Rehearsing Hope and Joy

In the last few weeks the subject of hope has peaked it's way into my life quite often. I have been led to scriptures about hope, hear conversations that go like, "I need hope in my life!" and have felt my own hope in some areas floundering a bit. Last week I talked some about rehearsing - re-hear-ing and re-see-ing what we think about and what we say. And I have to admit, I've been in a bit of a funk with my walk of hope and how I'm processing circumstances in my life right now. And I have felt myself slipping into a sea of muck instead of a sea of life and hope. But this morning I awoke - well, the Holy Spirit woke me up (it's 4:40am), with the messages I'm to do at a conference coming up in Georgia with my friend Tammy - Equipped for Joy - (you can go to her web site to see more information or register www.legacyministries.info It's going to be powerful!!) But in the midst of hearing from Him for this conference - I was reminded.... Doreen, this is what you need to be doing right now too! I need to allow hope to rise up in me. I need to re-see hope and joy in my own life, so... I need to re-hear myself saying the right things! Not, "I can't..." or "I don't..." or "I'm feeling..." or "I'm stuck in..." NO! But rather re-hear myself saying things like... "Holy Spirit, rise up in me and stir up life in me!" or "I speak life - Holy Spirit filled, power packed life!" "Rise Up old dead dry bones - come alive!!" (Ezekiel 37) "But as for me, I will hope continually and I will praise You more and more!" (Psalm 71:14) "Mortal body...you are quickened and filled with life by the power of the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead!!" (Romans 8:11)

What do you need to re-hear so that you can re-see hope and joy in your life?

I'm so thankful the Holy Spirit is our helper! I needed this word today! This reminder. Here is a little "rehearsal" I do often (although, for too long now, I have missed rehearsals) and hopefully it will help you too... When I'm down or blue in my mind or spirit, this is something the Lord has taught me to do - to say...

"This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! For the Joy of the Lord is my strength and He is the glory and the lifter of my head, a shield about me, my Rock and my fortress, my hiding place. Therefore I will not fear for He has upheld me with His righteous right hand and Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world! So I will stand in faith in the power of His might for if my God be for me...who can be against me!!" Amen!! This always brings life and joy to me - always rises me up!

Here are some scriptures that I have put in my book Life Through...To A Shout of Joy (pg 174) that you can look up and will help you put together for yourself something like that ...
Nehemiah 8:10, 1 John 4:4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 71:5, Romans 5:5, Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 27:1-3, Acts 16:31, Psalm 118:24, Ephesians 6:10, 1 Corinthians 2:16, Romans 8:31, 1 John 4:9, Isaiah 26:3, Hebrews 4:14-16

Writings from Life Through...To A Shout of Joy

The Walk of Joy

Ch 9 - Speak

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

The spirit realm is released when we speak out loud, whether it's positive or negative, life or death. I know it seems far fetched, but I have experienced it and know from scripture that what we say can determine what happens in our future. Our words can determine how we feel, good or bad, and how we live. There is power in words! God said, "Let there be," and there was! Scripture tells us that there is life and death in the power of the tongue. Jesus taught that it wasn't what went into the body that defiled a man, but the things that proceeded out of his mouth.

Changing the way you speak is something you will need the Holy Spirit to help you with. I know I do. It's not anything I can do all by myself, but I can make the choice to speak in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. I can choose to say "God has good plans for me" or "nothing good will happen to me." "This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice" or "I'll never be happy." If we don't change the way we talk (and think) then we limit God in our lives, or in the lives of others, and Satan will drag us further and further away from the victory that Jesus died to give us.... We need to do what we know is right to do even if we don't feel like it. That's faith, living a supernatural life. Once we do our part and put into practice the Word of God, speaking it out loud, we invite God to bring His blessings, promises, deliverance, healing and provision into our lives.

Living in His joy and strength!!

See you next week