What Is Feeding Your Spirit And Why It’s Important To Know Your Source

Sometimes the way people talk to you has more to do with the way they view themselves than the way they view you.

And

Sometimes the way you talk to people has more to do with the way you view yourself than the way you view the person you’re talking to.

One evening I was sitting in the living talking with James about how I’ve been hurt by the way someone in my life had been speaking to me and treating me.

At one point in the conversation, I started to cry while I talked about this friendship and my confusion. I was confused on what I could have done to cause this person to speak negatively to me on a consistent basis for a while especially since it wasn’t like that prior. I asked James how they could be so quick to dismiss me and I was starting to feel the feelings of rejection.

James, who knew the details and inner workings of the situation, encouraged me to look beyond what I was seeing. He expressed how we don’t always know what’s going on in someone’s life that causes them to act or react the way they do.

There are many battles our friends or family members are facing that we may never know about so not only should we continuously be praying for them, we need to be careful to not let rejection take root in our heart.

Matthew 15:11 says, “It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

Matthew 15:16 says, “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked, “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart- that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

Where things in your life come from can determine how it comes out. What Jesus is saying here is, what you eat goes in one way and comes out, you know, the other end 😉 But what’s in our heart is what comes out of our mouth and that is where life or death happens.

You need to know where your food is coming from to know what is feeding your heart. You must know your source.

If you’re choosing to only “eat” bad, more than likely what comes out will be unhealthy.

When you know who your source is, you will guard your heart and not allow your mind to be tempted by the things you see and hear. Your thoughts won’t be evil and your actions won’t be sinful.

When you know who your source is, you won’t believe the lie that your poor doctor’s report is your death sentence. Your words will be words of health and healing.

When you know who your source is, you won’t believe the lies of your situation and let fear take over. Your words won’t be of uncertainty, instead, they will be full of faith for your secured outcome.

When you know who your source is, the words of negativity you’ve been on the receiving end won’t fester in your heart and come back out onto an undeserving individual. Your heart will be guarded and healed so your mouth will overflow with words of encouragement.

You must know where your food is coming from, you must know your source. Because when the majority goes one way, you will go the other. When the majority is fearful you will stop, turn around, and go back- because you know who your source is.

You will know who the one was that saved you. You will know the one who healed you, who set you free, and who reached His hand out to you and pulled you out of your pit. You will know the one who cleansed you and transformed your mind.

Friend, know who your food is coming from.

Is it coming from the lies of the world and Satan, or are they coming from the living Word of God?

John 6:26-27 says, “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you…”

John 6:35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

When you live daily on the bread of life you will walk a life full of truth.

The way you treat people will come from a heart full of scripture and not from a heart that is broken and hurting. The way you respond and react to life difficulties or the shortcomings of those around you will be full of faith, grace and love.

All because you chose to go to the one who feeds your spirit, your bread of life, Jesus Christ.

There will be plenty of times in your life where you will be taken aback by the way someone treats or speaks to you. That is when you can take a step back from the relationship and do some evaluating.

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you can prayerfully seek if there have been actions on your end that caused that person to respond and react to you in the manner they did.

However, there will be times with the guidance of the Holy Spirit you will be able to evaluate the situation and know in your heart that there haven’t been any actions on your end like James suggested to me.

But most importantly, spend time evaluating your actions and how you’re treating others. Are you frustrated with a family situation that you’re allowing to come back out in the way you speak to your friends? Are you hurt by the actions of your spouse and you allow that to affect the way you treat your children?

Friend, can I encourage you today to prayerfully reflect on on your words? What food are you eating and where is it coming from? Food from the world or the bread of life-Jesus? 

For more on this subject:

https://elevationchurch.org/sermons/flip-it/