Before I was saved, I thought about anything I wanted to. I was nearly 18 when I gave my life to God, so I had a good amount of time to think and to act without submitting to His will. My thoughts ranged from catty, to self-important, to pathetically insecure, and I felt no need to regulate them. They seemed real and legit. They were based on my experiences, opinions, feelings, and input of those I trusted. These thoughts seemed reasonable TO ME. I did not fully understand it at the time, but when I was born again, God not only forgave my sins, but was asking me to follow Him in all I thought and said and did.
The Bible says some startling things about how we should think. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” That means intentionally taking a thought, examining it, and deciding if I will entertain it. Just like I don’t automatically just let a stranger into my home, I could no longer let any thought slip into my mind and stay uninvited. If I follow Jesus, I follow His teachings, and any thoughts that are contrary to His teachings must be cast down. Jesus did not tolerate any ideas that were contrary to God. He spoke against or rebuked those thoughts. We must do the same in His Name.
Why is that important? Proverbs 23:11 says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” God asks us to guard our thoughts to protect us, not to limit us. Most of the time I think my negative thoughts are my own doubts, regrets, and misgivings; but more often than not, they are attacks from the devil. I am doing spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
When we come to stand on God’s side, we also stand against evil, but that stance does not go unopposed. If it feels like your thoughts are a battle ground, it’s because they are: God’s truth against the lies of the enemy. John 8:44 speaks of the devil this way, “When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” The devil creates doubts, regrets, and misgivings and makes us think that we are the problem. And when we allow these thoughts to stay, we can get anxious, discouraged, and depressed. At that point, we are not useful to anybody, and we have lost the battle.
What are some things we can do daily that will help?
- When you read the Bible in the morning, look for one tiny verse or phrase that stands out and mark it. Think of it as your ammunition for the day. If I am in my paper Bible, I will take a picture of the verse. If I am on my phone, I will take a screen shot and send it to myself. You don’t know when you will need it. Most days, I need it by lunch!
- Have a standby verse – something you can use no matter what. Mine is Psalm 23:1. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” I don’t have to look it up; I just know it.
Wake up with a bad dream? Say the scripture.
Day not going right? Say the scripture.
Something scary on the horizon? Say the scripture.
- Give. This is my all-time favorite remedy for negative thoughts. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” When we give, we get outside of own head and any negative thoughts we have. It works. It might be the chance to share that scripture you just read, it might be the offer to pray with someone, and it might be something as simple as offering a cup of coffee, a bottle of water, or a candy bar. Something happens in the way we think when we focus on others. Try it. With God’s help, I have defeated some dark thoughts by replacing those thoughts with a plan to give something to someone.
I have come a long way from that teenage girl who once considered that every thought she had was golden, but I have not come far enough. That’s because as long as we live on this earth, we battle. 1 Timothy 6:12 says, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” There are many battles in our lives, but the one for our thoughts is at the center of most any other battle we fight. Instead of anxiety, discouragement and depression we can have love, peace and joy. Use scripture to help you battle, and pray for an opportunity to give.
– Written by Jill
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