Overcoming In Our Thoughts

Feature 1 – December 2017 — Grace & Truth Magazine

Overcoming In Our Thoughts

“As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” —Proverbs 23:7 KJV

Our Thoughts Affect Us
The verse to the left is quite solemn. As someone has said, “We are not what we think we are, but what we think , we are.”

Our thoughts influence us far more than we realize. Sometimes we are surprised by things that we say or do, but if we would trace the matter back we would find that they often originate in our thoughts. The biblical law of sowing and reaping applies not only in the natural world, but in the spiritual also: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:7-9).

In the natural world, if a farmer plants wheat seed in the ground he does not expect potatoes to grow. What is sown in the ground is what is harvested. So too for our spiritual lives. If we sow to the flesh – our old nature – by yielding to sin in our lives or in our thoughts, then we will reap a sad harvest of corruption. However, it is also true that when we sow to the Spirit – the new nature controlled by the Holy Spirit – and enjoy the things of Christ and do things that are pleasing to Him, we will reap the enjoyment of the everlasting life which is ours as believers.

We want to focus in this article on our thought lives. First we will consider fleshly thoughts, those that come from our old, sinful nature. Later we intend to ponder anxious thoughts.

Fleshly Thoughts
It has been said in relation to our thought lives that we cannot help the birds flying over our heads, but we can keep them from building a nest there. In other words, there may be many kinds of thoughts that come across our minds during the day that we cannot stop; but of those thoughts, we can choose what we actually stop to think about and dwell upon. In 1 Peter 2:11 we are told to “abstain from fleshly lusts [desires], which war against the soul.” There is a battle for our minds and hearts! Our safety is to abstain, or hold back, from thoughts that come from the flesh. If we try to fight them we will only lose, becoming occupied with the very thoughts we hate.

However, since our minds cannot simply be empty, we must be thinking about something. If bad thoughts present themselves, we must learn to turn our minds to think about good things. The psalmist said, “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Ps. 119:11). How wonderful to have the Word of God hidden in our hearts, allowing us to immediately turn to think of His Word when bad thoughts arise!

We are also told in Romans 7:24-25 that the Lord Jesus is our Deliverer. There may be thoughts to which we are particularly vulnerable and feel weak in ourselves to overcome. We can always cry to Him; and just as He saved Peter from sinking into the Sea of Galilee, He is able today to save us from sinking into ungodly thoughts. Once delivered, we must have good thoughts to which to turn our minds or else we will be in danger of sinking back into those very thoughts from which He rescued us.

Philippians 4:8 gives some guidelines for what we should think about as Christians. “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” Do our thoughts meet this checklist?

• Are they true? How ready we sometimes are to believe the worst about others! Or, am I worrying about circumstances that might never happen, creating an imaginary situation in my mind?
• Are they honest, or noble? The rulers of this world expect that people in their presence will act in an appropriate way, not foolishly or degradingly. Are our thoughts fitting for the presence of the King of Kings?
• Are they just, or righteous? Have our thoughts today been about what is right – not according to the world’s standards or our own, but by His standards?
• Are they pure? We live in a very filthy world, and we are affected by what is around us. The world thinks nothing about glorifying sin as something normal. It encourages both thinking and talking about such things. Do we keep our minds pure for our Lord? “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (Jas. 1:8). We cannot be filling our minds with the impurity of this world’s ways and then come to the meetings of the Lord’s people and expect to enjoy His presence.
  In a practical way we would warn our readers against the entertainment of this world. A. W. Tozer wrote many years ago, calling it “the great god entertainment.” We fear that this god holds sway in the minds of many of the Lord’s dear people.
• Are they lovely or amiable? In other words, have we been thinking about what is acceptable and pleasing to our Father? Sadly, we often choose to please ourselves in what we think about. “Christ pleased not Himself” (Rom. 15:3).
• Are we occupied with what has a good report? The news today is filled with bad reports of this world’s violence and corruption. Are we focusing our minds on these things instead of being occupied with the good news provided by God? This world is moving toward judgment, but we can think about the hope we have of the Lord’s soon coming for His Church (1 Th. 4:16-18) and His return to this world a few years later to set everything right (1 Cor. 15:25).
• Are we thinking about what is virtuous – morally excellent and righteous? In other words, what is courageous in God’s sight (see Josh. 23:6)? Rather than cowardliness or a “spirit of fear,” we have been given one “of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
• Are we thinking about what is praiseworthy? Have our thoughts been occupied with what would have the commendation of our God and Father, or with those He would condemn?

How wonderful that the Lord Jesus answers to all these qualities! He is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. We can always think about Him.

Anxious Thoughts
There are times when all of us struggle with anxious thoughts. Will I receive that promotion at work or be passed over again? Will this health problem be healed? Will my friend forgive me for the unkind word I said to him? Will we have enough money to pay our bills? These are only a few of the many anxious thoughts that may occupy our minds. What are we to do with such thoughts?

Philippians 4 also tells us, “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (vv.6-7). He is the remedy for anxious thoughts. Instead of anxious thoughts or feelings, we are to turn to our God in prayer.

Maybe we are tempted to think that a matter is too small to mention to our God and Father, or too complex, or since we only have ourselves to blame for these anxious thoughts we should not bother Him. But what does Scripture say? “In everything” we are to bring our prayers and make our requests known. Nothing is too small or too complex, and even when we are to blame we are to come, confessing our failure. We are to bring everything that concerns us to our Father, for if it concerns us it concerns Him. He has even numbered the hairs on our head! Not a sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge – and we are of more value to Him than many sparrows (Lk. 12:6-7).

Notice in Philippians 4:6 that we are to come with thanksgiving while making our requests. How often, even as Christians, we are unthankful. As we come in prayer we can give thanks for previous answers to prayer. Even in the worst of situations there is something for which we can give thanks – if for nothing else, we can always thank our God and Father for His unspeakable gift, His beloved Son! We also can thank Him ahead of time for how He will answer our prayers about the current matter.

Verse 7 does not tell us that He will answer our prayers exactly as we desire or request. We must leave to His wisdom and love how He will answer. He knows best. But this verse does tell us that if we commit everything to Him, His peace will “keep,” or guard, our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The Greek word translated “keep” is actually a military word and means to “garrison,” as with a group of soldiers.

Isaiah 26:3-4 has been an encouragement and help to me in the numerous difficult trials that I have gone through: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, for he trusteth in Thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.” There is a resting place for our minds – not on our circumstances, whether good or bad, but on Him. If we think we are too weak to keep our minds there, in Him is found everlasting strength. There is in Him all the strength that we need!

We close this section with the verse from the hymn “A Mind At Perfect Peace With God”:

Why should I ever anxious be, since such a God is mine?
He watches o’er me day and night, and tells me “Thou art Mine.” —Catesby Paget (1868-1930)

The Lord Jesus
How wonderful that Scripture says of the Lord Jesus that He “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). His thought life as well as His words, attitudes and actions were all pleasing to His Father (Jn. 8:29). Yet for us, who have all been defiled by sin, He was willing to die. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). God dealt with Him on the cross as if it were you or me who believe, that He might deal with us now in blessing as if we were Him!

If we are conscious of having failed in our thoughts, whether in allowing fleshly thoughts or anxious thoughts, let us go to our Father in confession and acknowledge, with thanksgiving, that His own beloved Son paid at the cross of Calvary the price our sins required. Then, let us not be occupied with how much we have failed, but with the grace that has provided such a sacrifice for us.

May the mind of Christ my Savior live in me from day to day;
By His love and power controlling all I do or say. —Kate Barclay Wilkinson (1859-1928)

By Kevin Quartell