From the Heart
Application of Scripture is vitally important to me AND a key component in my books. When we apply Scripture in our lives, dramatic things happen! We are blessed! We are transformed! We are changed from weak, downtrodden human beings to powerful kids of the King!
Are you armed with Scripture? When thoughts of depression, failure, fear, etc. attack—are you ready to blow them away? As far as I am concerned, there is NO weapon on earth as powerful as Scripture, and let me tell you, I aim to be well-armed! I figure if quoting Scripture was the weapon of choice for Jesus when Satan tempted him three times in the desert, then it’s good enough for me. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). And I have found in every trial of my life, targeted Scripture (and prayer) have been the things that carried me through!
Now, what do I mean by “targeted Scripture”? Finding those Scriptures that relate to your situation and camping out on them. For instance, when my son was away at college, a local specialist told us he thought my son had cancer. My husband and I were devastated and immediately sought a second opinion. Extensive blood tests were run, but we had a week to wait for the results. Now, trust me, I’m a pretty wired individual, so the thought of waiting a week put my imagination in overdrive. There I would be, lying in my bed and desperately trying to sleep, when images of my son in a casket would bombard my mind.
The only way I got through that week was by “being transformed by the renewing of my mind” (Romans 12:2). As soon as a horrible image or thought would come to me, I would rebuke it in Jesus’ name (the same way Jesus rebuked the terrible storm when He and the apostles were in the boat—Matthew 8:26), and then I would replace it with God’s Word such as “No weapon formed against my son shall prosper; this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord” Isaiah 54:17, or “for You are the God who heals my son” Exodus 15:26. I said it OVER and OVER again until it drove the fear away and filled me with God’s peace.
How did everything turn out? Well, I spent the week resting in God’s Word, as calm and placid as a mirror lake, while my usually laid-back husband was a basket case. I finally had to type up a whole page of healing scriptures, print it off, and tuck it in his wallet so that he, too, could be transformed from fear to peace. At the end of the week, God answered our prayers—no cancer! Thank you, Jesus!
So, here are several listings of Scripture I compiled for my own arsenal (Healing Scriptures, Hope Scriptures and Scriptures/Prayers for Writers … just scroll down). I hope they will help you too!
REMEMBER, WHEN NEGATIVE THOUGHTS COME:
1.) Rebuke them and bind them in Jesus’ name, then loose the opposite (for despair, loose hope, for fear, loose peace, etc. in Jesus’ name. Matthew 18::18 – Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven).
2.) Replace them with God’s Word (pick one or more scriptures and memorize!)
3.) Do it OVER and OVER again until you are “transformed” by the renewing of your mind!
Healing Scriptures
Psalm 103: 2-3 – Praise the LORD , O my soul, and forget not all his benefits–who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.
Jeremiah 30: 17 – But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD.
Psalm 107: 20 – He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
1 Peter 2: 24 – He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
Psalm 91: 1 – He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 Kings 20: 5 – Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.
Isaiah 58:8 – Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind.
1 John 4:4 – You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Revelation 12:11 – They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
3 John 1:2 – Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (He healed then, He heals now!)
Matthew 9:35 – Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
Psalm 30:2 – O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
Jeremiah 33:6 – Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.
Psalm 91:5 – You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day.
Psalm 91:7 – A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
Psalm 34:19 – A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.
Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
Malachi 4:2 – But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.
Acts 3:16 – By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
Proverbs 4:22 – (God’s Word is) life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.
Psalm 112:7 – He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD . His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
Psalm 112:4 – Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Matthew 8:17 – This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.”
James 4:7 – Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Ephesians 6:12 – For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
2 Corinthians 10:4 – The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Psalm 91:10 – … then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
Psalm 34:7 – The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Hope Scriptures
Romans 15:12-14 – Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 42:10-12 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God , for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God .
Romans 5:4-6 – And hope does not disappoint , because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Acts 2:25-27 – Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope .
Psalm 25:2-4 – No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.
Psalm 31:23-25 – Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalm 62:4-6 – Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
Psalm 71:13-15 – But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
Scriptures for Writers
Matthew 6:21 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Dear Lord, Let our treasure not be in getting published or the plot of our next book, but let it be first and foremost in you, the true joy of our heart.
Psalm 119:116 – Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live. Do not let my hopes be dashed. Thank you, Oh Lord, that hope does not disappoint. And thank you, Oh God, that You are the God of Hope. This day and always, I rest my hopes in you, for I know you watch over both them and me … to bear fruit.
Psalm 143:10 – Teachme to doYour will, forYou are my God; mayYour good Spirit lead me on level ground. As we strive to do Your will, Oh Lord, keep us steady and strong, humble on the heights and lifted up inthe valleys. But wherever the path of our life shall take us, keepour faith, always,on level ground.
Psalm 71:14 – But as for me, I will always have hope;I will praise You more and more. Dear Lord, as we press on to become the writers you want us to be, fill us to overflowing with Your hope. And may our lips never cease their joyful song of praise to You, our God.
Psalm 90 – May the favorof the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Oh, God, pour your favor we send proposals, enter contests, submit stories to magazines, etc. and grant us favor and success in allwe set our hand to. Establish the work of our hands so that we may honor You.
Micah 4:2 – He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His path … Heavenly Father, precious Holy Spirit and dear Lord Jesus, thank you that you not only have a path for each of us, but a plan toequip us to walk it. Let your Word, oh Lord, be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.
Psalm 138 – The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD , endures forever — do not abandon the works of your hands. Thank you that you have a plan and a purpose for each of us. Fulfill your purpose for us — strengthen us, fine-tune us, humble us and guide us to be the writers you have called us to be. That we,the works of your hand, oh Lord,mayserve you with ours! Amen.
Proverbs 21:31 (Message Bible) – Do your best, prepare for the worst, then trust God to bring the victory. Lord, help us to do our best for You in everything we do. Then help us to trust it all to You!
Proverbs 16:9 – In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Lord, prepare us for your plan, your steps for our lives. Help us to keep focused on You as we walk the path you have for us.
Hebrews 10:35-39 – Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what is promised … my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him. Lord, even though we suffer rejection and disappointment in our dream of wanting to write for you, please give us endurance and hope so we will not shrink back from all you have planned.
Isaiah 40:31 – Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Renew us, Oh Lord, from the fatigue of the day, the oppression of the world and the heaviness of our obligations. Let our spirits and souls be filled to overflowing with Your hope and your strength.
2nd Corinthians 11:3 – But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your mind should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.Dear Lord, before our families, before our jobs, before our writing … let our devotion be to Christ, pure and simple. And let the effect be seen … in our families, our jobs, our writing, and our lives.
Psalm 119:116 – Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live. Do not let my hopes be dashed.Thank you, Oh Lord, that hope does not disappoint. And thank you, Oh God, that You are the God of Hope. This day and always, I rest my hopes in you, for I know you watch over both them and me … to bear fruit.
Psalm 45:1 – My tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. Father, pour out your grace and wisdom as we strive to honor you with the gift you have given us. Let our tongues, our hearts, and our minds be the pens of a skillful writer, and let our words always be worthy of You.