Preach the Gospel to Yourself (Daily Encouragement)
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. – Mark 1:11 (NIV)
This week we have been focusing on words and there power. The most powerful voice in our lives is our own because no on speaks to us more than we speak to ourselves. The majority (all?) of people I talk with, the words they hear from themselves are not moving in the “life direction”. They are words of shame, regret, failure, not measuring up, envy, etc. That is why it is vital that we do what Pastor Jerry Bridges calls “preaching the gospel to yourself.” We need to remind ourselves of who we are in Christ, how God views us and who He says we are. You are loved. You are accepted.
In the book The Cure, it says “Your view of you is the greatest commentary on your view of God. Nothing you believe and depend upon (and I would add what you tell yourself) is more magnificently freeing that this single truth: You are no longer who you were, even on your worst day. Trusting and leaning upon “Christ in you” is the source of every shred of strength, joy, healing and peace.
We need to tell ourselves that in Christ:
- I have been changed into a new creation. I am fused with Jesus
- He loves me an enjoys me all the time
- He is maturing me in His way, in His time
- I can trust and receive love.
We need to fight against these thoughts:
- I changed in a legal sense, but not really.
- He is usually disappointed in me.
- He expects me to at least try and fix myself.
- I can’t be trusted or trust anyone else.
In short, we need to continually preach the gospel to ourselves and live in the freedom it brings:
“You are loved and accepted by God through the merit of Jesus, and you are blessed by God through the merit of Jesus. Nothing you ever do will cause Him to love you any more or any less.” Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace
Here are some practical ways to preach the gospel to yourself:
- Meditate upon the Gospel in God’s word (Isaiah 53.3-6; Romans 3.23-26; 5.6-11; 8.32-39; 1Cor 15.3-4; 2 Cor 5.21; Galatians 2.21)
- Pray the Gospel (Hebrews 4.16)
- Sing the Gospel (Amazing Grace – John Newton, When I survey the wondrous cross – Isaac Watts).
- Remember how the Gospel has transformed your life (1 Timothy 1.13).
- Study the Gospel – to grow in your passion for what Jesus has done, increase your understanding of what He has done. David Prior said, “We never move on from the cross, only into a more profound understanding of the cross.”
- Practice incarnating the Gospel. Be a friend to sinners and bring the good news of the gospel in word and deed.