Learn the Power of Your Thoughts and God’s Words

There is one thing above all else that has the potential to jerk you around from the moment you wake up in the morning to the time you fall asleep at night. Your mind with all its thoughts and imaginations takes you on a trip every day, in fact many trips. It takes you on guilt trips and to pity parties and doubt fests. Your mind and imaginations can drive you to fits of anger and jealousy and then stop you cold with fear. There is no limit to the places you can go each day. But, truth be told, your mind probably takes you down the same path every day with only a few side excursions. You might be more prone to wandering along with low-grade anger and suspicion or doubt and fear.

Don’t let those imaginations take the steering wheel and accelerator pedal of your day. Learn to use your brake pedal and catch yourself before you turn down the path of feeling sorry for yourself, doubting God and thinking everyone should fall in step with your ideas and plans. In fact, just stop and park for a minute. What does God say?

Over and over He tells us to be sober with our minds. That means self-controlled and temperate. Take yourself in hand and direct your thoughts rather than listen to your thoughts. You may have heard the old phrase “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” It’s not in the Bible, but it is certainly true. Unless you consciously control your thoughts, Satan will be there with his suggestions. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith. (1 Pet. 5:8-9a)

Hopefully, this isn’t all new to you, and you’ve already developed the habit of 2 Cor. 10:5 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.

That is the key to preventing depression. You just don’t allow yourself to dwell on the random thoughts that rise up all day. Instead, you replace them with true thoughts. (The list of approved thoughts is in Phil. 4:8.) The best place to find true thoughts is the Bible, of course. But there’s even more to God’s words than stagnant thoughts and truth. It turns out, the Bible isn’t passively true. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12)

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isa. 55:11)

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? (Jer. 23:29)

The Bible is the place to go for a transformed mind. That means writing appropriate verses on 3x5 cards and reviewing them when those stealth thoughts enter your head. Figure out what the common thoughts are that drag you down every time, then find verses to combat them and review them often. Make those drunken thoughts flee at God’s word. Remember the offensive weapon in your arsenal is supposed to be the Word of God. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Eph. 6:17)

God knows your thoughts, and He wants you to replace them with His word. Not just His thoughts, but His very words. There’s power in God’s very words. Start memorizing.