Thought Wars
How is your thought life? I ask this question because there are many who strive to influence or control your thoughts for their purposes. Scientists say we think around 62,000 thoughts a day. Some scientists who study these kinds of things say we think up to 70,000 thoughts a day. The point is, we think a lot of thoughts every day.
Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (NKJV).
If you own a smartphone, you can be sure that hundreds of interested parties are doing their best to influence and shape your thoughts. Marketers and politicians spend billions of dollars to accomplish this. Does your thought life control you instead of you controlling your thought life?
How would you describe your thought life? Confused? Toxic? Good and bad? All over the place? If our lives are moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts, then our highest priority should be to think healthy, life-empowering thoughts. Philippians 4:8 (NIV) says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
The Apostle Paul encourages us to think about what is true. This raises an important question: What is true? If I’m looking to purchase a particular product, I do research in hopes of finding the best product on the market. However, they all say they are the best product, so who am I to believe?
Lately I have been getting a lot of mail from politicians telling me that they are the best candidate to lead our city, our state, or our country. I don’t really trust politicians, but I feel like I need to participate in the process, so I pick a candidate based on my values and the best information I can find. The problem is, a lot of the information I get has been tainted.
Moving on to other entities who influence our thoughts, who is shaping your thoughts about you? If you are down on yourself, where is that coming from? I can tell you this much—it’s not coming from God. Maybe it’s a voice from the past or a current voice that’s getting into your head.
Of course Satan is always messing with our thought life. Jesus said this about Satan in John 8:44, “For there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Nothing can bring us down faster than our thoughts being steered by lies. How do we counteract lies? The only remedy is truth. In John 8:32 Jesus said, “Then you shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” In John 14:6 Jesus said he was the way, the truth, and the life.
When I was 40 years old, I went to see a Christian therapist. There was a lie I believed about myself that was crushing my life. With the help of the therapist, I was able to identify the source of the lie and replace it with God’s truth. I’ve never struggled with that lie again. Truth destroyed that lie.
Is there a lie about yourself that is holding you back and hurting your life? The best thing you can do is go to the source of all truth, God’s Word, and replace the lie with truth. I highly recommend reading Romans chapter 8 and Philippians chapter 4.
The thought war is a daily battle for all of us, but it’s a war we can win with God’s help. Take control of your thoughts, and you will take control of your life.
Stay close to Jesus,
Steve