Take Authority Over Thoughts
— Rid your life of worry!
We must learn the importance of controlling our thoughts. As long as we are in the world, we will be exposed to evil thoughts. The enemy will try to make us worry about even our basic needs.
Foundation scriptures: Matthew —6:31; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.
- Mt. 6:31; 2 Cor. 10:3-4 —Take Authority Over Thoughts
- Refuse to take anxious or doubtful thoughts.
- Pull down and demolish any strong point or argument against your faith!
- 2 Cor. 10:4-5 —Casting Down Speculations
- The battle against the devil takes place right in your head.
- Rebel thoughts must be taken captive and made to submit to Christ.
- Ps. 103:1; 1 Cor. 6:20 —Commanding the Mind
- Redeem – to buy a slave in order to set him free.
- You were bought out of slavery of sin, and set free into righteousness.
- 1 Pet. 1:13; Col. 3:2 —Mind Set
- You need to prepare your mind for action.
- Col. 3:2 (NASB) Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth.
- Phil. 4:8-9 —Think and Do
- What ever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
- When you begin to have a bad thought, cancel it with a good one.
- Put into practice the things you have learned from God’s Word.
- Prov. 16:3 —The Lord Establishes My Thoughts
- Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
- Roll your thought life over onto the Lord.
- If you think about God you will have plenty to think about.
- 1 Cor. 2:5-7 —Hidden Wisdom
- 1 Corinthians 2:5 …your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
- Speak wisdom among the spiritually mature.
- Rom. 12:2 —Renewing The Mind
- Don’t be fashioned or shaped by the world.
- Adjust your moral and spiritual thinking to the mind of God.
- Take Authority Over Thoughts. Only think truth and speak the truth.
- Rom. 12:3-4 —Think Soberly
- Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly.
- Recognise your dependence on others in the body of Christ.
Take Authority Over Thoughts
Mt. 6:31; 2 Cor. 10:3-4
Take Authority Over Thoughts!
Mt. 6:31, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mt. 6:31 (NASB), “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
As long as we are in the world, we will be exposed to evil thoughts. The enemy will try to make us worry about even our basic needs. The way we prevent anxious thoughts from becoming our thoughts is that we never voice these thoughts or fears. You take thoughts or make them your own by saying them.
2 Cor. 10:3-4, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.)
Strongholds: From the Greek word ochyroma – a stronghold, fortification, fortress. Used metaphorically of any strong points or argument in which one trusts.
Take this briefing to heart by thinking about it as much as possible for the next few days. Read the Scripture and speak the words below, and you will begin to realize your God-given power and authority over your thoughts.
My Words of Faith:
I take authority over my thoughts! I refuse to take anxious or doubtful thoughts. I refuse to speak words of worry and doubt. I live in a flesh body, but I am not at war with flesh. My weapons of warfare are not physical, but on a spiritual level, powerful and capable through God, able to pull down and demolish any strong point or argument against my faith.
Casting Down Speculations
2 Cor. 10:4-5
Casting Down Speculations
2 Cor. 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Imaginations: Translated from logizomai, a Greek word that means; computation, logical reasoning – imagination, thought. There are two times the word “imaginations” is used in the New Testament (Rom. 1:21 and this verse). J.B. Phillips translation, uses “speculations” here. The word “imagination” is used once (Lk. 1:51). And the word “imagine” is used once (Acts 4:25). All of these references to the imagination are negative. A positive imagination is what the Bible calls hope.
High thing: Is from hypsoma (hoop’-so-mah) from (hupsoo); an elevated place or thing, barrier, exalt, lift up.
Captivity: From the Greek word aichmalotizo, meaning to make captive, lead away captive, bring into captivity.
The weapons are for the casting down of two things: imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Both of these areas deal with the mind. Our battle against the devil takes place right between our ears.
2 Cor. 10:5 (Weymouth) For we overthrow arrogant ‘reckonings,’ and every stronghold that towers high in defiance of the knowledge of God, and we carry off every thought as if into slavery—into subjection to Christ;
The mind is the battlefield in which thoughts and reasoning contrary to God’s Word are to be captured and submitted to Christ, our Commander. Just as enemy soldiers are captured in war, so rebel thoughts must be taken captive and made to submit to Christ.
A Good Confession Would Be:
I cast down any reasoning thought that rises up against what I know about God. I take captive every thought and submit it to the obedience of Christ. When I recognize a thought that is not aligned with God’s will, I speak what the Bible says about God’s plan for my life.
Commanding the Mind
Ps. 103:1; 1 Cor. 6:20
Commanding the Mind
Ps 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Note: David is commanding his mind to “bless the Lord.”
1 Cor. 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Bought: Gk. agorazo; to go to the slave market, i.e. (by implication) to purchase; specially to redeem – to buy a slave in order to set free, redeem.
Glorify: From the Greek word doxazo (dox-ad’-zo) to glorify, honor. This verb calls for a commitment to a decisive and effective choice. A command to “do this!” Make this happen! (Don’t just try!) Begin now!
My Confession:
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless His holy name. I am redeemed. No longer a slave to sin, I belong to God. Therefore, I choose to glorify God in my spirit and in my body.
Mind Set
1 Pet. 1:13; Col. 3:2
Mind Set
1 Pet 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
To gird up the loins, a man would reach between his legs and grab the back part of his robe at the ground. Then he would pull that up between his legs and tuck it into his girdle or belt. This allowed him to run or work without getting tangled up in his robe. Peter is saying here, that you need to prepare your mind for action. “You need to use your head” is the way it would be said today.
Be sober: From nepho (nay’-fo) is to abstain from wine. This Greek verb be is aorist imperative tense. It calls for definite decision, to begin to do this now and don’t just try! Keep sober in spirit also means to be self-controlled, watchful. Don’t ever surrender your hope in the promised salvation.
This revelation of Jesus Christ is talking about His second coming (rapture).
Col. 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Set: This Greek verb tense is present imperative; is a commitment to a long-term way of doing something. A command to keep on setting your affection. Make it a habit, part of your life style.
Affection: Gk. phroneo; to exercise the mind, i.e. entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication to be (mentally) disposed in a certain direction. This word is translated “mind” in Philippians 3:19, where Paul is speaking of the lost, says, “Who mind earthly things.”
Col. 3:2 (NASB) Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth.
My confession is:
I gird up the loins of my mind by actively thinking on and anticipating the return of Jesus. During rough times, I realize a living hope and a sure salvation! I constantly set my mind on things above. I don’t waste my time thinking about earthly things.
Think and Do
Phil. 4:8-9
Think and Do
Phil. 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, 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, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. [9] Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
The word dwell is a present imperative verb; is a commitment to a long-term way of doing something. This is a command to keep on doing an action as a general habit or life style.
Not only were the Philippian believers to think upon whatsoever was true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Phil. 4:8), but they were also to “put into practice” the things they had learned.
My confession is:
Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, right, pure, lovely and whatever is a good report; if there is anything good in it, these are the things I am determined to think about all the time.
I govern my conduct on things which I have learned and received from the Word of God, and His peace is always with me.
The Lord Establishes My Thoughts
Prov. 16:3
The Lord Establishes My Thoughts
Prov. 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Commit: The Hebrew word means, literally “to roll, roll down, roll away, remove.”
Works: This is an action (good or bad); an activity; doing, labour, thing made, occupation, thing offered, workmanship, wrought.
Thoughts: here refers to intentions, or plans.
Established: From a Hebrew word that, is to set up, to prepare, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, to be stable, establish.
My confession is:
I roll my work over onto the Lord, and He handles the details. He provides me with the thoughts and plans that will make me successful. Jesus makes sure my plans come to pass. He weeds out all the incorrect directions, and stabilizes my decisions.
Hidden Wisdom
1 Cor. 2:5-7
Hidden Wisdom
1 Cor. 2:5-7 …your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. [6] Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: [7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Faith: pistis (pis’-tis) translated from peitho; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstract constancy in such profession; by extensive the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself – assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. Faith-filled words.
Princes: archōn from the Greek archo; a first (in rank or power) – chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler. – The wisdom of the “princes of our world” tells us to be “politically correct.” But we know it will come to nought! Where as God’s Word will live forever!
World: aei; properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world.
My confession is:
My faith does not stand on the cleverness of men, but in the power of God. I speak wisdom among the spiritually mature. It is not what the world calls wisdom, nor by the “powers-that-be,” (who will soon be the powers that have been) but the wisdom of God.
Renewing The Mind
Rom. 12:2
Renewing The Mind
This verse contains several important words about changing the way Christians should think.
Rom. 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Conformed: Gk. suschēmatizō to fashion or shape one thing like another. This verb refers to a thing that is transitory, changeable, unstable. This Greek word cannot be used to mean inward transformation. Be not is a negative present imperative verb that tells us to Stop doing this! Do not let this continue any longer! Go on refusing to be conformed!
Transformed: Gk. metamorphoō to change into another form (meta, implying change, and morphē, form), is used of Christ’s transfiguration (Mt.17:2; Mk.9:2). Here “be ye transformed,” the obligation being to undergo a complete change, which under the power of God, will find expression in character and conduct.
Be transformed; present imperative verb is a commitment to a long-term way of doing something. A command to keep on doing an action as one’s general habit or life style. Keep on being transformed by the continual renewing of your mind
Renewing: Gk. anakainōsis The adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, a willing response on the part of the believer.
The world system is evil and under the rule of Satan. We must despise what is evil, love what is righteous, and refuse to yield to various forms of worldliness that constantly surround us.
Prove: to approve or allow; a present tense verb; constantly allowing or continuously approving God’s will. However, we must realize it is not God’s will that we be changed only on the inside. He wants to manifest this salvation in our physical lives also. That takes place through the renewing of our minds.
My confession is:
I will no longer be squeezed into the world’s unstable fashion! But I will continually allow my mind to be completely transformed (changed from within) by the power of God’s Word, so that I may prove in practice that His plan for me is good, it pleases Him, and is perfected in me.
Think Soberly
Rom. 12:3-4
Think Soberly
Rom. 12:3-4 (NKJV) For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. [4] For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function.
Think: Gk. hoop-er-fron-eh’-o is from two Greek words huper which means over and above, or beyond and phroneo which means to think. The compound word is translated well in the Amplified Bible, to think of oneself more highly than he ought to think or to have an exaggerated opinion of one’s own importance.
My confession is:
I am aware of my interdependence with others in the body of Christ. I do not want to be independent in the way I operate. By the grace of God working in me, I submit myself to God and I resist the temptation to overestimate myself. I am becoming more aware of my need to do my part, along with others who are called by God to do their part.