Stinkin-Thinkin

Thoughts matter more than we realize. The things we think without telling anyone are the seeds of our statements and the path of our tomorrows.

Growing up I got into a bad pattern of thinking. I would asses each situation in my life from the “what’s the worst possibility” and determine if I should commit to something based on that. Instead of looking for opportunity I looked for disaster and tried to manage my risk.

My encounter with Jesus Christ changed that. I realized for the first time that my thoughts were not helping me. I realized this pivotal statement.

You will never change your life until you change the way you think.

So I started to address my thoughts. God brought to me Scriptures like 2 Corinthians 10:5 where the Apostle Paul tells us that every thought is to be subjected to the Christ test. He tells us that thoughts that are not will bring “pre-tension” and will erect barriers between what you know about God. When you and I allow thoughts to control us that are contrary to God’s word we setup the “Pre-tension” (tension before the tension) and open the door for actual tension in our lives.

Here is the situation, “someone does something that makes you mad”. Natural reaction is to sit back and think and rethink everything that was said and done to determine what the real motive was. Like amateur mind-readers we assess conclusions to poorly developed facts with often disastrous results. Instead of holding that thought to the Christ test we let it in and give it the Captains chair of our lives.

So what is the Christ test for thoughts? Try a few of these on for size:

1. Does it bring tension, in you, between you & someone else or you and God? (2 Corinthians 10:5)
2. Does acting on those thoughts cause you to disobey Christ? (2 Corinthians 10:6)
3. Are those thoughts evil or sinful? (Matthew 9:4, Matthew 15:19)
4. Does it bring division or unity? (Luke 11:16-18)
5. Does the thought make you want to retaliate and bring retribution? (Ephesians 2:2-4)
6. Does the thought build up or tear down? (Ephesians 4:22-24)
7. Does the thought discriminate or show favoritism? (James 2:1-12)
8. Is it an immature thought? (1 Corinthians 14:20)
9. Does it elevate you over them? (Galatians 6:3)
10. Does it place your confidence in your strength verses God? (Psalm 20:7, Philippians 3:1-11)
11. Does it make you think God owes you? (James 1:7)
    

So what do I do with my thoughts? Well you don’t let them land. And the best way to keep them from landing is to pray. Pray harder than you ever have before. Get verbal in your prayers, passionate in your prayers, physical in your prayers. Let your pray life be the avenue in which all “stinkin thinking” evaporates. Without prayer, bad thoughts will dominate your life and lead you to sin. Don’t let your thoughts dominate your life, you dominate them. Christ has given you that possibility through His power.

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6 NLT)