Electives – Section 6

… (Your name), listen to what you are saying. Let yourself believe, love, and be thankful for the truth!

…Heart, I don’t have to settle for such a little thing as to glory in what I eat. I repent of seeing food as the best life has to offer. God wants me near, and the more fully I can get my heart to hear and treasure believing about receiving God’s kingdom and presence, the more I can rightly gorge myself with God’s holy presence instead of over-eating. Heart, trust that my eyes are looking at God’s radiant power and beauty close around and touching me here: “…it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefitted” (Heb. 13:9). Thank You, God, for freely giving me the presence of Your glory as a shield around me, by Your grace (Ps. 84:11).

…What I find in the refrigerator is not my best hope for reassurance and what comforts me. I repent of letting myself forget the benefits of the nearness of God and His kingdom: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, / And forget none of His benefits” (Ps. 103:2); “…You are the God of my strength…” (Ps. 43:1); “…My soul clings to You…” (Ps. 63:8).

…Heart, guilt and self-contempt are not the best ways to improve my behavior! I am directing my heart to enjoy believing that the presence of God and His kingdom protect me from temptation and that I can satisfy myself with His nearness. Heart, I am telling myself that by faith in God’s grace, I can “…walk in the light of Your countenance…” (Ps. 89:15-17).

…Heart, it is better to be strengthened by God’s grace to draw near than with food. Because of the radiance around God and that He wants to be a shield around me (Ps. 84:11), I can “…put on the armor of light…and make no provision for the flesh…” (Rom. 13:12, 14). Heart, I can “…walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light…” (1 John 1:7); and because “…He wraps himself in light as with a garment;” (Ps. 104:1,2 NIV), I can rightly trust that “…the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory,” so that I too can “walk uprightly” (Ps. 84:11).

…When I feel insecure, nervous, or lonely, food is not what I will reassure myself with! By childlike faith, openness to God, and faith in the Scriptures about the sanctuary of Heaven coming freely to me here, I can purposely enjoy feeding on God’s presence. By this, the beauty and holiness of power and glory becomes more satisfying to me than food: “…You are my God…My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You…Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory…My soul is satisfied…” (Ps. 63:1-2, 5). Heart, take time often to think of God’s presence and the nearness of His kingdom as what is satisfying you.

…Heart, God as my refuge is the security and protection I need. I repent of trying to find refuge in what I eat: “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Ps. 36:7-9).

…Whether it shows on me or not, I repent of pride about how much I can eat. I repent of losing hope, giving up, and then trying to get the delight and pleasure I need in food. It is right and good for me to gorge myself with God! I set my heart to delight myself in the abundance of the Holy Spirit’s presence that pours out from all around God: “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance” (Isa. 55:1-2).

…The refuge I need is not to trust my weight as a cocoon to hide in. I turn my heart to love that I can freely receive and surround myself with God to hide in Him. I take refuge in the goodness and love of God: “…none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned” (Ps. 34:22); “…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). I set my heart to think often with bold faith about the nearness of God as reassurance and protection around me.

…food is not my best hope to soothe the pain inside. I rest in believing it is safe and good for me to draw near to God. My eyes are on Your presence all around and touching me here: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (James 4:8); “…draw near…in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22); “…they walk in the light of Your countenance…” (Ps. 89:15-17).

…I turn from trying to cover up my need for God with food. I love that God wants to be near me. It is right and safe for me to trust that He wants to be near me. I reject and renounce eating as a way to deaden my desire for God. The presence of the Spirit of God sent to me by Jesus is the Helper who enables holy living: “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:14); “… God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.” (Ps. 54:4).

…I repent and turn away from soothing my hurts with food. I have to eat, but I don’t have to find the pleasure I need that way. Heart, God’s nearness is what soothes me and is my pleasure. Whenever I feel dirty or full of the wrong thing, I will not avoid God! I set my heart to turn quickly toward God’s forgiveness and cleansing by His radiance upon me inside and out. Heart, God forgives me as soon as I ask. God doesn’t hold back from me, and I repent of wanting to wait and hold back from Him. God doesn’t hold back from washing and cleansing me with the Holy Spirit: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9); “…washed…in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:11); “…cleansing their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:9); “…having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19 and 22); “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4).

…I can turn from wanting pleasure, control, and reassurance from food. I repent of receiving food into me as a substitute for receiving God’s presence and kingdom onto and into me. I set my heart to joyously believe that God and His kingdom are coming to me because I “…must believe…that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6); “…we…receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal. 3:14).

…I don’t have to be afraid to feel physical hunger—I can distract myself by faith that God is drawing near. I can open up to God and satisfy myself with His heavenly sanctuary and presence coming down (James 1:17) upon and around me. By faith, I am trusting that my eyes are looking at the extreme greatness of God’s power and beauty close around and touching me: “…You are my God…My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You…Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory…My soul is satisfied…” (Ps. 63:1-2, 5). I set my heart to pause and often think with childlike and playful faith about the nearness of God as what satisfies me.

…I am directing my heart toward God (1 Sam 7:3). The presence of God is a better way to fill the hunger of my soul: “…O Lord; I said, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” (Ps. 142:5); “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name…” (Isa. 25:1).

…Heart, the refuge I need, is not in the refrigerator or the cookie jar. I repent of taking refuge and hiding myself inside what I eat: “I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!” (Ps. 91:2). Because of God’s presence coming to me from the radiance around Him, I can say with joy that Lord, “You are my hiding place…” (Ps. 32:7); My “…adequacy is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5); “…The Lord is my God” (Zech. 13:9).

…Heart, God’s presence reassures me when I intentionally think of His nearness as my refuge and what soothes me. I don’t have to eat ________________________ because when by faith I “delight” myself in the “abundance” (Isa. 55:1-2) of glory and grace that God gives freely, His presence and goodness coming to me are much more filling and more available: “…they walk in the light of Your countenance…” (Ps. 89:15-17). So, I repent of depending on food and am turning my heart to rely on God’s presence because “…the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory; / No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Ps. 84:11). Thank You, God, that Your presence with me helps me to “walk uprightly” and that we “walk in newness of life” by the “glory of the Father” (Rom. 6:4).

…I don’t have to eat more food to sabotage myself with depression when I have eaten too much already. I will let my heart hear that I don’t have to be afraid to soothe myself with God. Lord, Your presence is a far better refuge of yummy goodness. I set my heart to depend entirely on enjoying God’s nearness because God “…has not despised…the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him…” (Ps. 22:24); “…God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (2 Cor 6:16).

…I don’t have to use food as a way to distract myself from other things. God’s presence is readily available because You, “…O Lord…are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living’” (Ps. 142:5). To help me turn away from food and toward God more fully, I am building my faith, to trust that my eyes are looking at the extreme greatness of God closeness all around me here. Heart, “…the Lord is our righteousness” (Jer. 33:16); “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?” (Ps. 27:1).

…Heart, the more I can get my heart to believe and treasure the truth that God’s glory is greater than the glory I find from food, the easier it will be for me to turn to Him. Because it says, “He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chron. 12:14); I must “…Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; / Bring an offering, and come before Him; / Worship the Lord in holy array” (1 Chron. 16:28-29). When I get my heart to believe God’s glory is greater, more pure, and more enjoyable than food, my heart will turn, and abiding in God’s presence will get easier.

…I cut off and turn away from trying to stuff my desire for God with food. I delight that it is right and safe to trust I am drawing near to the fountain of God by “receiving” with “gratitude,” God’s heavenly kingdom around me here (Heb. 12:22-24, 28). I reject and renounce eating as a way to deaden my desire for God: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32), and “…the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20).

…I repent of having to eat more to maintain relationships and avoid their disapproval. The substance of God’s love for me comes upon me by the radiance that pours out from all around Him (Rom. 5:5; John 7:39) and Jesus said I should abide in His love (John 15:9; 1 John 4:16). So, heart, I can trust God to draw near to me and burn away my fears about being close (Isa. 4:4). When I taste of His coming to me freely, I will see that He is good (Ps. 34:8). “…the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge…” (Ps. 73:28).

…Heart, food is not my best hope to relieve the boredom. Entering the throne room is a better way to find the enjoyment and thrill I need. Heart, “…have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:19, 22); and, thank You, God, that when I enter before You by faith, I enter with my physical body here because it says You come and wash my body clean.

…I don’t have to celebrate what I eat without celebrating the nearness of God even more. Heart, “…we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12); “…through Him we…have our access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18). Heart, trust that my eyes are looking at God’s beauty close around and touching me here. God’s presence with me is my refuge of security and protection. I am humbling myself into the place of childlike faith that lets me delight in the abundance of the radiance of God upon me here: “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance” (Isa. 55:1-2).

…I cut off and turn away from trying to depend on food as my best hope to relieve stress. I have determined to enjoy with faith the presence of God and the coming down of His kingdom upon and around me as what soothes and reassures me. I set my heart to think often with bold faith about the nearness of God as reassurance and protection around me here.

…I don’t have to receive food into me in order to deaden the pain from how lonely I feel. I am turning my heart to trust that God is coming to me and that it is His presence around me that comforts me: “…the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). I set my heart to think often about the nearness of God as what is comforting and calming me. I am directing my heart to enjoy the fact that God is my friend! When, like a child, I open up to God and believe the Scriptures about receiving His presence and kingdom, I can intentionally thrill my heart with faith about God’s glory near me being greater than the glory the world and food offer. The more I can get my heart to enjoy this truth with playful freedom, the more the nearness of God and the beauty of His kingdom eases my boredom and feelings of being alone.

…Heart, food is not my best hope for a way to relax. I find rest for my soul by drawing near and letting God and His goodness draw near to me here. “…My people will be satisfied with My goodness,’ declares the Lord” (Jer. 31:14); “…the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge…” (Ps. 73:28); “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good besides You” (Ps. 16:2). Heart, God says to me, “…I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11).

…Heart, being overweight doesn’t make me unacceptable to God! He wants me close and wants to be close to me here: “…the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). “…the Lord will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake [us, as] His inheritance.” (Ps. 94:14); “…In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength…” (Isa. 30:15).

…I repent of over-eating as a form of revenge. The power I feel in controlling what I eat is nothing compared to drawing near and thrilling my heart with the sovereign power of my God: “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19); “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).

…Heart, food is not the supply of reassurance and soothing that I need! The radiance of God upon me is what satisfies me. I am telling my heart to trust that because God is a sun and a shield, He gives His grace and glory freely: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; / The Lord gives grace and glory…” (Ps. 84:11); and, “…it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefitted” (Heb. 13:9). So, I am turning my heart to consciously trust that my eyes are looking at God’s beauty drawing close around and touching me, here. By faith, I trust I can “…walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light…” (1 John 1:7); “…He wraps himself in light as with a garment;” (Ps. 104:1,2 NIV); and, “…they walk in the light of Your countenance…” (Ps. 89:15-17).

…Heart, be thankful that my weight does not determine whether or not I can be Okay. God loves me I can enjoy His caress by faith that He is drawing near as a strong refuge around me: “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light” (Ps. 36:7-9); “…they walk in the light of Your countenance…” (Ps. 89:15-17).

…I cut off and am turning away from using food to cover up and distract me from my need for God. Heart, I am presenting my fears before the radiant holiness of God upon me here. I am boldly declaring to my heart that it is good to treasure the fact that God wants to be near me here. Depending on God to draw near makes Him my God and frees me from having to depend on other things. So, I reject and renounce eating as a way to deaden my desire and need to receive God’s presence. I set my heart to open up and trust the radiance of God’s holiness is upon me here: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2). So, by faith, I trust that my eyes are looking at God’s beauty close around and touching me here.

…I turn from trying to stuff my desire for God with food. It is worship for me to present my body to God by trusting I am before Him here (Rom. 12:1). It says, “…do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers…” (2 Chron. 29:11), so, I delight that it is right and safe to trust I am drawing near to the radiant fountain of God, by His drawing near to me here.

…I repent of wanting fat as a way to hide and protect myself from the world. I am declaring to the ears of my heart that God is my hiding place! I reject and renounce eating as a substitute for receiving God’s presence in and around me. I repent of using food as a distraction from my desire for the presence of God. Heart, hear again that “…it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefitted” (Heb. 13:9).

… I repent of depending on food as a pain killer. God is the one who soothes my hurts. I repent of using food to distract myself from the empty pain that only God can fill. Heart, God’s presence is readily available: “…My people will be satisfied with My goodness,’ declares the Lord” (Jer. 31:14); “…the nations will bless themselves in Him, and in Him they will glory” (Jer. 4:2); “…glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).

…Heart, rejoice that my weight is not a reason for me to stay away from God. The Holy Spirit burns away my shame by His radiance upon me here: “…if we walk in the Light…the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7); “…the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…by the spirit of judgement and the spirit of burning” (Isa. 4:4). So heart, “…draw near…in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22).

…The refuge I need is not the refrigerator or the cookie jar. The presence of God is a better way to reassure myself and hide for protection: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust!’ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark” (Ps. 91:1-4); “…none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned” (Ps. 34:22). By faith, I am trusting that my eyes are looking at the power and beauty of God all around me.

…I don’t have to use food to sabotage myself with anger and depression because of overeating. God’s presence is a better refuge of protection. I am turning my heart to trust and enjoy the nearness of God as my refuge of strength and power: “…O my God, in You I trust…” (Ps. 25:2), because “On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God” (Ps.. 62:7).

…I turn from wanting pleasure, control, and reassurance from food. I reject and renounce food as a way to feed my desire for God. Heart, my God is “The God who girds me with strength…” (Ps. 18:32), and for God to “gird” me with strength, His presence has to surround me. Thank You, God, that You come to me freely when my childlike faith playfully believes and finds “delight” in Your grace to come to me “abundantly:” “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance” (Isa. 55:1-2).

…I repent of using my weight as not a tool for protecting myself from other people. And God is always ready and wanting to be close so I can depend on Him, instead of idolatry: “…return to the Lord with all your heart, remove the foreign gods…direct your hearts to the Lord… and He will deliver you…” (1 Sam. 7:3). So, I make declarations that transform my heart-level thinking (Rom. 12:2) with joy. I “…impress these words…on your heart and on your soul…” (Deut. 11:18) to remove the “obstacles” between God and me (Isa. 57:14). Thank You, God, that “…You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive…” (Ps. 86:5); You are the God who washes me clean because I can “…draw near…in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean…and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22).

…Heart, I don’t have to believe the lies of the enemy pushing me to find the pleasure I need, apart from enjoying and thrilling myself with God’s presence and kingdom around me here: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth” (Ps. 50:2); and, God tells me to receive the kingdom of Heaven with gratitude and like a child (Heb. 12:28; Mark 10:15). So, heart, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

…Thank You, God, that by receiving the Kingdom of Heaven and Your holiness around me, I can punish demons pushing me toward over-eating and sin! I bind the power, influence, and effectiveness of the demons, witchcraft, and wicked men and women trying to push me toward idolatry and sin. I bind the power, influence, and effectiveness of high and lofty thoughts in me that might cause me to depend on food rather than God. I loose the holy presence of God, the kingdom of Heaven, and angels (Heb. 12:22-24, 28) upon and around all of these things so that God can reach into me, heal my hurts, and comfort me while also destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Thank You, God, that by Your kingdom coming down upon me here (James 1:17), You are burning evil these things off of me (Isa. 4:4) and crushing them under my feet (Rom. 16:20; Dan. 2:44-45). I repent of gluttony and overeating, and I present before God everything related to these things before God, His kingdom, and His angels coming to me so that God’s will can be done on earth as it is in Heaven. I love Your coming kingdom and Your holiness drawing near me, God!