Our emotions can’t distinguish between act and fantasy. They simply respond to the messages sent by the brain. That is the danger with thinking wrong thoughts or lies. It will affect the emotions accordingly. The emotions always follow our thoughts. They are responders.

Like watching a scary movie, you can be frightened “out of your socks”, but there is no real threat of harm to you. Your emotions don’t know that. They thought it was real. Whatever a person puts into their mind and thinks about, determines what they will feel in their emotions and this in turn will determine their actions.

The same is true of good thoughts and this is why the Bible appeals to our minds and not to our emotions. It is critical that we think thoughts that are truth rather than error. If we are constantly reviewing the past (after we have learned its lessons) this does nothing good but rather stirs up old emotions. Likewise, projecting into the future can raise emotions that can paralyse in the present.

Many psychiatric patients have lost the ability to cope with the present because they have become obsessed with the past or future! Satan tries to harm us then by deception creating unfounded fears through lies. Here are four ways we can have mastery over wrong thoughts:-

1 – Don’t dwell on wrong thoughts

Wrong thoughts are not driven out by dwelling on them. The larger they are the focus of our attention, the deeper they are burned into the memory. These wrong thoughts can cause us to be depressed or angry.

2 – Concentrate on Jesus

Thoughts must be outmanoeuvred by directing the mind to some other absorbing theme – JESUS. This is important as He is the centre of all things pure.

3 – Don’t give in to temptation

When tempted to consider a wrong thought you must turn your mind instantly to Jesus. The thought that seemed so appealing before looks loathsome when you are conscious of the presence of Jesus. Just to think of Him is to summon His aid. The passions are cooled. We can be happy with ourselves.

4 – Remember the Scriptures

A passage of scripture can be called to mind. There is power locked in spiritual truth. We should meditate on God’s Word. A good time to do this is just before we go to sleep as the last thoughts sink into the subconscious and remain there through the night. Here are some to meditate upon:-

• 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”
• James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
• Joel 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
• Psalm 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”
• Ephesians 5:15-19 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
• Psalm 144:15, “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.”
• Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Psalm 139:23,”Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.”
• Ecc. 7:7-9 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry”

Categories: James