Isaiah 55:8-9 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.“
Some years ago, a self-help therapy book coined the phrase “Stinkin’ Thinkin’.” The author suggested that silencing negative self-talk is more important than engaging in positive self-talk. You can put nice platitudes on your bathroom mirror each morning to recite, but negative thoughts will crowd in and your self-talk will generally win.
That’s why the Bible tells you to destroy arguments—and those include the ones you argue up with yourself, destroy lofty opinions raised against the knowledge of God—perhaps that means turning off the news for a day or two, because certainly very few people there are giving any praise at all to the Lord of the Universe, and then to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Expect resistance. In these days when there is a war against an unseen enemy, a tiny but very deadly virus, there is, at its base, a spiritual warfare against another unseen enemy. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” In the verses that follow, God’s provision of armor is listed, including the helmet of salvation. The helmet covers your head, our mind, the place where our thoughts originate. That salvation comes from Jesus Christ and Him alone. Keep your focus on Him (Hebrews 12:2).
Pray With Us
Dear Jesus, in this time we often call Holy Week, I am so aware of what it was that was set out for you. As Hebrews 12:2 says, You endured the cross, scorning its shame, in order to establish and perfect faith for me, and in that You found joy. That is too awesome a thought for me. And then I read in Luke 15:7 about the joy in heaven over even one sinner who repents. Let me find great comfort in that joy, even this week, knowing that You were resurrected, and You now sit beside Your Father in Heaven. Hallelujah! You have the victory. Help me keep my focus on you and let it tear down any stronghold of negative thinking I might have. For Your sake and for Your glory,
Amen.
