Thought Control

1. Thought Control – 27th
July2017
“Watchandpray so that you will not fall intotemptation.The spiritis willing,butthe fleshis weak.”
(Matthew 26:41).
In our highlytechnological world,takingcontrol of ourthoughtsisessential. Butmany,including
Christiansstruggle withthisissue. Butwe are advisedin Proverbs4:23, “Aboveeverything else, guard
your heart. Everything youdo comes from it." Here “heart” referstothe mindand all that proceeds
fromit. Everysinwe commit,we committwice,once inour thoughts where we contemplate and
secondly whenwe actuponthose thoughts.Itiseasierto ridour livesof sinif we attack itat this
fundamental thoughtlevelratherthanwaitingforitto become rootedinourlivesbyouractionsand
thentry to repentlater.
There isa difference betweenbeingtempted - whichis a thoughtenteringintothe mind - andsinning
whichisdwellinguponanevil thoughtand actingon it.As Christiansitisimportanttounderstandthat
whena thoughtentersourmind,we needtoexamine itbaseduponGod'sWord anddetermine if we
shouldcontinue downthatpathor off hand rejectthe thoughtas sin. Whenwe allow sinto creepin and
take control it becomes ahabitin followingasinful life andanormal occurrence.Therefore braking
loose fromsinbecomesthatmuchmore difficult- muchlike itishard to geta car out of a deeprutand
ontoa goodtrack. Therefore itisimportantthatwe needto learntotake control of our thoughtsand be
determinedto getridof wrongthoughts that plague us.Froma biblical perspective we wishtostate a
fewwaysthat we couldlearn as statedbelow.
1.We need to be consciousofsin. The bible advisesusin 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind.Your
enemy the devil prowlsaroundlike a roaringlionlookingfor someoneto devour.” Therefore we need
to be watchful andremainin God's Word so that when one istempted,we willbe able torecognize it
for whatit isand knowwhatcourse to take. In Matthew 4 we read of JesusbeingtemptedandHis
response toeachof Satan'stemptations. Inall three temptationsthrownatJesus, Hisresponse toSatan
was withScripture insteadof allowingsinfulthoughttotake precedence. QuotingScripture inatime of
temptationisnota talisman,butratherfocuses ourminds to God’sword…tounderstandandtake
necessaryactiontoprotect ourselves. Todothis we needto know the Word of God in orderto
accomplishthis.Thus,adailyhabitof beinginthe Wordin a meaningful wayisessential.If we are aware
of a certainarea of constanttemptation suchas worry,lust,anger,etc.,we needtostudyand memorize
keypassagesthatdeal withthose issues. Therefore we needtobe onthe lookoutforwhat we are to
avoidand howwe are to properlyrespondtotemptation,sinful thoughtsand orsin.Thiswaywe can
have victoryoverthe evil one,before sinful thoughts take control inourhearts and distance usfrom
God.
2.We need to livein dependence uponthe Holy Spirit.As believerswhoare savedthroughfaithinJesus
Christ, forrepentance and receive salvationandwiththatwe are promisedof the indwellingof the Holy
Spiritinus. This isa great strengthforthe believerandtherefore we needtoseek the strengthof the
HolySpiritthroughprayer,because byourselveswe are week.We canlearn in Matthew26:41,“Watch
and prayso that you will not fall intotemptation.The spiritis willing,butthe fleshis weak.” We can
alsolearnthat if we relyuponour ownstrength,we will fail aswe can learnfrom Proverbs 28:26,
“Thosewho trust in themselves are fools,but thosewho walk inwisdomare kept safe.”
3.We need to consciouslybeselective ofour choices. In our dayto day liveswe meetandgreet

2. differentkindsof people.Thereforewe needtobe selective of whomwe chose.The wrongkindof
personwill alwaystryto convolute one’smindand leadthemastray.Therefore we are advisedin
Proverbs 4:23, “Aboveall else, guardyour heart, for everythingyou do flowsfrom it.” We are to avoid
unsavory friends, videos,websites,conversationsandsituationsthat willeventuallycause ustoa fall.
We should alwaysavoidspendingtimewiththose whowouldencourage othersinsinful ways!
4.We shouldlearn to consciouslyreplacesinful thoughtswithgodlypursuitsandmindsets. This isthe
principle of replacement. Forexamplewhentemptedtohate someone,we replace thosehateful
thoughtswithgodlyactions.Yesitiseasilysaidthandone.Butthat is whatJesusChristwantsfromus.
He wantsus to dogood to them,speakwell of them, andprayforthem.We can understandthiswhen
we read Matthew 5:43-48, ““Youhaveheard that it was said,‘Love your neighborand hate your
enemy.’ 44
But I tell you,love your enemies andpray for those who persecute you, 45
thatyou may be
childrenof your Father inheaven. He causes hissun to rise on the evil andthe good,and sends rainon
the righteousand the unrighteous. 46
Ifyou love those wholove you, whatreward will youget? Are
not even the taxcollectors doingthat? 47
And ifyou greet onlyyour own people,what are you doing
more than others? Do not even pagansdo that? 48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenlyFather is
perfect.”
We mustalsorememberthatif we merelyseekingtoputoff sinful thoughtswithoutreplacingthose
thoughtswithgodlyones,itwill leave anemptyfieldforSatanto come alongand sow his seeds.We can
understandthiswhenwe read Matthew12:43-45, “Whenan impurespirit comes outof a person, it
goes througharid placesseeking rest and does not findit. 44
Then it says, ‘I will return to the houseI
left.’ Whenit arrives, it findsthe houseunoccupied,swept cleanand put in order. 45
Then it goesand
takes with it seven other spiritsmore wicked than itself,and they go inand live there. And the final
conditionofthat person isworse thanthe first.That is how it will be with thiswicked generation.”
5. We need to fellowshipwithother Christians - the way Godintended. The importance isfellowship
the way Godintended. Our fellowshipshouldbe with believers whowillencourage usinthe changes
we desire withinus…aswell asto be an example forothersaswell. There isanevil worldoutthere and
therefore we needtobe mindfulof thisfact.Therefore we needto spurone anothertostrengthen
ourselvesthroughGodsword.We can learnfrom Hebrews 10:24-25, “Andlet usconsider howwe may
spur one anotheron toward love andgood deeds, 25
not givingupmeeting together, as some are in
the habit ofdoing,but encouragingoneanother—andall the more as you see the Day approaching.."
6. All this will fail unlesswe have placed ourfaith in Christ asone’s Savior:Thisis where we absolutely
muststart to control ourthoughts!One’sfaithinChrist as oursaviourmakesus to repentforthe sinful
life led,seeksalvationandthusbeginanew life asa new entitythatvaluesGodovereverything
else…Withoutthis,there canbe novictoryoversinful thoughtsandtemptations.We needtoknowthat
withoutreceivingsalvation, he orshe will NOTreceive the full blessingsof God’spromise of aneternity
withHim,includingthe promisedindwellingof the HolySpirit’spowerwithinus!
Therefore we mustknowthatChristiansare calledto"take everythoughtcaptive toobeyChrist" as
statedin 2 Corinthians10:5, “We demolishargumentsandevery pretensionthat sets itselfup against
the knowledge ofGod,and we take captiveevery thoughtto make it obedient to Christ.” We also
needtoknowthat we are transformedbythe renewingof ourminds assaidin Romans12:2, “Do not
conformto the pattern ofthis world,but be transformed by the renewing ofyour mind.Then you will
be able to test andapprove whatGod’swill is—hisgood,pleasingandperfect will.”