Get Your Hopes Up!: Expect Something Good to Happen to You Every Day by Joyce Meyer

affects our body’s performance. We all know that a healthy diet is important, but I don’t think we always realize just how much our nutritional choices really impact our bodies. What you eat on any given day can determine how you feel, how much you get accomplished, and what kind of attitude you’re going to have. Good or bad—salad or doughnuts—the food that goes into your mouth affects your body. It can also affect your emotions and your thought processes.
    In the same way—hopeful declarations or negative confessions—the words you speak affect your life in many ways. Words have power. What you say makes a difference. As soon as you say something, those words go into your ears and directly to your soul. If your words are filled with life, you will feel happier and more energetic. However, if you have a tendency to talk about what is wrong in life and complain about your situation, those words have a negative impact and will drain your energy and make you feel discouraged and even depressed. Don’t put hope off until another time because “hope deferred makes the heart sick” (see Proverbs 13:12).
    Words filled with hope are important, especially when you are facing something difficult. One of the most important things you can do when you’re hurting is speak positive, faith-filled words. I’m not saying that your words alone have the power to change the situation—only God can do that—but your words do have power in the spiritual realm, and when you agree with God, His plan can rapidly begin to come to pass in your life. Your words can change your attitude about a negative situation and help determine how quickly you overcome it. The Israelites complained while they were in the wilderness, and they remained there. An 11-day journey took 40 years, and most of them never arrived at their desired destination.
    One of the most important things you can do when you’re hurting is speak positive, faith-filled words
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    Complaining and rehearsing everything we think is wrong in ourlife is a greater problem than most people realize it is. It is evil in the Lord’s ears! I wonder how many people go through life complaining, and by doing so, never have the kind of life they wish they had. You see, wishing is not enough to bring good things to pass. We need living hope and strong faith in God. We also need power thoughts and words filled with hope. We need action when it is called for and a thankful heart while we are waiting.
    I spent the first 45 years of my life damaging my days and hindering my future through lack of knowledge about the power of my own words. I lacked knowledge in many areas, but this was a big one for me. If you are educated about word power, this chapter will merely serve as a refresher course that will keep you going in the right direction, but if this is all new to you, it can be absolutely life-changing.
    You may not realize that you are in charge of your words. You can choose what you will say, and believe me when I tell you that what you say matters a great deal. Be a good steward of words! Choose them wisely and believe what God’s Word says concerning them being filled with the power of life or death.
    Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]
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    Proverbs 18:21

Stop Talking About Your Problems
    Have you ever noticed that Jesus didn’t talk about His problems? He could have; He had to deal with a lot of the same things you and I have to deal with. Jesus had a hectic schedule. Jesus encountered rude and obnoxious people. Jesus faced tough situations. Not to mention the fact that He knew He was going to suffer terribly and die on the cross for the sins of the world.
    But when you read the Gospels, you never hear Jesus saying anything critical or that could be defined as complaining or murmuring.He obviously knew the power of words. When the time for His suffering and death was near, He told His disciples that