Thinking matters…
Job’s terrible statement, “That which I feared has come” (Job 3:25) should cause us to pause and ask, could Job’s loss have been averted?
As Job confessed, fearful thinking had opened a door that brought danger to his house. Job had meditated so much about losing his children, he would entertain thoughts of their death to the point that he made daily sacrifices to try and avert what he imagined. When his kids went out, Job would feel uneasy, anxious, unable to rest, fearing for their safety. He would wait to hear his kids were back home safely, because in his imagination, Job would create terrible scenarios of what could potentially happen to them. His concern was not a small anxiety. The Bible says Job greatly feared. Eventually, what he feared happened.
Our thoughts are powerful. To learn from Job’s life, we need to reflect on what we are thinking about, what fears grip our hearts and then, kick them out!
Heart Check: What are you afraid of? What do you greatly fear?
Perhaps like Job, you fear something terrible may happen to your children. Maybe the media has convinced you that stranger danger, global perils or illness is greater than your peace in God. Arrest this pattern immediately!
For many, our fear is fed by continued meditation of a negative scenario. First, our mind thinks about a terrible possibility, then we find ourself spending much time working the scene out in our mind, trying to predict outcomes, hoping to avert potential disaster which arrived to our mind as a mild question, just one small thought.
When we become more convinced of an imagined reality, the longer we think upon it, the larger our fear takes hold of our hearts. We may discuss this fear with friends, who validate it further, or with loved ones, and then, inadvertently pass the fear onto them.
ALL OF THIS IS IMAGINARY. Fear’s pattern is a ploy: we are being played.
Like the enemy who sowed tares in the wheat, (Matt 13:24-30) demons will pose a question as a fearful thought. This thought is not from you. The enemy’s intention is to kill, steal and destroy your hope, your life, your peace and your identity as a beloved child of God through fearful thoughts, to incite your imagination to engage with those negative scenarios to build stronghold of anxiety and fear.
What you create in your mind is the permission you give for the enemy to enter your house!
Do not give the enemy a toehold! Violently oppose every wicked fearful thought, negative scenarios, so called innocent “what ifs”!
“Cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5)
Violently flog the enemy with truth when he attempts to sow thoughts of fear, greed or pride in your mind! Demolish every fearful scenario with the truth of God and your favoured identity as His Child. Do not tolerate suggestions of fearful “What ifs?” for even a moment!
Guard your imagination through the standard of Christ.
Evil thoughts, nurtured by our powerful imagination, open wide the door to the enemy, so we cannot imagine the worst any longer!
Christ in you is the hope of Glory!
Christ Jesus is waiting for each of us, to carefully think and speak a better Word! Our thoughts powerfully matter, so as we change our thinking, we become the extension of God’s Hand on earth!
God Fully Imagined our World before He Spoke a Single Word
Think about God, our Creator, our Loving Father.
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. (Gen 1:2-3)
In between verse 2 and 3, for millions of years of God hovered over the formless and void, imagining the universe, the Milky Way, the earth, the moon, the stars, the planets.
When He was done all His meditation, God said, “Let there be light!” and there was light!
Before God spoke any words, for time beyond measure, God imagined. He was thinking about our worlds, perfectly designed galaxies and orbiting systems which flow in utter perfection. For millions of moments, our God sat and thought and imagined!
His imagination created our world and you are part of God’s dream that He meditated upon.
Every system, every part of our world, the Lord imagined first.
You are a masterpiece that was born in the mind of God, carved out into history!
Our Thoughts must be Weighed and Measured Carefully
As believers, we are blessed to carry Christ. When we think, our thoughts have the capacity to create worlds. Our imagination can either build worlds of God’s design or worlds of our own vain imagination. What we meditate upon matters!
When God shared his angst with Noah, God said “man’s every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen 6:5).
In contrast, Paul exhorted believers to have sanctified thoughts: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8).
God Loves Holy Thinking
We attract Heaven with a godly imagination surrendered to Christ.
As Paul gloriously testifies, “We have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16). By His Grace, we can create Heaven on Earth as we meditate on the Goodness of our God and keep our thoughts focused on Jesus.
David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Ps 19: 14). Holy thinking matters.
By the power of Christ within us, may we slay the enemy’s fear-mongering, cancel every death over our home, and use our imagination to create solutions, strategies and wealth for His Glory! (To hear the full sermon, head here.)
We can do this, Church! It’s time to reign!
Shalom,
Shyju