CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS!

Sunday, January 26, 2020

CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS!

Prov 23:7

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he

2 Cor 10:4-5

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 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;

           Our thoughts are the laboratory of all our inventions. We imagine, design, and test every theory and possibility. Experts estimate that the mind thinks between 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts a day. That's an average of 2500 – 3,300 thoughts per hour. Of those 80% are negative thoughts. Many are subconscious.

           If we understand the clear teaching of Proverbs 23:7, we are the combined total of what we have been thinking. Our actions are the products of the substances cooked up in the laboratory of the mind. Think of it this way. If we are searching for a cure for caner, we will not find it if we spend our research on how to build a bigger bomb.

           Thoughts, then, must be disciplined. Random thoughts must be controlled. Some must be jailed! That is the idea of bringing our thoughts into “captivity.” A war is taking place in our heart and the root meaning of the word captive is “prisoner of war.” We must disarm damaging thoughts and render them harmless.

           Probably the best tools for controlling errant thoughts is prayer and Bible reading. By these two disciplines we bring those thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Ps 141:3-4

3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity.

Dear Lord, take captive my rebellious thoughts and make them obedient to you. AMEN