Controlling Our Thought Life John Ogden Sr. June 24, 2013 “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” (2 Corinthians 10:5, KJV). Our thought processes are what determine who we are. God declares that from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The things that we hear, watch, and see are the things that are planted in our spirit. They will mold our thoughts, speech, integrity, and character. This Scripture tells us to take control of our imaginations and everything that would place itself above God’s knowledge. God’s knowledge is revealed to us through His Word. One only has to pick up the newspaper or have a conversation with a well-meaning person to realize that it is people’s thoughts that give them direction for life. As Christians, our thoughts should line up with the Word of God. In every area that does not, it is our responsibility to take control of our thought pattern. We are in a spiritual war – and this requires us to bring every thought in line with God’s Word. Failure to do so will lead to immorality and spiritual death. I am amazed at Christians that say they know what God’s Word says, but think it is okay to do something different. This leaves a big question mark in my mind. I realize that we are all an unfinished product, but we should be striving to allow God’s Word to be lived through us. God knows the thoughts and the intents of the heart, but it is only when we turn those thoughts and intents over to Him that we can begin to bring our thought life into subjection. It is our responsibility to stand steadfast, resist, and reject evil and unwholesome thoughts in the name of Jesus. We, as Christians, overcome our enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. There is a popular saying to “just say no.” But, in many cases, we must continually say no and stand steadfast on God’s Word. God reminds us that with every temptation, He will make a way of escape. He also tells us that when we have done all that we can do but stand, we are to stand. We are to set our mind on spiritual life and peace. We are to fill our minds with God’s Word. As Philippians 4:8 states, meditate on the things that are noble, excellent, and praiseworthy. At all times, we must be careful what we allow our eyes to see and our ears to hear. We can train our minds to think according to God’s Word, producing a Godly thought pattern. This will in turn allow us to prove what is good and acceptable according to God’s will for our lives. In my own life, I use a simple method – the first step is to know what God’s Word says. The second step is simply saying out loud, “I take authority over (the thought) and rebuke it in Jesus’ name.” In this way, I have brought the thought in subjection to God’s Word. I then say out loud what the thought should have been according to God’s Word. As you practice and take control of your thought life, by the power of God, your outlook will change and you will find that you will immediately begin to quote God’s Word.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 08:06:14 +0000
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