How To Talk To Yourself

HOW TO TALK TO YOURSELF

By

Jerry Falwell

INTRODUCTION

When I used to play football or sports, and when I missed a tackle or didn’t make a play, I’d talk to myself, “Come on, you can get this guy.” But that was just a “pep talk.” Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.

Today, I’m going to tell you how to talk to yourself and make a difference. A “pep talk” can only encourage you to do better. I’m going to tell you what to say to yourself that will make an eternal difference. We will look at David to see what he said to himself in Psalm 103:1-5:

Speaker: David

Listener: David

Subject: The blessings of God on his life.

Listen to Psalm 103:1-5 from the King James Version, the way many of us have heard it all our lives:

“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Now I want to read Psalm 103: 1-5 in the New Living Translation. This is for the young people who study in a new version:

“Praise the Lord, I tell myself: with my whole heart I will praise His holy name. Praise the Lord and I tell myself never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He ransoms me from death, and surrounds me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things so my youth is renewed as the eagles.”

A. INTRODUCTION

David, the speaker tells himself to bless the Lord with all of his strength. He uses the phrase, “All that is within me.” Why? Because half-hearted prayer or half-hearted praise is not enough. Since a person cannot lie to himself, when David called for “all that is within me” to bless God’s holy name; he had to respond in kind.

1. Bless His holy name.

I want to remind you that the Lord’s Prayer begins by blessing His name. The first petition is, "Hallowed be Thy name," which means we are to "make holy His name." Since the most important prayer that’s ever given to us--the Lord’s Prayer﷓-told us to make His name holy, and here David tells us to "bless His name," we ought to begin our prayers by “praising the Lord.”

I could stop at this point and preach on the many names of God, and never get into this message. Dr. Towns has taught three series on God’s name in my Pastor’s Bible Class, and all three series have become very successful books. Dr. Towns studied and found over 800 names, symbols, and references to Christ in the Bible. Then he studied and found over 100 names to the Father, the First Person of the Trinity. Finally, he did a series on the names of the Holy Spirit and found over 130 names.

Why so many names? The many names of God tell us about the many different aspects of His nature and the many different things He does for our life. As an example, look at all of the names and titles I have, and how each of my titles shows a different side of who I am and what I do. As an example I am:

Father, husband, grandfather, pastor, chancellor, founder of Liberty University, preacher, etc. Then think of all the things I do, such as: I am a provider, comforter, counselor, exhorter, fund-raiser, solver of problems, listener to complaints, and I repeat it again, because I do it so often, a fund-raiser.

When you bless the Lord and His holy name, you should bless Him because of all of the different things He does for you.

2. Six Reasons to Bless the Lord found in Psalm 103.

David gives us the following six titles of God as reasons why we should bless the Lord.

1. Forgiver of sins . . . who forgives all your iniquities.

2. Healer . . . who heals all your diseases.

3. Redeemer . . . who redeems your life from destruction.

4. Blesser . . . who crowns you with loving kindness.

5. Satisfier . . . who satisfies your life.

6. Strength . . . who renews your strength like the eagles.

Talk to yourself about these six things God has done for you. But remember, this is only a beginning, why your soul ought to “Bless the Lord.” Probably there a thousand other things for which we should bless the Lord.