Biscuit Posted October 12, 2012 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 59 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 277 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 20 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/12/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted October 12, 2012 How does a Christian control unwanted thoughts (sometimes evil thoughts)? Is this part of a process (i.e. sanctification)? I know we are to resist the devil and are told to "capture" every thought. Do these thoughts come from self or the enemy? I do not hear the "voice" of the Holy Spirit. I recall scripture in Hebrews, for instance, that tells us to purify our hearts. How is that done? I feel God has been working in my life, possibly with chastening which will hopefully lead to sanctification. I am unemployed now, so I stay at home and focus on good things and the Word. I have sinned in the past, but very little now with the exception of thoughts that I would like to eliminate. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaMarie savedbygrace Posted October 12, 2012 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 29 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 222 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 50 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/27/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted October 12, 2012 Really wish I could give you a quick fix.. but I too deal hard in this area.. Been learning a thing or 2 and have been making progress but have to admit there are those days when i truly wish to crawl under a rock.. The best way I can say it is when you get that negative thought.. you need to quickly dismiss it... just tell yourself that you do not accept it.. you may have to do this many times during the day .. The enemy certainly knows what buttons to push and i hate to admit it but there have been times when i have listened to them and even for a minute believed them.. Sometimes they get so overwhelming strong that it takes all i have to get it under some sort of control.. Usually some good music to take your mind off of what you're thinking can help.. But with what you said about focusing on the good things and the Word is definitely a step in the right direction in purifying your heart and getting control over your thought.. The mind is very much a battlefield but with anything that you give practice to it does get easier.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted October 12, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1,022 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 39,193 Content Per Day: 6.11 Reputation: 9,977 Days Won: 78 Joined: 10/01/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted October 12, 2012 When I have thoughts I don't want to have I simply ask the Lord to take them away, far away. He has changed me in so many ways....and He will do it for you as well, Biscuit. Just ask Him; He's always listening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeannieC Posted October 12, 2012 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 96 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 27 Days Won: 1 Joined: 08/04/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/21/1970 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I agree with LisaMarie. When I quit smoking cold turkey I still had to deal with craving and the underlying negative thoughts that made me want to smoke in the first place. I learned in cognitive behavioral therapy there is a tool called STOP THOUGHT. The way it works is the moment an irrational thought, craving, or likewise comes to mind you say STOP and you turn your thoughts to something rational and positive like the Word of God or prayer. You have to do it over and over at first but it does work and helps to eliminate irrational beliefs and self talk that is hard to control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneLight Posted October 13, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 22 Topic Count: 1,294 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 31,762 Content Per Day: 5.24 Reputation: 9,760 Days Won: 115 Joined: 09/14/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted October 13, 2012 This is how I battle the urge to think such thoughts. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldShep Posted October 13, 2012 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 20 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 934 Content Per Day: 0.20 Reputation: 137 Days Won: 6 Joined: 07/20/2011 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/12/1950 Share Posted October 13, 2012 How does a Christian control unwanted thoughts (sometimes evil thoughts)? Is this part of a process (i.e. sanctification)? . Thank you. Not sure if it is a process, I battle the unwanted thoughts, by reciting the Word of God, that I have stored in my mind, memorize the Word and it will always be with you when you need it. Once verse is: Mat 4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" The one I use most is: Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Eph 2:9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ICL~~~Dennis.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdemoss Posted October 13, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 59 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 4,402 Content Per Day: 0.99 Reputation: 2,154 Days Won: 28 Joined: 02/10/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/26/1971 Share Posted October 13, 2012 How does a Christian control unwanted thoughts (sometimes evil thoughts)? Is this part of a process (i.e. sanctification)? I know we are to resist the devil and are told to "capture" every thought. Do these thoughts come from self or the enemy? I do not hear the "voice" of the Holy Spirit. I recall scripture in Hebrews, for instance, that tells us to purify our hearts. How is that done? I feel God has been working in my life, possibly with chastening which will hopefully lead to sanctification. I am unemployed now, so I stay at home and focus on good things and the Word. I have sinned in the past, but very little now with the exception of thoughts that I would like to eliminate. Thank you. Biscut, I appreciate your desire to openly understand what is going on and how to deal with it. All of my victory over sin has come through wisdom, knowledge, understanding, power and fear. These things come from the Holy Spirit, the seven fold spirit of God. Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; The purpose of the New Testament is to explain the truth about salvation and minister the Spirit of God unto others. 2 Cor 3:6-8 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. ¶ But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. You say that your not hearing the 'voice' of the Holy Spirit. I went through this too. I was reading all this crazy stuff about the Spirit doing all this talking and stuff to people in scripture but I was hearing zero. I asked a man at work about it and he said, "yeah Gary, didn't you know that prayer was two way communication?". I was devastated. I did what I always do and took it to God in prayer. I confessed unto him that I could not hear him and asked him to help me understand if I needed to do something that I was missing. About two weeks later I was led, without knowing it, to begin speaking into the air, reasoning out some doctrine that I was trying to solidify my position on when something from within brought scripture to mind that showed me my error in thinking. It wasn't audible but I understood that it wasn't me either. This began a new way of learning where I learned to interact with that which I believe is the Holy Spirit within me. I also was led, without knowing it, to read certain scriptures that enlightened my understanding about this interaction with Gods Holy Spirit. I keep saying 'without knowing it' because it wasn't until recently that I finally understood what it means that we are just servants and are constantly being led by something to do their will that we agree with (not always sometimes we do that which we do not agree with but that is a different story). Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? If you go back to the account where Jesus said this he contrasts the giving of the spirit to them that ask with a child asking for bread or an egg to eat. We need to ask regularly for the Spirit of God to fill us with his presence just as a child needs to eat regularly to be nourished. Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit instead of wine. One is not continuously filled with wine but takes it in regularly to produce the desired effect in their life. If we were always filled with the Spirit upon receipt then why the command to be filled with the Spirit? Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit. Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. You see the evidence of the Spirit is found in the fruit of the Spirit being present in our lives. But don't mistake this with being perfect in maturity in all these things but increasing in our bearing of this fruit in our lives. Just as a young fruit tree grows and bears more and more fruit so do we in the Spirit as we regularly ask our Father to pour out his Spirit upon us and fill us with himself. Eph 5:31-32 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 1Cr 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. The scriptures compare relations between a man and his wife to the relations we have with him in the Spirit when he is upon us. Just as relations with my wife is the most pleasurable experience that I have ever physically had, the days that I have spent filled with the Spirit of the Lord are the most pleasurable spiritual experiences that I have ever had. One of the biggest problems we have is that sin is pleasurable for a season and giving in to evil spirits of jealousy, envy, emulation, anger, vengeful, perversion etc have helped us to cope with the vanity and evil in this life and we sometimes fall back to relying upon them to deal with a given situation because we hurt or feel some way that we are not comfortable with. The scriptures speak volumes about living in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We were quickened or made alive unto God through his Spirit but we have the opportunity to be conformed to his image through walking in his Spirit as we learn how to maintain control over our spirits. It is only through exercising ourselves unto godliness that we increase in victory and all through the power of Christ that strengthens us. It is not of ourselves. It is about dying to self and living unto God through the power of his Spirit. My experience is that the more sanctified I have become through his Spirit using his Word to submerge me in his truth, I have become increasingly more repulsed by the emptiness of sin and uncomfortable with it in my life to any degree. Instead I find that I want to be a clean vessel overflowing with his Spirit who sheds his love abroad unto others in my heart. Our foe is sin and sin still dwells within our mortal flesh. Though we delight after the law of God, sin works overtime to bring us into subjection. Devils seek to fill our hearts with evil thoughts as well. This is why the battlefield is in the mind as with the mind we serve Christ. It can be very difficult to cast down the imaginations that are presented unto us but we can when we answer them with truth like Jesus did in his temptation. I have become real sensitive to sin within me and have noticed that sin is always attempting to lead me from within. I have had experiences where something from within is urging me to look behind me and when I turn to see what I 'sense' is there, I end up seeing some poorly dressed woman that is pleasing to the eye. This 'instinct' has always been there but I recognize it now for what it really is and that is sin working overtime to bring me into subjection. I retaliate with bringing scripture to mind or turning and singing hymns unto our Lord instead of paying mind to sin that wants dominion. I find myself asking that question, who will deliver me from the body of this death? Then a smile covers my face as I think about that delivery which is to come in the future when my body is redeemed and I am able to stand in the presence of our God serving him unobstructed and effortlessly. On a final note, Jesus once spoke about calling people workers of iniquity and telling them to depart from him because he never knew them. All things including each one of us were created by him and for him and there is no way that he doesn't know who we are but in the other sense of the word, such as a man knows his wife having intimate knowledge of her, we were made for God to have this knowledge of us through the Spirit. What we truly desire more than anything in life is to submit to the Spirit of the living God and have him walk in us and we in him. What a glory it is. I pray the Lord will give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him as it is through the knowledge of Christ that we escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. In Jesus Name, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dell Russell Posted October 13, 2012 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 4 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/08/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/21/1966 Share Posted October 13, 2012 The answer is in the cross of Christ! Your old man "IS CRUCIFIED", there is no old you! If you are born again then you have been crucified with Christ and you are filled with the Holy Spirit. I would suggest reading Romans 6, and the first chapters of James and 1st and 2nd Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Posted October 13, 2012 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 59 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 277 Content Per Day: 0.04 Reputation: 20 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/12/2002 Status: Offline Author Share Posted October 13, 2012 Thanks everyone for the great advice. Good stuff, Gary. I too am being "drawn" away from sin and want no part of it. Thanks. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Joyful Posted October 13, 2012 Group: Royal Member Followers: 4 Topic Count: 48 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,901 Content Per Day: 0.35 Reputation: 365 Days Won: 29 Joined: 08/16/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted October 13, 2012 Greetings Biscuit, Have you ever tried fasting as you pray? I have been challenged by thoughts also..from one time or other..and some was becoming hard to escape. But I began to fast and pray. Soon those scriptures of deliverance became alive in me and I began to gain a stronger sense of faith..I was empowered. Try reading Mark 9..it will give you a more clearer picture how powerful fasting is..Jesus shared this with the disciples when they came to Him..wondering why the foul spirit..wouldn't come out for them. His respond was..This kind can come forth..by nothing..but prayer and fasting. I pray that your deliverance will be manifested soon..In Jesus Name, Amen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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