July 20

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Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Psalm 103:1

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🔊 David was here encouraging himself! This unique power is given to believers – to look on ourselves with the eye of faith, and apply God’s truth to our lives. Don’t wait for someone to come along and give you a word of encouragement. Look on yourself with discernment (after all, you should know yourself pretty well by now) and speak to yourself. David wrote to himself a note, a song, a word of encouragement. Perhaps he wrote it on a good day, and he wanted to draw a line in the sand so that he would never go back from it. Have you drawn your line in the sand? It will be an exhortation that goes right down into the secret keys of your character. It will make you smile because it is so true and apt for you. It will make you return to joyous, triumphant faith. Step out and you will find that you have the ability to prophesy to yourself. The effort of putting the exhortation into words will mean that sooner or later you will meet someone you can encourage with helpful insight. These things should not surprise us because the Holy Spirit is the supreme exhorter, and He constantly urges us to speak faith to ourselves. It is from within that help rises, from our inner well of living water. When others speak to us, they can only trigger the inner well to flow – they can never replace it. So stand up, and command yourself to bless and praise the Lord!