Christian Living
Have you ever found yourself struggling to keep certain thoughts out of your head? Happens to one and all.. From fearful thoughts, to evilish ones, to faithless thoughts, etc, negative thoughts dampen the spirit.
If we are to be successful in maintaining a clean and peaceful thought process, then we must keep ourselves reminded of the 8-way thought test….
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Philippians 4:8 NKJV
Are your thoughts true? Are they noble? Are they just? Are they pure? Are they lovely? Would you call them a good report? Are they praise-worthy and do they possess any virtue?
Someone says; ‘why should I bother with cleaning out my thoughts? Well, here are 2 important reasons from the Bible…
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.”
Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”
Proverbs 4:23 NKJV
1. Your thoughts define you. 2. Your thoughts determine your actions.
Actually, these 2 are related because we tend to act out our predominant thoughts which in turn reveal who we are.
I can tell you that this 8-way test is no joke, it can be pretty challenging, disturbing and sometimes annoying. It may seem like there’s an internal war going on inside of you ?.
As we see in the scriptures below, Apostle Paul faced a similar challenge…
“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
Romans 7:15-20 NKJV
“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Galatians 5:17-18 NKJV
Why does Paul say; “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”??
Because the law is about do’s and don’ts. But there are no such things as do’s and don’ts for a Spirit-led life…..
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit..”
Romans 8:2, 5 NKJV
The blessed man of Psalm 1 is likened to one planted by the rivers of waters; continually flowing in the Spirit; thus explaining his success, productivity and fruitfulness. Halleluyah!!!
Keep your thoughts clean. Walk in the Spirit.
Have a great week.
