Soul Detox

About two weeks ago, I listened to two sermons that rocked my heart and gave me a fresh perspective to look to dealing with my own brokenness. Both sermons were by Craig Groeschel, pastor of Life Church.tv. Both sermons were actually from him speaking at Elevation Church in Charlotte. He spoke on: 1) Toxic thoughts and 2) Toxic words --both subjects coming from his new book, Soul Detox. He says in each sermon that "we are not a body with a soul, but a soul with a body."

Well, I finally bought the book, and I am so ready to dive into it.

I feel like the thoughts that go through my mind and the things that come out of my mouth must be the first to change if I want to experience true liberty in Christ and live out an abundant life. 

Toxic thoughts are truly the thorn in my flesh! They eat me up. I know that I am supposed to fight the devil with scripture. I can recite 2 Corinthians 10:5(demolish thoughts that don't match up to Jesus, and take every thought captive, and make it obedient to Christ) and Romans 12:2(Don't conform to the ways of the world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your MIND) over and over, but I find it so much harder to apply them to my life. I'm sure you could agree that you are guilty of this in one area of your life or another. Jesus hates that for me. He gave me His precious word so I can match my life up to it. I am the one who has to decide if I am going to obey the Spirit or obey my own fleshly desires and thoughts. So many times I have lost at this because I continually beat myself up with my thoughts. I think the worst about myself, and sometimes other people. 

There are two steps to purifying my thoughts:

1) Ask God to help me identify the toxic thoughts that are so damaging to my soul.

2) MAKE THE CHOICE to actually reject those thoughts, and then REPLACE those thoughts with His truth and His promises.

Romans 12:2(NLT) says it perfectly: "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Looking to Jesus' truth, instead of those dumb voices in my head, will allow me to know His plan for my life. Which is good, pleasing, and perfect!! -->love that! Negative thoughts will make me a negative person, and God-centered thoughts will make me a Godly person. I need God's help, but ultimately I am the one who has the ability to choose what I believe! Praise Jesus that He has given me free will. However, I need to use that for my advantage, to glorify Him. I want Jesus to be glorified through me daily, but I can't do that if I am always thinking about my own limitations, and not in the power of God that lives in me. I am weak, He is strong. So that means that with Him as my Savior--Him living in me--I am strong. 

Next, we have toxic words

Proverbs 18:21: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Words can create or destroy, they can build-up or tear-down.

Proverbs 15:4 says that gentle words bring life, and a deceitful tongue cruhes the spirit.

Proverbs 12:18 says that the words of the wise bring healing. 

Daaanngg. Solomon was wise.

There are three things to consider when we think about the power of words: 

1) I must guard my heart against toxic words. Unfortunately I cannot control what other people say about me. However, because God has given me free reign of my thoughts, I can control what I believe. Proverbs 4:23-24 says to above all else, guard my heart, and to stay away from corrupt speech. I love this warning---that it is so important (above all else) for us to guard our hearts against the corruption and evil words that we may hear. We hear them everyday.

2. I am called, as a believer, to speak life-giving words to others every opportunity I am given.Any time I think something good about someone else, I need to say it. He is quick to point out that this may mean shutting my mouth, and only letting what is led and ordained by the spirit out of it! --ooohh that's good! It's important to not always find fault with someone or something. Sure, we are called to call each other out, but we must realize that there is a difference in calling someone out in love and criticizing someone. This drives me crazy! I personally don't feel like this is what Jesus wants us to do. We are called to encourage each other whenever the Holy Spirit tells us to.

Ephesians 4:29 says: " Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." 

The Holy Spirit prompts me to send encouragement, whether it be a text, phone call, email, fb message, tweet, or my favorite, a personal hand written note. It's important that we realize that when we don't obey this prompting, we are robbing someone of a blessing--the encouragement that they need. I realize that this is so important in my marriage to Daniel. He needs my encouragement, and I need his. If I constantly knock him down with my words, he may eventually begin to believe them, and that would be terrible. 

3.  I need to speak life-giving words to myself and to my circumstances

Mark 11:23 says: "I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart."

Groeschel says to don't just talk to your mountain, tell your mountain to move. We do this by aligning our words to God's truth and saying what His word says. I must also believe that God can use my words to change my circumstance. Words have power, and words backed up by the Holy Spirit can, and will, change a situation for the good!

Recognizing and changing toxic words and toxic thoughts is just the beginning of this process of detoxifying our soul. Issues like toxic thoughts and toxic words lead to deeper spiritual sin in our lives. I can't wait to read this book! It came in the mail yesterday :) I'm praying that Jesus will point out the things that are currently tearing my heart, mind, and soul away from Him, and that I will make the decision to change.