarios about how things could mess up and fears filled with what-ifs. That tells God you don’t really trust Him. When words fail, your heart and mind communicate to God.
God is a God who looks at the motives of man. He looks beyond the long prayers and the bold statements and checks the heart. He sees that we don’t believe. He sees we are doubting, but He calls upon us to surrender our doubts before Him and pick up faith.
Sometimes, by action, we can show we love God, but in our hearts, our motives aren’t rooted in a place of love but in self-righteousness.
To have faith that begins to work from within, you need to put your faith in the word of God. You need to declare scripture over yourself despite the scary circumstances. You need to trust in your prayers before God. You need to trust that God hears you and knows who you are. You need to trust He is there with you. You need to trust He had the power to intervene, heal, deliver, and set you free. You need to trust in who He says He is and who God has revealed Himself to be.
And trust in your mind. Submit your mind to God and tell Him that you don’t want just outward faith but inward faith. That faith that doesn’t just say “I trust God” but that faith that says they trust God and go to sleep in overwhelming peace, not because everything is perfect but because they trust God is with them and He has control. It’s that faith that despite the craziness of a generation, they believe revival can come. It’s a faith that jumps for joy knowing God hears them, and He already answered despite how long it has been.
That’s beyond the outward faith. That’s inward faith, and we can speak bold prayers, but inward faith is true faith, one only God can fully see.
Watch what you meditate on. What do you think about it? If it’s often negative, I want you to hold those thoughts captive and replace them with the word of God. When a fearful thought comes to mind, get scriptures and declare it out loud over yourself over and over. When you’re not in peace, declare scripture over and over. Not as a religious activity but as you grow this relationship with God where you choose to place your trust in the word of God vs. your feelings and circumstances.
I want to challenge us today to pray for God to renew our minds with His word. I want us to take time to read God’s word and write down scriptures of God’s promises to us. We want His word to stays deeply planted with us, not just on our lips but in our hearts. That God’s word is in us. That God’s word abides in us. That God’s word is a foundation on which we stand. That though the wind blows, through storms come our minds are at rest for the anchor of it all is the word of God.
A long time ago, God spoke to me with this verse. I’m someone who often imagines, and when I do, it’s very big, but I struggled ever thinking God could do more than I ask. I always say that God can do something but not that big. That can could do it but I would limit God. I would find excuses why maybe it won’t work out like this or why it can’t be, but God repeated this message to me.
Ephesians 3:20
NKJV
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Ephesians 3:20
NLT
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20
Amplified Bible
20 Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us,
God says He can do more than we imagine. It means God sees our thoughts and minds. He can do more. He is able to do more, and though sometimes we think our prayers are too big, I want to challenge you to go a little bigger. If you desire for your gift of writing to impact people, pray boldly and ask God to use it to impact the world for His glory, to help you serve Him with a humble heart and serve His people but don’t pray out of wrong motives but out of faith for His glory alone.
1) Read the word of God and declare it over Yourself
2) Place your trust in God’s word and hold thoughts captive contrary to the word of God
3) Pray boldly with reverence for God, knowing He can do beyond what we are asking and has the ability and power to do it. Ask seeking asking His glory alone/
-etty
Scriptures
Hebrews 11:1-2
NKJV
By Faith We Understand
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
Hebrews 11:6
ESV
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Romans 12:2
ESV
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
James 4:3
NLT
3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
Scriptures
Hebrews 11:1-2
NKJV
By Faith We Understand
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
Hebrews 11:6
ESV
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Romans 12:2
ESV
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
James 4:3
NLT
3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
