Something I have recently come to realize is that our thought life is very important. Not only is it important to take our thoughts into subjection, but it is also very important to God what we think.
What we think and say is what comes out of our hearts. Matthew 15:18 says, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart;" (KJV)
Proverbs 23:7 says "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:" (KJV)
What I think and say reflects what is in my heart. Sometimes I say mean and horrible things, and that reflects the sin in my heart. Only Jesus can heal that and take it away. That is why we, as Believers, are to "Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"-2 Corinthians 10:5b. (KJV)
We are to take all our thoughts captive to Christ in obedience. If we are to take all our thoughts captive to Christ, then we must also take our hearts to Him too. If our hearts are not right, then our thoughts will not be right.
If we are thinking evil, wrong, or sinful things and think that no one knows about them and its ok, we are very wrong. Job 21:27 says, "Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me." (KJV)
There is more than one verse that speaks about how evil and deceitful our thoughts can be if we are not walking in the ways of the Lord. Proverbs 12:5a says, "The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit." (KJV)
God knows everything that runs through our heads. Even those thoughts that we don't want anyone to hear or see. God sees them. We should want Him to know our thoughts. Psalm 139:23 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:" (KJV)
It is good to have God search our mind and heart, so He knows our thoughts. He needs to be able to know them, so He can show us what is wrong in our lives.
David taught Solomon the importance of knowing and understanding that your heart is connected to your mind and thoughts: 1 Chronicles 28:9 "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." (KJV)
He also taught him what would happen if we didn't seek Him in our thoughts. God understands our thoughts and why we are having them. Psalm 94:11 "The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vain." (KJV)
He knows that not every thought we have is good. We are human, and while that is just an excuse, we are covered by the grace of Jesus. We can overcome our thought life and take the control away from our flesh and give it to the Lord.
God knows everything about us, yes we all know that. We must, however, remember that He really does understand our thoughts even when we don't know they are thoughts. Psalm 139:2 "Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off." (KJV)
We, as Believers, should always make sure our thoughts are pure and righteous, and a lot of times that is hard. But we must not let those impure and unrighteous thoughts take over. We need to not think of idle things that will cause us or others to sin. We should love the Lord's laws and despise our idle thoughts. Psalm 119:113 "I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love." (KJV)
We should love God's laws and practice them daily. A love of the law will help us defeat our flesh and take back our thoughts.
God's Word, the Bible, is the best tool we can use to take our sinful thought life back into submission of our spirits. We must use it to keep our minds and hearts pure. Hebrews 4:12 has a great verse that tells us how we can do that: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (KJV)
The intents of our heart is what we should worry about. Our thoughts are a heart issue. If our hearts are not right, then we need to give them whole-heartedly over to the One who specializes in hearts: Jesus.
He loves us no matter what and will do what He can and what we allow Him to do in our hearts, thoughts, and lives. When we surrender everything to Him, we will not have those "idle thoughts" that plague us and turn us away from Jesus and His righteousness.
Girls, I struggle DAILY with my thought life. It is very hard to bring under submission. But with Jesus' help I am getting it to where it should be. It can be done. If we bring every thought to Jesus and let Him take every thought over, then we will keep ourselves pure and will have thoughts that are holy in His sight.
Be encouraged. Get the Word into your heart. Take every thought to Christ. Then you will have pure thoughts that you need not be ashamed of.
2 Comment(s)! Please Leave A Comment!:
What a sincere article Miss Amanda. I love how you added just the perfect scripture to watch point you made. I really felt like it was Jesus who was telling me this. No matter how good of a Christian we strive to be, we will always battle the thoughts. Praise God we can have the victory in Christ and be forgiven.
It's one thing to have a bad thought flash through our minds and then ask for forgiveness, and having a bad thought enter our minds and entertaining that thought.
AMEN! Preach it, Amanda. The battle always begins in the mind.
Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
Post a Comment