Have you ever noticed how life has a way of squeezing you when you least expect it? Youâre minding your own business, and suddenlyâbamâyou bump your car or get hit with a stressful situation. What comes out of you in that moment says a lot about whatâs been going in.
Iâve been in those moments where the first thing out of my mouth wasnât exactly scripture. But hereâs the truth: our first reaction should be the Word of God. Not fear. Not panic. Not defeat. But the promises of God.
Thatâs what todayâs message is all aboutâmaking the Word of God such a natural part of who we are that when life squeezes us, itâs the Word that flows out.
Letâs start with a familiar reminder:
âStay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.â - 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)
You become easy prey when you donât know the Wordâwhen you donât understand your covenant rights or fail to speak the truth Jesus spoke. So what do we do? We fill our hearts with the Word so that when pressure comes, Scripture flows out.
âSo humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.â - James 4:7 (NLT)
You resist by speaking truth. When the enemy says youâre worthless, or that God canât use you, or youâve messed up too many timesâyou answer back with Scripture. Thatâs how we fight.
One of the foundational scriptures is:
âThen Jesus said to the disciples, âHave faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, âMay you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,â and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.ââ - Mark 11:22â23 (NLT)
Jesus is saying, âSpeak my word, and I guarantee it.â And itâs not about repeating what Tim saysâitâs about aligning your words with what Jesus says.
When Scripture is stored in your heart, it oozes out even when youâre not being squeezed. You can be in Walmart and bless someone without even trying. Thatâs what it looks like when the Word is alive in you.
Believing isnât just mental agreement.
âYou say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.â - James 2:19 (NLT)
So yes, belief is essentialâbut weâve also got to act on it.
âFor we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world... Put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.â - Ephesians 6:12â15 (NLT)
That preparation is what weâre doing right nowâfilling up so weâre ready for battle.
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, His only response was Scripture.
âJesus said, âIt is written...ââ - Matthew 4 (NLT):
He never said anything else. Just what the Father had said. Thatâs how we win. Revelation 1:16 shows us a powerful image of Jesus with a sword coming out of His mouth. That sword? The Word of God.
We speak it boldly. We speak it with authority. And it cuts through the lies of the enemy.
Men especiallyâwe tend to endure things in silence. But thatâs not the way of Jesus. He spoke to storms. He spoke to sickness. And He told us to do the same.
I remember hearing a story about a well-known evangelist who was just getting started in ministry. He used to drive around Texas and Oklahoma in an old, beat-up car. By all appearances, it had seen better days. But he didnât complain about it. Instead, every time he got in that car, he spoke life over it.
Heâd say things like, âThis is a good car. Youâre such a good car. Youâre reliable. Youâre fantastic.â And you know what? That old car never broke down on him.
One day, he arrived at a church where a mechanic happened to be in the congregation. The mechanic offered to check the car out, change the oil, and get it ready for the next trip.
After looking it over, the mechanic came back and asked, âDid you really drive this car here?â
The evangelist nodded, a little confused.
The mechanic told him, âThis car doesnât even have ignition points. You canât run a car without those.â
He explained that the car shouldnât have been running at all. Mechanically, it was impossible. But somehow, it had gotten him there without a single problem.
Turns out, the words this evangelist had been speaking over that carâbacked by faithâhad kept it running when it shouldnât have been able to. The Holy Spirit honored his words, because he chose to speak life instead of cursing it with negativity.
You can speak to storms. Darla doesnât like snow, so she speaks to it. One year, it kept skipping over us and dumping on Kansas and Arkansas. Coincidence? Maybe. But maybe not.
Dan from menâs group shared something powerful. He started doing daily declarations while driving to workâspeaking out expectations for his day and commanding his flesh to line up with Godâs Word.
He says things like: âIâm a righteous man. I choose purity for my eyes and mind. I choose to speak life and life only.â
He also declares what he wonât be: âI choose not to be angry, bitter, prideful, or fearful.â And then he commands his flesh to obey.
This kind of discipline makes a difference. On the days he skips it, he notices. He slips. The wrong things come out when squeezed. But when he declares truth, heâs full of life.
You can speak to your finances. If youâre tithing and sowing, you have promises in the Word to stand on. When your checkbook says youâre broke, say, âNoâIâm wealthy in Christ.â
Speak to your body. âIâm healed from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. Thank you, Jesus, that my body is whole.â
This isnât wishful thinkingâitâs the Word in action.
Faith without works is dead.
âSo you see, faith by itself isnât enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless... I will show you my faith by my good deeds.â - James 2:17â18 (NLT)
Darla and I are believing for a new roof, floors, paint, and HVAC. Weâve made a covenant with God, wrote it out, added scriptures, took communion, and thanked Him for it like itâs already done. We even went out and picked the colors.
Weâre walking it outânot in our own strength, but by trusting God completely.
To close, Darla shared a story about a Navy zeppelin. A wind gust pulled it up, and men holding the ropes began fallingâexcept one. He stayed in the air for over an hour until they brought it down. When they asked how, he said, âI just tied myself to the rope and let it carry me.â
Thatâs what weâre doingâtying ourselves to Jesus and letting Him carry us through the storm.