“...we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
At the heart of changing one’s attitude is changing one’s thoughts. I am convinced that 90% of the battles/struggles that we deal with in life would be overcome if we simply learned to identify where our thoughts come from. Stephen Covey said, “Sow a thought, reap an action; Sow an action, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny.” Yet where do our thoughts come from? Have you ever had a time when you wondered where in the world a certain thought came from because it obviously did not come from yourself?
The Bible gives us some answers concerning the origin of our thoughts: our thoughts come from four different areas. First, our thoughts can come from ourselves (Jer. 13:10). Second, other people can influence our thoughts (Acts 14:2). Understanding that other people do influence our thoughts should encourage us to examine who we are allowing to influence our thoughts. Are they influencing our thought lives for the better or for the worst? A third individual who can influence our thoughts is our enemy Satan (Acts 5:3). And then naturally, fourth, God can influence our thoughts (Jer. 31:33). Yet I believe that we can really boil these four areas down to two: God or Satan. Thus, we can ask is this thought in line with Scripture, and therefore originating from the Lord? Conversely, if a thought does not line up with Scripture then we know it ultimately finds its origin with Satan.
Satan is the father of all lies (John 8:44). He lies to you and me. He tells us things about ourselves, about other people and about circumstances that are just not true. He does not, however, tell us the entire lie all at one time. He begins by bombarding our mind with a cleverly devised pattern of little nagging thoughts, suspicions, doubts, fears, wonderings, reasonings, and theories. Satan does this to set up strongholds in our minds, from which he can control our thinking, thus, controlling our lives.
Satan influences our thoughts directly by both outward circumstances and by inward feelings. So outwardly, Satan seeks to confuse our emotions, weaken our wills, terrorize our minds, and afflict our bodies. Satan did this very thing with Job: killing his ten children, taking his wealth, and plaguing his health (Job 2:7). Yet through it all, Job was able to overcome all of Satan’s attacks. Next month we will consider how Job was able to overcome Satan’s attacks. Yet for now it is important to recognize Satan’s schemes in our lives.
Satan also seeks to influence our minds inwardly by consuming thoughts of bitterness and unforgiveness, demoralizing fears, compulsive actions, and never ending addictions. Ephesians 4:26-27 is a good picture of this. There Paul says, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
Through influencing our thoughts, Satan is able to influence our attitudes through worldly thinking. The world tempts you to seek its approval. Yes, at times, the approval of others can be a good thing. For example, a parent, teacher, or coach, etc. could motivate you to become your best. However, many times, seeking the approval of can cause frustration with feeling never good enough and/or being tempted to compromise our faith (John 12:42-43). Then we end up conforming to the world’s standards, ethics and philosophies rather than God’s.
1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
And Satan influences our thoughts which in turn influence our attitudes through fleshly habits. Galatians 5:19-21 says, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Jesus adds that these things come out of a person’s heart. Really the question is this: where is our focus? Do we focus on the things that are temporary here in this life? Or is our focus on the things that are eternal? Our enemy the devil wants us to be consumed with the pleasures of this life, so that we miss out on the eternal bliss that is to come for those who faithfully follow Jesus Christ. And not only does Satan want to control our thinking but also our attitude and our entire lives. Therefore, if you see a person who constantly has a bad attitude, there is a good chance that you can tell who is controlling their minds.
Next month we will consider how to know if a thought is coming from God. Yet for now, let’s consider a few ways to overcome Satan’s strongholds in our thinking that affects our attitudes and our entire lives.
First, we need to learn to take every thought captive. It is very challenging to prevent ourselves from having certain thoughts; but we can prevent how long we continue to ponder them. Or put it another way, you can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can prevent it from making a nest in your hair.
One writer said, “When exposed to ideas or opportunities that can easily engage your imagination, you have a choice. You can recognize the danger and turn away, or you can allow unhealthy thoughts to take you captive. Your thoughts need not control your choices if they are laid before the One who gives you the mind of Christ. You capture your fantasies and desires when you honestly admit them to the Lord and ask Him to redirect your thinking. Ask God to give you the spirit of discernment to keep your thoughts focused on His truth” (Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Life Application Bible Commentary, p. 418). So is this thought from God or from Satan? If it is from Satan it will be contrary to Scripture. Then if it is from Satan, we immediately dismiss it to think about something else.
The Baker New Testament Commentary mentions another important part of this. “Every captive thought displays obedience to Christ as an acknowledgment of His supreme rule.” Thus, it is a matter of choosing to think Godly thoughts.
Second, to overcome Satan’s strongholds that attack our thinking and then as a result attack our attitudes, Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” To think Godly thoughts and in turn have a good attitude at all times, we have to diligently study and know God’s Word inside and out. It is about meditating on what it has to say. Thinking about Scripture throughout the day. Pondering it as you go throughout your day. The fact of the matter is this: 99% of what God wants to you to do in your life is spelled out in His Word.
As you begin to recognize thoughts that come from the enemy, take them captive and allow yourself to become transformed by the renewing of your mind instead of being conformed to the ways of this world, then you will think Godly thoughts. And, as a result, of your new focus, your attitude will no longer be similar to those of this wicked world but will rise above, for attitude is the difference maker.
More of Him, less of me,
Matt
