3 Ways We Self-Sabotage Our Blessings + Promises in Life (& how to stop it!)

If God’s promises for us are, “Yes and Amen,” then why so often do they  actually feel like his promises are really, “No and never”? If you open up God’s word and spend some time getting oriented with it you’ll see hundreds of promises God has made to His people. God is not one that He should lie and He keeps His word, so why so often do we feel like the blessing isn’t there and the promises are so far away?

Contrary to popular belief, the enemy isn’t always the one stealing our blessings and making life difficult. Often, all he has to do is plant one little, tiny-weenie lie and hope it takes root in our mind.  Sadly, we tend to “water” that lie because they are too believable and then just like that, hook line and sinker, we start living a mediocre life wondering why we don’t see God’s promises. In short, we self-sabotage by believing the lies of the enemy and leave the blessing behind.

I want to bring to you 3 ways we self-sabotage God’s promises for our lives. Sometimes our biggest enemy isn’t standing right in front of us but in fact,  sitting between our ears. Yes our MIND can work against us if we let it! Here are 3 ways we tend to self-destruct and miss the blessings God has in store for us.

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3 ways we self-sabotage +
how to correct it

1. We Let the World Tell Us Our Worth. Listen, we’ve all been called things that we don’t like. Chances are you’ve been labeled by others whether you realize it or not. Have you ever been named any of these: anxious, late, bossy, loud, blunt, clumsy, unorganized? Sometimes these labels that other people give us are things that we start to believe and we live our life accordingly. You may think that you don’t have the education to write the book or you might feel like you no one will listen because you don’t have the platform or followers. There are so many things that we stop pursuing because we believe what the world tells us.

When we let the world define who we are, we are ultimately letting the world give us our identity. Guess what? The world will call you worthless because that is what the Prince of the world believes about you. When we find our identity in Christ that opens up a whole new world: the Kingdom of God. Once we realize that we are sons and daughters and walk in freedom, the blessing and promises are in that freedom. We have to stop letting the world tell us our worth because the world thinks you’re worthless. You are worthy of the promise and the blessing because He is Worthy, and you are His!

2. We Stop Dreaming. Saints, it is OK to dream and dream big! Your dreams are not selfish wants but actually they are what God put inside of you for you to pursue, so He can be glorified! So why wouldn’t He want you to dream big? Why wouldn’t He want you to go above and beyond? He is the one getting the credit, you are just the vessel in which He chose to use! God has a plan for you, bigger than yourself, and the only way to find out what that looks like is to dream big dreams! When we stop dreaming, we run the risk of missing out on letting God use us for His Kingdom. He can’t give you what you don’t ask for. So, take those big ideas to the Lord, tell Him your desires and dreams and watch Him show up in your life in ways you’ve never thought possible!

3.  We Neglect God’s Word. We cannot understand what our blessings and promises are until we know the Blesser and the Promise Keeper. The best way to do this is by getting in God’s Word, often and daily. It’s time to stop putting things in our mind and spirit that do not align with God’s Word. Take in the Word over the World. Abide in Him and we will see the good fruit of our life (John 15). Abiding in scripture is so much more than treating it like, “a chapter a day, keeps the devil away.” By studying God’s Word, we are coming into relationship with the One who wants to bless us. We are building intimacy with the Father. When we neglect scripture, we are neglecting a fruitful relationship with Jesus. If you want to know the promises God has for you, get into the Word and He will show you.

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My hope for you is that you take these 3 points and hold them up to the patterns of your life. Are you living a half-full life because you unknowingly operate in a self-sabotaging mindset? It’s time to stop blaming your circumstances and the people around you when you feel like your blessing is stolen. The promise is near and yours to keep, only when you renew your mind and stay near to the Father. After all, He is the one who said His promises are yes and amen.

~ Deanna Opheim

Photo by Jackie Parker on Unsplash

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