Sometime ago I was introduced to “Biblical Affirmations” by Craig Groeschel on The Craig Groeschel’s Leadership Podcast.
It should not have been a new concept to me. But I will admit that the idea of “recapturing affirmations” from what at the time was thought of as simply positive affirmations and self-image boosting was an interesting idea to me but not necessary for the Christian life.
What I did not realize was that this practice of biblical affirmations was not simply Christian positivity. Rather, exercising our memory of God’s truths from the scriptures. Oddly enough affirming Biblical truths in my heart and mind was a radical concept for daily renewal in spite of my history of being raised in the church.
Maybe the mix of new age, the dawn of self-help culture, and Tony Robbins ruined my idea of positive affirmations and affirming one’s beliefs in this way. But what does the enemy do best. Kill, steal, and destroy. Don’t let the enemy keep you from this powerful practice of aligning your beliefs to God’s truths.
Reconnect with your deepest convictions and align them with the scriptures. This is an excellent devotional practice. Keep in mind our emphasis on biblical. Affirmations are rooted in scripture and sometimes are simply scripture itself.
Here are some examples of biblical affirmations:
- I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)
- “I am uniquely created by God and have value and purpose.”
- God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
- “I walk in boldness, love, and self-control, knowing God is with me.”
- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
- “With Christ’s strength, I can overcome any obstacle.”
- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)
- “God provides all my needs; I lack nothing in Him.”
- I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me. (Romans 8:37)
- “In Christ, I have victory over every challenge.”
- God’s grace is sufficient for me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
- “No matter my weakness, God’s grace empowers me.”
Craig’s affirmations are great. I will link to them here because I adopted them for myself. But if you are not in the habit of affirming these beliefs with deep conviction then this can quickly become a religious exercise. So test your heart.
That being said, I want to encourage some degree of caution and direction with this practice. Affirmations can be powerful but we must make sure they align with truth. I’ve often seen believers affirming what they thought to be true when in fact the affirmation was a regurgitated mantra from other religious practices and not from God. This is why, without going into great detail, I think the practice of positive affirmations has been tainted and quite dangerous. As Christians our identities are founded in Christ and not in the words we repeat to ourselves. There is no mystery to this practice other than receiving what God has already freely given to us.
One thing I recommend doing is recording yourself saying your affirmations and then listening to them back. Listen to your heart. To your conviction. Let that convict you.
Another step to this journey for me and one I think you should consider is creating a affirmations movie. This is something you put together for yourself to remind yourself of the truths and vision God has for your life in a movie format.
This does take some effort, but it is a concept I find very interesting and to implement it in daily reflection could be quite powerful.
If you struggle with the thoughts you have in your mind. Consider talking them through with a mentor or coach. It is incredibly helpful just to hear yourself say some of the thoughts you have churning in your mind.
I hope this encourages you to reflect and ponder your thoughts and beliefs and to not let the enemy take hold of your precious thought life with lies. You can take them captive.
Be blessed!