CHAPTER FIVE
Breaking Cycles of Self-Sabotage

Jesus answered and said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea,’ it shall be done.”

Matthew 21:21

While I was attending a conference, I heard a testimony given by a senior pastor whose church was situated on a stretch of land directly in front of a mountainous segment. At some point, the church’s parking capacity became an issue, and the pastor recognized the need for a new parking lot. The adjoining land was not conducive to creating a parking lot since it was not flat. To level the land would require more funds than the church had available. One day the pastor read from Matthew 21:21, “If ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea,’ it shall be done.” When the pastor read the passage, faith came alive in him. He began speaking Matthew 21:21 every day. He would drive to the church property and sit in his car, speaking Matthew 21:21 over the mountain. He spoke this Scripture so much that his children began to say it.

One day, while the pastor was in his office, a man came to see him. The man began, “Pastor, you need a new parking lot.” The pastor responded, “I know, but we don’t have money for a new parking lot.” To which the man responded, “I didn’t ask you if you had money. You need a new parking lot.” It turned out that the man was a contractor. Some time later, the man showed up at the church with his crew, bulldozed the land into a flat surface and paved a new parking lot, free of charge. That is how God works. When you grab hold of faith in God’s Word, you will have exactly what you say. Words have power, and when you speak in alignment with God’s Word, you will see God’s promises manifest.

The Power of Language

Our social order is based primarily on language; entire cultures are formed around a commonality of language, a phenomenon we see as far back as Genesis: “Now the whole earth spoke one language and used the same words (vocabulary). And as people journeyed eastward, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and they settled there” (Genesis 11:1–2 AMP). The power of language extends even further back, however, for God Himself used language to craft His creation. God had only to say, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God used language to form almost all of creation. It was not until God created Adam and Eve—His masterpiece, created in the image and likeness of God—that He used nonverbal methods.

As creation developed, the centrality of language is demonstrated again and again. Adam learned language from hearing God talk to him. Adam’s daily conversations with God cultivated his capacity to speak. I am sure Eve learned to speak by hearing God and Adam converse with each other and with her. All social cultures have since developed some form of language. Even animals communicate through a rudimentary form of language, though it differs drastically from human language.

I travel frequently as a minister, and a considerable amount of my travel is within the United States, a primarily English-speaking nation. Rarely have I encountered problems communicating in the United States, unless I am in a Spanish-speaking church. The ease with which I speak changes significantly when I travel internationally, for I often must use an interpreter. Some years ago, my late husband and I were traveling in Europe for ministry. During his sermon, my husband used a slang term that was common in the United States but unknown to the interpreter. He stopped interpreting and stared at my husband, who said the term again. After repeating it a third time, my husband recognized that it was unknown to the interpreter and used a different phrase to convey his point. Effective communicators understand that language is connected to the culture, and they find ways to communicate principles and concepts so that they can be understood by the hearer.

As Kingdom citizens, we operate the same way. We must understand God’s system of communication. Like Adam, we learn to speak Kingdom language as we listen to God speak, and one way He speaks to us is through His Word. When we say what God has said about our situation, whatever we are speaking to must respond. Everything in earth and above earth has a language and responds to the words we speak. That pastor spoke to a plot of land that needed to be leveled for a new parking lot. What do you need to speak to? Are you speaking faith-filled words or words filled with doubt and unbelief? Remember, you have what you say—that is the law of language creativity. The enemy can gain access to your portion based on the words you speak.

APPLICATION

Review your prayer list. What are you praying about that has not manifested? Commit to speaking faith over your prayer list each day.

The Language of Self-Sabotage

When I was completing my doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, my program of study required me to take two classes in educational statistics. I have never been fluent in the language of mathematics, and I dreaded these classes. Not only did I dread them, I talked about how much I dreaded them each day. I did not think about the fact that my words were creating a reality for me; I just kept complaining about how much I hated statistics.

I was operating in self-sabotage. Self-sabotage can be defined as deliberately stopping yourself from achieving something or preventing a plan from being successful. I believe that self-sabotage can manifest either consciously or unconsciously. For example, conscious self-sabotage might manifest in addictive behavior or some other form of behavior that prevents an individual from excelling in life. Unconscious self-sabotage might manifest in negative self-talk—I am so stupid. My prayers will never be answered. This situation is going to be the death of me. I have heard people say such things. This kind of self-talk is counterproductive and not based in faith. When we speak words that are faith filled, heaven begins moving on our behalf. When we speak words that are not faith filled, we open the door to demonic activity in our lives. Each time I complained about educational statistics, I closed off part of my brain’s processing capacity, making it difficult to retain information. Although I passed both courses, I am convinced that adhering to the practice of praying and decreeing God’s Word over my capacity to retain statistical language would have made my journey easier. That is what happens when we speak negative words that work against us and not for us. Rather than saying what God says about our situation, we release words of doubt and frustration, empowering the enemy who is operating against us. That is self-sabotage. We are defeated by the words from our own lips.

One year I was having lunch with three friends during the Christmas season. At the conclusion of our meal, the waiter asked if there was anything else he could bring to us. My friends said no, but as the waiter turned to walk away, I stopped him. “Yes, there is something you can get for me.” The waiter turned and asked me what he could bring me. I smiled and responded, “You can bring me four bills indicating no charge.”

The waiter looked stunned, so I repeated my request with a smile. He indicated that he would see what he could do. My friends were as shocked by my boldness as the waiter. They could not believe that I had made such a request. I simply laughed. “You will have what you say!”

Several moments later the waiter returned with our bills, each in its own bill holder. As we each opened a holder to review our bills, we saw “No charge” written on each one. Now, I am not telling you to try this the next time you are out to eat. I am simply providing a real-life instance of heaven breathing on my words and manifesting my request. This incident was a manifestation of the law of language creativity. God uses our words, just as He did for Daniel: “From the very first day you decided to get wisdom and to be humble in front of God, he has been listening to your prayers. I came to you because you have been praying” (Daniel 10:12 ERV).

Heaven responds when you speak God’s Word. When he did not receive an immediate response to his prayers, Daniel chose the path of faith. He did not spend each day murmuring and complaining. Daniel chose to worship God, and as a result, heaven moved on his behalf. When we pray, spiritual processes are put into motion that result in a response to us. In Daniel’s case, a messenger angel was dispatched; after that, Michael, one of the warrior angels, was sent to contend against the demonic spirits in the second heaven who were creating a demonic blockage. The war lasted 21 days; God’s angels prevailed and Daniel received his response. I believe that when we link our prayers to the Word of God and with faith, we assist heaven in breaking through on our behalf. You must gain a new perspective of how powerful you were created to be. When you do, you become unstoppable on earth. You soar to new heights in prayer, and in each season manifestation of your prayers and your portion is released.

Change Your Lens

There is an old fable about a farmer who loved his eagle and raised it with his chickens. One day, a man asked the owner, “Why is the eagle, proudest of all the birds, living in a barn with chickens?” The farmer, professing his affection for the eagle, answered that he provided all of the eagle’s needs, so that it had no need of hunting or flying.

The passerby found this curious. He picked up the eagle and told it, “You belong to the sky and not to earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly.” But the eagle merely rejoined the chickens. Again the man tried, this time bringing the eagle to the roof of its owner’s house. Again the eagle returned to the chickens.

Finally, the man carried the eagle to the top of a mountain. The eagle was frightened, but with no way to get back down the mountain, it stretched its wings and began to fly toward the sun.

The moral? “The eagle had it in him all along. But his upbringing and lack of belief in himself led to self-sabotage.”1

Are you limiting yourself in a similar manner? Do you see yourself the way God sees you, or do you see yourself through a lens of self-sabotage? Like the man in the story, when he saw the eagle, he understood its majestic nature. He understood the eagle was created to soar in high places. Hell sees your Kingdom nature and knows that you were created to triumph over the powers of darkness. This is why hell uses trauma and unsolved issues in your life to create a negative self-image within you as a result of you speaking negative words against yourself. These words are a type of curse, which we release against our own lives. Another way to understand this concept can be found in the term self-fulfilling prophecy, referring to when a person unknowingly causes a prediction to come true due to the simple fact that he or she expects it to come true. In other words, an expectation about a subject, such as a person or event, can affect our behavior toward that subject, which causes the expectation to be realized.2 The enemy cannot curse your life, but you are able to open the doors for curses to operate through words of unbelief. When you are frustrated, it is important that you pay attention to the things you say. After all, you are creating something with your words. Understanding how the spirit of self-sabotage works is a key to victory in this area. Here are some things to consider:

1. Not understanding the power of your words. I remember an old adage, “Loose lips sink ships.” It is important that you govern your words and avoid negative self-talk. Rather than complaining or speaking negative words, learn to say what God says about your request.
2. Lack of spiritual stamina. Spiritual stamina means you have developed the capacity to worship, war and wait. If you do not develop this capacity, you will quit praying when the warfare against you becomes more intense. A regular practice of prayer and worship helps you to build spiritual stamina.
3. Fear of failure. Negative self-talk can produce fear within you. When fear comes in, doubt and unbelief follow. God wants you to be victorious in every area of your life. He also wants you to possess your portion. Let this fact become part of the foundation you stand on.
4. Not knowing the Word of God. When you are not sure what you are asking for is in alignment with God’s will, this can create double-mindedness within you. Praying the Scriptures is an effective foundation for praying and helps you to overcome in this area. Satan approached Eve with the question, Has God really said? You will experience similar attacks, but the Word of God helps you to overcome.
5. Not knowing God’s prophetic promises for you. When you do not understand your portion, which is your inheritance, hell will attempt to seize it. Adam and Eve were given a garden to tend. You also have a garden, a portion, that God has given to you. Allow Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see your God-given portion.
6. No revelation. Without revelation, you will not receive strategies to overcome your enemy and see your portion returned. Prayer and worship create an atmosphere of faith within you and position you to receive revelation through the Spirit of God.

APPLICATION

Ask the Lord to show you any areas of your life where you are committing self-sabotage. Repent of these areas and receive strength and wisdom to move forward in faith.

Retribution is linked with the principle of interest, increase and multiplication. When any portion of your portion has been seized by hell, God requires interest to be paid upon the return of your goods. Hell is counting on your ignorance of this truth. Hell is also counting on your unwillingness to press into the depth and breadth of prayer necessary to receive revelation that secures the release of your portion. Overcoming your enemy is no walk in the park. This is why you need to align with heaven so that you overcome your enemy. I encourage you to use these prayers and prophetic decrees as you press through into breakthrough.

Lord Jesus, I repent for every word I have spoken against Your plans for my life. Because I repent, every spirit of shame and condemnation attempting to operate against me in this area must leave, in Jesus’ name.

I pluck up every negative word that I have spoken that is trying to take root and grow. I use the power of Kingdom language and decree that it will not grow! As Jesus spoke to the fig tree and commanded it to wither and die, I speak to every word of self-sabotage that I have spoken, and I command every evil word to die.

Today I receive a sevenfold payback for everything taken from me and my family. By the authority and power that comes through the blood of Jesus, I command my enemies to return what was stolen from me and to pay sevenfold tribute to me.

Let God arise and all the enemies of my breakthrough be scattered in the name of Jesus.

Let the fire of God melt away the stones hindering my blessings, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Let the cloud blocking the sunlight of my glory and breakthrough be dispersed in the name of Jesus.

Lord, open my eyes and do not let the way before me be dark. Let me see what I have not been able to see before. Let the eyes of my understanding be enlightened, according to Ephesians 1:18.

Lord, I ask that You rend the heavens and come down, causing favor, power, promotion, breakthrough, finances, good health, sound mind and peace to be released into my life.

Right now, I stand in my position as a child of God, ordained to reign as a king on earth. According to Your Word, I decree that the fragrance of divine favor covers me, and I have favor with God and man. God has put His word in my mouth as a weapon of destruction and restoration. I use that power to speak destruction upon all the devil’s agents assigned to hinder me and divert my blessings. I use the same weapon to decree restoration upon my life, in Jesus’ name.

Key Scriptures: Matthew 21:21; Daniel 10:12

Key Points: Negative self-talk is a weapon of sabotage that the enemy influences us to use against ourselves.

Reflection: Review the list of areas wherein self-sabotage might be operating. Ask the Lord to show you whether or not any of these issues might be operating and hindering your prayers.