How to Make Positive Affirmations Out of Scripture

We do positive affirmations at our house on a regular basis.  I’ve shared before (here and here) how they have helped me overcome insecurity.  They help me to sleep better at night.  Daily positive affirmations have also been a part of the morning drive routine for my kids as we headed to school to help them face the day ahead and to build their faith.  The way we make our positive affirmations is by saying what God says about us.  We do this by taking specific scriptures and then just turning them into a statement using words that describe us… “I am…I have…I will…etc.”  Scriptural positive affirmations said aloud are very powerful.  This week I’d like to share with you how to make positive affirmations out of scripture.

WHY we use positive affirmations…

We use and say positive affirmations because they make a difference.  I’ve always been a huge believer in the power of words.  The Bible says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” in Proverbs 18:21.  I believe there is significant truth in speaking things into existence.  In Romans, the apostle Paul calls it “calling into being what does not yet exist” (Romans 4:17 Berean Study Bible).  Modern science or psychology might consider positive affirmations coming into existence as a self-fulfilling prophecy.  The theory is that a positive (or negative) prophecy or statement, when declared as truth even though it may presently be false, can adequately influence people in order that their responses will eventually fulfill the original statement, prophecy, or positive affirmation.  In other words, our words affect and influence our actions.

Scripturally speaking, I believe this is true because our words also affect our beliefs.  The Bible says that faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), particularly when we hear the Word of God.  The more we hear something the more we believe it and the more it sinks down into our hearts, especially when it’s coming from our own mouths.  According to James 3:2-5, our mouths/tongues (and the words that come from them) are to us like the bit is to a horse’s mouth or like the rudder is to a ship.  Even though they are small parts (just like our tongue is a small part), they control, guide, and steer the whole body.  So then can our tongue (our words) guide our body and our lives and change the outcomes thereof.  Therefore, the ability to effectively control our words is a vital life skill. 

Why we use SCRIPTURE in positive affirmations…

We use scripture for positive affirmations because using scripture is saying what God says about us.  Speaking scripture is speaking God’s promises over our life.  Every word of God proves true.  Nothing is more powerful than the Word of God.

“Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.” Proverbs 30:5 (NLT)

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

Take Some Practical Steps to Make Positive Affirmations Out of Scripture:

1. • First, decide on a topic or an area.

Usually, these are areas where we may need to change or may need some help.  I mentioned earlier that I started using positive affirmations to help me overcome insecurity and to help me sleep; therefore my topics were “insecurity” or “identity in Christ” and “sleep” for those particular positive affirmations.

• • Then, look for verses that correspond to your topic or area.

The easiest way to find verses is to look in the back of your Bible in the “Concordance” which will give you a list of verses that either pertain to your topic or include that exact work in the verse.  You can also do an online search by typing “scriptures about _____” (fill in the blank with your topic).  Some of my favorite sites that usually pop up in these searches are Biblehub.com, Openbible.info, Knowing-Jesus.com, Bible.com, or BibleGateway.com.  You can also use books containing verses by topic.  Two that I have and use frequently are God’s Promises for Your Every Need and God’s Wisdom For Your Every Need.

• Next, memorize the verse that you decided to use.

We do this first so that we know how the verse actually reads in the Bible.  We usually write the verse on an index card or post-it note and put it where we can see it frequently (usually on the car console since we’re in the car every day).  Then we say the verse and the reference (where it’s found) out loud every day for about a week—long enough to where we can repeat it by heart without looking at the card.  I used to give my kids a little extra incentive here too—whenever they had a new verse committed to memory they got to go to Dollar Tree and pick out WHATEVER item they wanted.  I know…they’re easy to please. 🙂

• After the verse has been committed to memory, make the verse personal by transitioning it into a positive affirmation that describes you by using terms like “I am…I have…I will…etc.”

Basically, it’s the same verse you memorized, but now you are saying it as a confession or affirmation over yourself.  Here are some examples:

When my kids started complaining a lot, we memorized Philippians 2:14 (NLT):

“Do everything without complaining and arguing”

Then we turned it into a positive affirmation by saying:

“I do everything without complaining and arguing”

When I needed to work on some of the fruits of the Spirit, I memorized Galatians 5:22-23:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Then I turned it into:

“I have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

When I’ve been afraid or had any kind of fear, I memorized 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Then I turned “us” into “me” and shortened it up a bit and said:

“God has not given me a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind.”

When we needed to work on our temper, we memorized Proverb 12:16 (NLT):

“A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.”

Then we turned it into:

“A fool is quick-tempered, but I stay calm when insulted.”

Some verses don’t even need to be transitioned because they already are in the form of positive affirmations. Here’s a verse I use when I’m not sleeping well:

“I sleep and wake up refreshed because you, Lord, protect me.” (Psalms 3:5 CEVDCUS06) 

• Finally, start saying them on a regular basis.

Come up with a way to add them to your daily routine.  Our normal routine consists of saying morning prayers and then saying a list of positive affirmations in the car on the way to school.  I also have some scripture cards taped to the bathroom mirror that I can use for positive affirmations when I’m getting ready in the mornings or getting ready for bed at night.

It’s good to use them on an as-needed basis as well.  Are you afraid?  Use positive affirmations for fear.  Are you angry?  Use positive affirmations for staying calm or self-control.  Do you have a financial need?  Use positive affirmations about God meeting your needs.  You get the idea.

Now get to work!  Start making and saying those positive affirmations and watch the power unfold!  Sounds like a superhero slogan huh? 😉 

Need some help making some positive affirmations?  List a topic or area as a comment below, and let’s see if we can help each other out! 

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If you have benefited from this post or if you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward and share this post with them via the sharing links below! “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) 

*Update: Originally posted 2/2/2016