Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Building Thoughts

Last night with a group of believers I listened as someone read a verse I had heard many times. In II Corinthians 10 Paul is talking about warfare, but specifically in verse 5 he addresses thoughts. We are to take every thought captive. In that moment as our group was praying together it began to really sink in that it is our mind that we must control in a way that takes the thoughts captive. We sometimes think good things and other times we have to take control and make our mind think things that are exalting of the Messiah. But how?

Then I had an opportunity to understand just how that works. Waking from some dreams through the night I had thoughts that I did not want to have. I was tired and trying to escape them by thinking about something else. I was not having any serious luck with that. Then I remembered that the same Paul talked about how we change things with our speaking in Romans 10:8-13. This is how we become believers. It is how we are made whole. It is how we take control of our minds. I began to pray out loud to God for His help. I also began to say out loud what I would think about in detail. I said out loud generally that I would not think about the things that were trying to enter my mind, but did not give them voice with specific words. This lasted about five minutes. My mind was clear and I went off to sleep. God is good.

Prayer
Father, please help us to remember Your blessings. Please help us to have the power to speak the things that You speak. Please help is in times of trial to say out loud the things You would have us to say. Be with Your people today and build them up. In Jesus name. Amen.