Think about What You Think About – 3

I’m examining our thought lives—the thought patterns we are often in bondage to because we have not learned to bring every thought into captivity and make our thoughts obedient to Christ. Philippians 4:8 gives us clear parameters for our thoughts. They are to be true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Let’s look at how to begin that process. First, you have to truly begin to think about what you are thinking about at any given moment. You must literally examine individual thoughts, one by one to make sure they fit within the Philippians boundaries. I can testify captive thinking becomes more attractive the more you practice it. I remember once starting to get into some self-pity thoughts. And as I realized it, I said to myself, “I don’t want to be depressed. I don’t want to feel sad. I will not think these self-pity thoughts.” I brought those specific self-pity thoughts into captivity, refusing to let them intrude my mind, and I then was free from the burden of self-pity. That was when I began to actually practice this principle of bringing individual thoughts into captivity. It was a new reality to me—that I could actually decide not to think about what I should not think about! Now, once you screen and test those individual thoughts, the question is, how do you stop thinking the wrong thoughts? You can determine they’re wrong, but you can’t stop thinking them! You have to use what I call the Replacement Theory. Replace the wrong thought with a right thought. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you (Isaiah 26:3). We have a replacement thought as Christians that is guaranteed to work every time. And that replacement thought is Jesus Christ. When in doubt, think about Jesus! You may have to replace wrong thoughts every minute or two. But don’t let that discourage you. Just keep replacing. You’re changing habits that are ingrained; you’re addressing thought patterns that have dug ruts into your brain, and you keep getting stuck in those ruts. Bringing thoughts into captivity, forcing yourself to refuse to get in those wrong thought ruts, is a battle. The enemy of your soul will continue to trap you in those ruts, but if you’re a Christian, you have the power of the Holy Spirit to refuse to let him win. Don’t give up; just replace the wrong thought with the right thought, as many times as necessary.