I REFUSE to doubt that God will look out for me and do what He knows is best. For those who love Him, He will always make good from something not good….beauty from ashes! I choose to believe that!
I REFUSE to hold onto guilt and shame from my past. Jesus took all of that for me on the cross. Why? …to set me free and allow me to be cleansed and healed from any condemnation. I choose to let it go once and for all! That’s it – DONE! And I mean it this time!
I REFUSE to continue with incessant grieving over someone or something I lost. The devil loves to steal my joy by using this exact method. I know that there is a natural and timely grieving process for my loss, but it should not be forever or for excessively long periods. Even Jesus says that eventually my grief will turn to joy. I choose to believe that!
I REFUSE to believe the scar will remain. The scar caused by my poor decisions from my past that caused lots of pain and hurt for me and others can be healed. I believe this! I will not keep looking at that scar. Instead, I am releasing it to God to heal and vanish it.
I REFUSE to fear over anything. When God is on His throne (which is always), He is always in charge and in control. I have nothing to fear…ever! Nothing goes past Him without Him seeing and allowing it. There is nothing to fear with God holding me in the palm of His hand. I believe that I am fully protected by His mighty hand. If evil penetrates, God allowed it for His own reasons to strengthen my faith, and show out in my life. I believe this!
I REFUSE to relinquish victory over anything in my life. Even though God says I should expect trouble or tough times, He walks with me through every difficulty. Yes, I can triumph over anything that comes against me. God’s power is the strongest and is unlimited. I choose to believe that and live in full victory!
I REFUSE to back down against the devil. He cannot win unless I allow Him. Jesus’ resurrection power lives in me. Why would I ever consider backing down against the evil one? That power living in me is stronger than any other power that exists anywhere…ever! I have put on the full armor of God and I am choosing to keep it on. I can win the battle in my mind by controlling my thoughts and redirecting them back onto the Lord and His truth. I can win the battle of my damaged emotions, hurts and brokenness; yes, I can win any battle because Jesus fights them for me. I choose to step aside and let Jesus fight. No plans of God’s can be thwarted and no battle is too difficult for Him. Power and might are always in His hand and no one can withstand Him. I choose to believe that!
I REFUSE to hold onto my strongholds (yeah, those areas where I feel defeated and where the devil has evidently taken over)! God can demolish those strongholds when I allow Him, trust Him, and I choose to take my corrupted thoughts and align them with what He says about them. Oh, how important it is that I safeguard my mind and heart. If I don’t do my own thinking, I know someone who willingly steps in to do it for me. I choose to surrender all of this to the Lord!
I REFUSE to live in misery by whining and complaining because things aren’t the way I want them to be. I shift my focus off of what isn’t right onto what God has done for me. He saved me from punishment of my sins, separation from Him forever, condemnation from my messy past, and living in hell for all eternity. Yes, He saved me from all of that and so much more. I have so much to be thankful for, so how can I even begin to complain about one thing in my life? I choose to be thankful in everything and in every situation.
I REFUSE to live in hell on earth. Jesus died to give me abundant life on this earth and I am surrendering every detail of my life to Him so that I can live the crazy-amazing, lavished-in-His- love kind of life that He wants for me! I am letting Him in right now!
I REFUSE to keep my Bible closed! I am making a decision to open the communication lines with my Savior who adores me and has so much to tell me! Jesus, I am ready and I give you permission to tell me everything I need to hear!
I REFUSE to keep looking back at that one, horrible “thing” that happened that completely changed everything. That “thing” isn’t going to revert back, but God has the power to change how I see that “thing.” He has the power to teach me to see it as He sees it. He sees it as forgiven, absolved, a necessary, but brief (particularly compared to eternity) interruption or mishap. God allowed this “thing” to miraculously change me in significant ways for the better! This “thing” is achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs all of my troubles. God says to fix my eyes on what is unseen because that has eternal benefits. I quit looking backwards and choose to see this “thing” as God does.
I REFUSE to allow anything to steal my peace. I put the Lord first, I overlook offenses, I choose not to remember junk, I do the right thing, I forgive quickly, I praise the Lord regularly, I consider others before myself, I give away what I have, I have mercy on others, I love those who persecute me, and I live humbly with my Savior. I ask God to help me with all of this, keeping my mind steadfast, trusting Him. Then, I live in complete peace. I choose to believe that God’s ways are always doable!
I REFUSE to see myself as ugly (inside or outside). I practice meditating on what God says about me. He looks at my heart. Since that is true, I work on meditating on things that delight the Lord. I meditate on being good to others, encouraging others, and blessing others. My heart is changing as I choose these things. When the inside of me changes for the better, the outside of me follows. Outer beauty comes from inner beauty. I am a child of God, His special creation, and the apple of His eye. I look in the mirror each day and say, “today you’re looking really good – more like Jesus!” Then I praise the Lord for His work in my life!
~ Kelly Ann Bradicich