Close the Door to Negative Thoughts
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8, KJV
The passage above instructs us on how to control our minds. Our minds are under our will, and we have the complete ability to govern them. God has given us full authority over our thoughts, and this is where Satan wages his battle. If he can infiltrate our minds, he gains access to our thoughts, which eventually become words spoken from our mouths—shaping our lives.
What we focus on in life is what we manifest. When I was younger, I would sometimes have random thoughts about how I was going to die. I could vividly imagine different scenarios playing out in my life. However, before the thought could fully develop, I would catch myself and ask, "Where did that come from?" and stop the process. At that time, I didn’t realize the importance of monitoring my thoughts and shutting down anything negative. Satan is constantly working to bring us down because he understands the power of the mind. If he can control our thoughts—filling them with fear, intimidation, death, jealousy, pride, hatred, evil, or sickness—he knows we will eventually manifest those things, leading to his victory. Therefore, we must shut the door to all negativity and focus on the things we want to bring into our lives.
When I hear people recounting negative situations and experiences, I become quiet and discern what they are saying. If it is a negative report, I immediately focus on rejecting it. I recall when my children were young, older adults who had already raised their children would tell me to "enjoy them now because the teenage years will be terrible." I instantly rejected that notion in my heart. That may have been their experience, but it did not have to be mine. I prayed for a wonderful relationship with my children during their teenage years, and while they were not perfect, we thoroughly enjoyed that stage of their lives. We had fun! I would relive those years in a heartbeat. I refused to accept a negative report over our family because it was up to me whether I received it or not.
We must be mindful of what we allow into our minds. While advice on preventing harmful situations is beneficial, we cannot let negative opinions and other people’s fears take root in our spirits. We need to firmly shut the door to random negative thoughts that try to occupy our minds. The best way to keep that door closed is by focusing on what Scripture teaches—things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. This may require us to reduce our time on social media and limit our exposure to negative news. While staying informed is important, constantly consuming and repeating negativity fills our minds and creates an environment where negativity manifests in our lives. You may think this is extreme, but consider this—when a murderer takes someone’s life, they first harbored the intention to harm. Their thoughts led to actions. What we focus on determines what we bring into our lives. We must bolt the door tight against anything negative attempting to enter.
The way to secure our minds is by immersing ourselves in God’s Word. Scripture instructs us to meditate on God’s Word day and night. When we do this, we block Satan’s attempts to insert deceptive thoughts. If any negative thoughts manage to slip through, we will recognize them quickly and shut them down because we have placed a spiritual guard over our minds through the power of Scripture.
Key Points:
The Word of God prevents the negative thoughts of Satan.
Satan will try to distract you from reading the Word because he knows it is his greatest enemy.
Meditating on the Word of God builds the defense you need when an attack on the mind comes.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the incredible gift of my mind, will, and emotions. I surrender them all back to You. I desire to be in alignment with Your will for my life. Holy Spirit, I ask You to correct my mind when I am headed in the wrong direction. Grant me increased study time, and I rebuke any demonic spirit that attempts to hinder my time with You. Help me to bolt the door to Satan and surrender everything to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11
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