T O P I C: uprooting lies
OVERVIEW
Every devotional is to help be a starting point for you and your time with The Lord. He^^ loves you and wants to spend intentional time with you in His^^ Word (the Bible) and in everyday life.
Xoxo rooted.core
DAY ONE: understanding the transformation of Christ
**Read Psalms 1+2**
A lie is something that is not true about us. We must understand first that The Lord is the one who tells us who we are. It can be so easy to let others determine our worth and acceptance. The thing is that if we look to people we are never going to be satisfied. We are always going to leave empty or with feelings that we are not enough, not worthy, incapable… When we look to a changing world we are only going to receive messages that are inconsistent leaving us empty. When we let Jesus tell us who we are we then stand on an unshakable truth that will never change but actually changes us from the inside out. It is what Jesus says about us that will set us free.
It’s important to know that we were born into a broken world of sin:
Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV
“You were taught with regard to your former way of life; to put off your old self which is being corrupted by deceitful desires to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”.
The word of God is what we stand on as Christians. We were born into a world of sin. We were saturated in sin and all the ugliness of life. If you think of a nice juicy steak, it takes many hours for all the flavors around it to marinade into the steak so that it is full of flavor. After the marinating process the steak taste like the flavors that it was saturated in. This is the same as us as humans. We were born into sin and before Jesus sin was the marinade we lived in. We as humans lived in hate, lust, un forgiveness, selfishness, discouragement and even more. Ephesians 4 does a great job explaining to us that The Lord wants to re marinade us into HIS^^ marinade. He wants to spend time with us. And the product of the time spent with Him is the fruits of the spirit.
Galatians 5:22 NIV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law”.
Living in these characteristics are a byproduct of letting Jesus transform and heal your heart. What can happen as Christians is that we don’t take the time to be with Jesus and let Him^^ into the depths of our pain and hurt. When we let HIM^^ into the pain of the past we can feel it, let Him^^ into it. He^^ can then be in the pain with us and heal our hearts by bringing His^^ truth into the pain. As our culture wants everything instantly. “I want it and I want it now”. Though Jesus does bring some healing instantly, there are many things that take time to process and pray about. The Lord wants us to be vulnerable with Him^^. What does this even look like? He^^ wants to be honest and real. He ^^ wants to know when something hurt you. He^^ wants to know when there was something that frustrated you or when you felt not enough, compared, unworthy, unlovable. He^^ is a God that wants personal relationship with you. Though everyone's processes look different I know with all my heart The Lord wants to process your pain with you so that you can be on His^^ firm foundation unshakable by the past hurt and pain.
QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF:
Jesus what do you want to teach me through this? Jesus what are areas in my life that have left me feeling unworthy, not enough, like I have to compete? Where did these start and what do you say about them?
PRAYER:
Dear Abba,
Thank you for giving me emotions. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus you bring up the things of the past that once hurt so that I will be able to invite you into that place. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus you would come in and change those places that you would be the healer, heal my heart in Jesus name. Thank you Lord for who you are. This is all about you. Thank you for being the same yesterday today and forever. - In Jesus name Amen
DAY TWO: Understanding general emotions
**Read Psalms 3+4**
Understanding our emotions can help us identify the pain that we might be going through, due to being in a world of sin. I like to think of emotions of warning signs. Emotions should not be ignored or the center of your life. Emotions are like the flashing light blinking on your dashboard of your car saying “you need gas” but instead they are saying “your heart is hurting, something isn’t right”. This light is a warning sign that if you don’t get gas soon you are going to end up in trouble on the side of the road stranded. Right? Emotions are given to us to show us that there is something else going on in our hearts. Why is our hearts important?
Proverbs 4:23 NIV
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Our hearts are precious, The Lord gave us emotions so that we would know when our heart is hurting. The Lord wants us to deal with what hurts our heart so that we don’t go numb to what we are feeling. If we go numb to the hurt in our heart we can also go numb to Jesus. Emotions are a good thing, used to help us understand deeper what is going on in our hearts. Have you ever felt shame, rejection, powerlessness, loneliness, anger, rage or even guilt after accepting Jesus into your heart? These are all emotions that we can have, that can turn into bitterness which remember, is the numbing agent that doesn’t allow us to fully connect with God. It is common that instead of going to Jesus to fill the voids of pain, hurt, discomfort and so forth people go to substance abuse, relationships, we can fill our schedules so tightly that we don’t have time to “feel”.
Why is it that as Christians we still feel these different negative emotions? Why is there still pain? Shouldn’t Jesus take all that away? He paid the ultimate price so that you can find freedom from these things when you find your identity in Him and build your solid foundation on Him^^. We must first, acknowledge the things that hurt us. Feel the emotion and as Jesus where it comes from? Then ask Him to meet you in the pain and uproot the lie that we are now believing.
Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV
“You were taught with regard to your former way of life; to put off your old self which is being corrupted by deceitful desires to be made new in the attitude of your minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”.
So then you can put the truth of who Jesus^^ is in that place. That doesn’t mean we won’t ever face pain or hurt again but that instead of going to the things of this world to eliminate the pain we can go to HIM^^ the HEALER, PROTECTOR, FRIEND, and KING of the world to help us through.
Philippians 1:6 NIV
Philippians 4:7 NIV
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The process of transformation started when you said Yes to Jesus and accepted Him into your heart. He started His^^ good work at that moment of conversion. Healing is a process of vulnerability and perseverance but as it says in Philippians 1:6 he will carry it to completion until the day of Christ.
QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF:
What pain are you experiencing that you could be trying to numb? (Rejection, anger, feelings that you’re not enough, discouragement?) Pray and ask the Lord right now to show you where those feelings originated. Take some time and write about the big and little things that hurt you. Ask the Lord where He^^ is in those moments? Write down as many painful memories, moments or times in your life as you can.
PRAYERS:
Abba Father,
I come before you arms open. Jesus I pray that you will take this pain and show me where you are in it. Jesus help my heart not to become numb to your voice. Jesus turn my eyes to you in every moment of every day. Jesus I ask that the lies that have been spoken over me throughout my life would arise that you would show me the pain of the past running into your safe arms. I hold your hand as we walk through the pain. Reveal everything you want to heal in my heart. Show me where to go and what to do. I humble myself before your throne. Heal my heart and make me new. -In Jesus Holy and precious name Amen
DAY THREE: Understanding the truth
**Read Psalms 5+6**
Next week we will be going through some specific emotions that we may feel and why we might be feeling them. This week however it is important to understand the truth of who Jesus says we are so when we process negative emotions and uproot the lies we can then feel our hearts with the truth of who Christ says we are. It is the truth that sets us free.
John 8:32 NIV
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
1 Peter 2:4 NIV
“As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him”
Philippians 4:12-13 NIV
“ I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Psalms 139:14 NIV
“ I am fearfully and wonderfully made”
Zephaniah 3:17 NIV
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
As you continue to ask the Lord and process the pain that you are feeling by being vulnerable and real with what hurts in your heart. It is important that we fill in the pain with the truth of who Jesus says we are in HIM^^. When the world tells us that we are not enough, unworthy, unlovable, abandoned, rejected and not strong enough. We have to acknowledge the hurt that those words brought but as Christians we do not stay in that place of hurt we have a heavily Father that wants to hear the hurt, show us where He^^ is and then fill that hole with truth.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:
Which verses stood out to your the most? Why did they stand out to your the most? What does God want to heal me from?
PRAYER:
Abba Father,
Thank you for loving me so much that you would come down from heaven and die on a cross so that I can find full freedom from the past in you. Thank you that you have given us emotions. Thank you for your beautiful truth that sets us free from the lies of the enemy. Lord soften my heart and purify it to pure gold. Jesus you know what I need before I even need it. Thank you that you have gone behind and before me. I pray that you will reveal parts of my heart that are hurting and that the truth of your word will set me free from the lies. Thank you for your endless love. - In Jesus name Amen.
DAY FOUR: No matter what
**Read Psalms 7+8**
There is a time for every single season in our life. Whether we have been Christians for 10+ years or 24 hours. He^^ is going to continually heal our hearts and grow us closer to Him through full complete dependence on Him^^ and Him^^ alone.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet [a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
There is a season for everything. No matter what season you’re in He^^ wants to be right there with you. He^^ wants you to be on His^^ solid foundation in every moment. When we are able to walk in His^^ freedom we then are able to be unshakable no matter what season or what trial is in front of us. It is all about Abiding in Him^^ being vulnerable with Him^^ so we can process in every season of our life so that we can walk in His^^ freedom. It is all about relationship with Him^^.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:
What is vulnerability? Are you able to be honest with yourself? Are you able to be honest with Jesus in how you feel? What is the most challenging part in being honest with Him^^? How do you view vulnerability? Why do you think it can be hard for people to not be vulnerable with God?
A lot of times it can be hard to be vulnerable with God because of past hurt, rejection and pain. When we feel like no one cares or so overwhelmed with emotions we can shut down. Understanding what Jesus did on the cross leads us to repentance, repentance leads us to love, love leads us to vulnerability and vulnerability leads us to freedom in Jesus. He^^ loves you because He^^ loves you and there is nothing you can do to change that. The only thing that is keeping us away from experiencing His^^ deep love for us is ourselves.
PRAYER:
Dear Father,
Thank you that I can come before you in freedom. Thank you that there is nothing I can do that would ever separate your love from me. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that you would show me a deeper meaning of the cross. I thank you that I don’t have to be a victim of the past. Thank you that there is a season for everything. I pray that you would draw me close to your heart. I pray that you would help me to be vulnerable with you. Jesus you are worth my everything. Thank you for loving me so deeply. I choose to receive your love. Forgive me when I make choices that hurt your heart. Help me to understand what it looks like to process pain in every season.
DAY FIVE, SIX, SEVEN
+Read over the verses. Sit ask The Lord what He^^ wants to do in and through your heart. He^^ wants to love on you. There is a chapter in Proverbs for every day of the month. (March 5 = Proverbs 5; March 29 = Proverbs 29 and so on). A great place to start too in the Bible is Romans. Knowing and reading the Word of God is the most powerful thing. It is the foundation in which you stand.
+ Humans can only provoke thought and your quiet time with the Lord through vulnerability and His^^ Word^^ is where we find the revelation that changes our hearts.
+ Your time with The Lord is sacred. He is worth every moment. Any relationship takes time to build. You got this! Get ready He^^ loves to speak.
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