You are not alone! Last week, I created a 1-question quiz to help you identify some common sabotaging beliefs that oppose weight loss.
Over 600 of you took the quiz. Here are the top 3 results as of this date:
- This is too hard: 28 percent
- Other: 15 percent
- I messed up before so I might as well quit: 14 percent
Eye-opening isn’t it? Upon further examination of the ‘Other’ responses, most could be summarized in this one:
- “It will always be a struggle. I always fail. I get excited, then get stuck over and over.”
The Lord can help you defeat fear and discouragement! Meditate on His promise in Mark 11:22-24:
“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them'” (Mark 11:22-24, NKJV).
Prayer will be your first weapon. Use it to start speaking to the mountains in your life. Speak this out loud: “My past does not equal my future!”
I recommend speaking the following weight-loss prayer to help you defeat fear and discouragement. You are speaking to your weight issue, confident in the power of the Lord:
“Jesus, You are worthy to be praised! When I lift You up, I am lifted up. Help me to magnify You above all toxic thinking. You magnify Your Word and Your name above all other things. The greater Your Word becomes, the smaller my challenges to weight loss become. I rebuke all thoughts that oppose Your Word. I take them captive to Your obedience. I believe Your Word, which says, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’
“Your Word says, ‘I can do.’ But my negative stronghold says, ‘I can’t do.’ Whose report will I believe? Your Word says, ‘all things,’ but my toxic thoughts say, ‘some things, but not this one.’ Whose report will I believe? Your Word says, ‘through Christ,’ but I say, ‘I’ll do it alone.’ Whose report will I believe? Your Word says, ‘who strengthens me,’ but I say, ‘I’m too weak.’ Whose report will I believe?
“This day, I believe the Lord’s report! I refuse to live in unbelief any longer. Help my unbelief. Unbelief keeps me mentally tormented. Help me, Jesus, to believe Your Word above my thoughts and feelings. They can deceive me and are persistent, like an overgrown brier patch. They try to keep me stuck where I am.
“But I know that You designed me to prosper and be in good health as my soul prospers. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, I can clear out these toxic brier patches and plant the good seed of your Word. And my efforts will succeed because Your strength empowers me!
“Help me to be diligent in keeping myself encouraged every day, Jesus. Renew my strength so that I don’t grow weary in doing well. If I mess up, I will learn from my mistakes and keep moving forward—even if I have to crawl ahead. I will get there!
“I renounce the scale as my god. It is but a tool. It has no power over me, except that which I choose to give it. If I am allowing the scale to control me, then give me the courage to put it away, Jesus. Help me to pay attention to other signs that I am moving in the right direction for my health—boosted energy, increased confidence and greater mental focus. I praise You for every sign of progress I make! You are my rock and I depend on You to lead and guide me every day. Amen.”
Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight loss website www.takebackyourtemple.com. Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.
For the original article, visit takebackyourtemple.com.
