Life-Giving Words of Hope & Encouragement

I was speaking with Kathy Deming after church, and we were talking about how our path to fulfilling our God-given destiny is often full of twists, turns, and setbacks, and it got me thinking about Joseph. When Joseph was a teenager, God put a dream in his heart that he would be in a leadership position one day. However, his brothers became jealous and sold him into slavery in Egypt. Although Joseph did his best, his owner’s wife falsely accused him of a crime, and he was put in prison. For thirteen long years, it seemed like one wrong after another. However, each of these hardships was necessary to bring Joseph to where God wanted him to be—the interpreter of Pharaoh’s dream, ultimately leading him from the dungeon to being made Egypt’s prime minister, second in command only to Pharaoh.

Maybe you have some wrongs in your life—someone betrayed you, a door closed on the dream you worked so hard for. How do you know you’re not a Joseph? How do you know that the wrongs are not divine detours, the hand of God leading you into something more amazing than you’ve ever imagined? You can live out of a place of peace, knowing that the wrongs, the things you don’t understand, are leading you into God’s perfect plan, but you must maintain the right attitude. God’s word promises to pay us back double for the wrongs done to us, so don’t lose heart and don’t give up on your dreams.

In James chapter 3, the tongue is compared to the rudder of a ship. Verse 4 says, “Although a ship is large and driven by strong winds, it is steered by a small rudder wherever the pilot wants it to go.” Similarly, even though it’s a small body part, the tongue greatly influences your life. What you say determines the direction in which your life goes. The good news is that you have control over your tongue, just like a pilot controls a rudder. Are you speaking words that are guiding your life in the direction you want it to go? For example, saying, “I don’t think I’m going to get well; the medical report doesn’t look good,” is steering you in the wrong direction. Instead, why not say what God says about you? For instance, “God is restoring health back to me. By His stripes, I am healed. I will live and not die.”

Get in agreement with God? He said you are blessed. He said you are fearfully and wonderfully made, a masterpiece, crowned with favor. Are you calling yourself inferior, weak, or unattractive? Start declaring what He promised, “Father, you said even in famine, the righteous will have more than enough. You said whatever I put my hands to will prosper and succeed. You said, because I’m a giver, you would open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that I cannot contain.” When someone asks you how you’re doing, don’t go into all your troubles or how bad it is – keep your ship going in the right direction by saying: I’m strong, I’m blessed, I’m valuable, I’m favored.

When God breathed His life into you, He put gifts, talents, and potential; you have seeds of greatness and are destined to leave your mark to take your family to a new level. The question is not whether you are equipped or favored. The question is: will you keep your rudder going in the right direction? Will you keep speaking victory, abundance, favor, and new levels? Or are you going to talk like you’re average, “I can’t get ahead. I never get any good breaks. This addiction’s been in my family line for years.”

Remember this: You are not limited by your circumstances but by your words. Your words determine your path. Speaking victory leads you towards victory, speaking health leads you towards health, and speaking abundance leads you towards abundance. The key is to speak it before you see it – that’s what faith is all about. Faith is the currency of heaven. As the scripture says, “Let the weak say ‘I am strong.’” Even if you don’t feel strong, declaring “I’m strong” will move you towards strength. Similarly, if you’re battling an illness, saying “I am healthy” will move you towards health.

When you speak victory over your life, God will open doors that no person can shut. He’ll take you where you can’t go on your own. It’s not enough to believe the dreams He’s put in your heart and the promises you’re standing on. That’s important, but something happens when you speak. Angels go to work, forces of darkness are broken, and good breaks come looking for you. What you’re up against may seem permanent; just keep speaking victory. When the medical report is not good, keep speaking health. When business is slow, keep speaking abundance. When the addiction seems like it will never change, keep speaking freedom. When your family member is off course, keep speaking breakthroughs. Our greatest struggles today will one day become our greatest testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness. I hope that speaks to you, and I pray you have a blessed day!