Friday Fight 24 - Want or Need? The Power in Our Proclaiming?

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF24.

How many times do we speak about something we need? We all do; I'm guilty, especially with coffee or new tennis shoes. But what are some other things we declare to need desperately? Perhaps a drink, a smoke, hours at the gym, or gaming? We need God, but what else do we claim to need?

A few years back, God was trying to teach me the difference between a need and want and a lesson regarding the power of my words. So, I hope sharing this will bring more clarity to this fight. I'll begin with sharing my love for coffee. Most people know that I enjoy the taste and the beautiful reminder of having coffee with my father.

Want or Need? The Power in Our Proclaiming

Not understanding the power of a simple phrase, I would often say, "I need Starbucks!" Then, one day, with Starbucks in hand, I felt the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit. I assume God was tired of my announcing how much I loved and needed Starbucks, and a fast was placed on my heart. It was clear; I was giving up Starbucks. God has a sense of humor; at that time, I was meeting others at Starbucks to talk and pray. After eight months, three times a week, I understood that declaring a need can unknowingly impact its importance. I am more cautious now about my wording. I do not NEED Starbucks coffee; I want and enjoy Starbucks, all entirely different from a need.

How does darkness work? Darkness tricks us into declaring our wants as needs and for us to be excited about anything but God. The importance is reiterated. Applying this to other areas of our lives may bring awareness to those things we simply want or enjoy. The more we reveal a need, the more critical it becomes to us. So, what are we expressing as our most significant needs?

How do we fight? Pray about the difference between wants vs. needs. Then, we can fight by looking at things we believe we need in our lives. Let's change our view and be mindful of how powerful our words are. Let's keep God at the top of our list of needs and go from there!

Philippians 4:19

Pastor Shannon

New Life Church