I have spent two decades in ministry traveling across the U.S. having behind-closed-door conversations with Believers who feel stuck. I have prayed with pastors and church leaders and church staff who have served for decades. I have spoken to baby Christians and seasoned Christians, and often the same areas come up in conversation again and again. To be clear, there are MANY reasons why Christians find themselves stuck, and I’ll certainly not cover them all today (although I’ve written a great deal about them). Christians can feel stuck in life cycles for a variety of reasons, including disobedience, sin, a failure to forgive others, a teaching season from the Lord, demonic strategies from the enemy, and so much more.
However, today, I want to address two major issues that are holding the body of Christ back.
I want to first discuss the mind.
The dictionary describes the mind as what we think, imagine, remember, sense, believe, reason, or desire. The internal war going on in our minds is exponential when it comes to complete freedom in Christ Jesus. How do we get unstuck in our mind? Let’s look at a few Scriptures regarding the mind.
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. Romans 12:2
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Romans 8:5-7
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. Colossians 3:2
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Hebrews 8:10
To have success in the mind, we must first identify ungodly beliefs patterns. Simply meaning, we must ask ourselves, “Is what I am thinking right now congruent to the Word of God?” We must be transformed by the renewing of our mind, analyzing what patterns exist in our thought-life. This process of renewing our mind is not for the lazy Christian. Many people want to simply phone it in, when it comes to their minds. But the tearing down of strongholds is necessary in order for one to be completely free – completely unstuck – in their walk with the Lord. You cannot allow anxious thoughts to fester in your mind and expect not to live in anxiety. The enemy is strategic and will send you thoughts regularly. The problem is that most Believers are not analyzing their thoughts.
So, what is an ungodly belief pattern? It is anything that does not line up with God’s Word and character! Scripture is truth. Truth sets us free. We are often bound, because we don’t believe the truth. We meditate on ungodly beliefs (whether implanted by Satan or our own flesh or culture) accepting them as true. Ungodly beliefs are often habitual, sometimes passed down through parents or others, and develop strongholds we must intentionally and feverishly tear down. Every ungodly thought must be taken captive and replaced with truth from God’s Word. We cannot come into agreement with the enemy by accepting ungodly beliefs. Examples of this are: I am awkward. I’ll never have many friends. All men are stupid. My kids are just mean. I’ll always be fat. I can’t do it. Everybody is against me. How do we know these thoughts are ungodly? Because Scripture says quite the opposite of those preceding beliefs.
The process of taking every thought captive is a complex yet necessary process of first being aware of our thoughts, then analyzing them to assess their legitimacy as measured against God’s Word, and finally deciding to come in agreement with them or to dispel and rebuke them. Here is the litmus test for every thought:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9
We must begin to ask ourselves if the things we are thinking on are true, honorable, pure, just, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. We must ask ourselves what Bible verse confirms this thought as truth or refutes it. This process of renewing the mind comes through practice. It also comes through knowing the Word. The more we take every thought captive and dispel lies, the easier this will become.
Ask the Lord for His help. God says in Hebrews 8:10 that He loves us and will put His laws inside us. In other words, we will have a desire to follow His words and adhere to His teaching and live truth – not idle and untrue thoughts – as we walk with Him more and more. We must know His Word in order to have it written on our hearts and in our minds. We must study, memorize, and recite the Word aloud. What does James, Jesus’ brother, say in James 1:5-8?
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
The Lord will give wisdom. He will help you renew your mind. But you must stand in faith and not be double-minded. You cannot keep chasing worldly things and expect to have a renewed mind. We put our faith and obedience in Christ alone, not our thoughts, not our emotions, and not our flesh. We put our faith in Christ, and we obey.
The second way that many Believers is stuck is their mouths.
What is coming from your mouth matters. In fact, I would venture to say it matters far more than you realize. There is power in our words, and most of us have missed the Scripture that illustrates their power. I need you to listen to me on this – big time. Many Believers are making verbal oaths, covenants, agreements, trades, and curses with your mouth. You are coming into agreement with the enemy of your soul and do not realize it. What flows from our mouths can bind us and cause us to be stuck. We do not realize the things coming from our mouth are actually tying us to individuals, curses, ungodly belief systems, habits, or demonic torments. Let’s take a look at Scripture on the power of our words.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. And those who love it will eat its fruits. Prov. 18:21
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. James 3:2
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalms 141:3
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Proverbs 15:28
Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. Proverbs 17:28
But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. Matthew 5:22 NLT
In just a glimpse, we see that the words from our lips have great power. Our words can cause disunity in our families, the body of Christ, or our own lives. Our words bring blessing and cursing. Every word uttered from our mouth brings life or death. We either come into agreement with our Heavenly Father and His Kingdom or we come into agreement with the evil one and the kingdom of darkness. You must think about what you are saying before you say it. Words must align with Scripture. Are your words careless? Do you often say things “as a joke” without considering whether or not they align with the Word of God? Do you complain and grumble often? Do you use profanity and unclean speech? Do lies flow from your lips? Is gossip gushing from your mouth?
"With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."
James 3:9-10
God’s Word warns us against cursing other people because it brings fiery judgment against us. As evidenced in James 3:9, even Christians can curse ourselves and one another! The tongue has the power of spiritual life and death. A curse brings spiritual death. It opens the door to Satan to rob us of our spiritual rights as God’s children to enjoy God’s abundant life, including love, joy, peace, health, protection and more. It brings curses of health diagnoses, stress, auto-immune diseases, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations, and more. In other words, our mouths can invite demons and prolong heart wounds.
The more I studied God’s Word and analyzed this principle, the more I learned to keep my mouth shut and to rebuke others who spoke word curses over me! I had created terrible habits through the years of simply repeating things that were often said in my family, or making jokes, or using careless words in frustration or even saying things that are culturally normal but not scripturally accurate. I had no idea the power my words had in the spirit realm. Some of you need to take an inventory of the things flowing regularly from your mouth and ask the Lord if it aligns with His word.
Some examples of things we often say over ourselves or others, include things like:
We can suffer from unintended curses. God’s Word results in an overflow of blessings and good fruit, if we hold on to it in our hearts and allow the words from our mouth to flow based on its truth and not our temporary feelings. Important words flowing from our mouth includes:
Oaths: “I will always...I will never…” (Note: Be especially careful what oaths you are taking through clubs and organizations!)
Trades: “I will do this...if you do that…” For example, “If you just get me this job…I’ll…”
Covenants: A covenant literally means ‘a contract’, generally between God and His people or in the spirit realm with the enemy.
Vow: A formal promise with required behaviors attached.
Does your mouth speak the word of the Lord, using wisdom, and godly principles? Are your words filled with gratitude, praise, and thanksgiving? Do your words move mountains? Do your words bring healing, hope, freedom, and joy? Do they loose the bound or bound the loosed?
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The Life of a Single Mom is a national, faith-based, nonprofit that exists to see that no single mom walks alone. To date, the organization has worked with hundreds of churches to start a single mom’s support group in cities throughout the U.S. and beyond, as well as having served hundreds of thousands of single mothers with a variety of programs. Offering a large array of books, curriculum, training materials, online instructional videos, podcasts, newsletters, life skills education, and more, TLSM is one of the largest single mom organizations in the U.S. The robust selection of single mom programs focus on empowering single moms to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially, and parentally through Single Mom University, Single Moms Across America, the National TLSM Single Moms Conference, boot camps, and a variety of other programs. For more information, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.
