OUR THOUGHTS ARE powerful and have a profound impact on our lives. If we don’t control them, they will control us.
On average, we think between 30,000 and 50,000 thoughts per day. (I’m convinced that men think 30,000 thoughts each day while women think 50,000. But that’s just speculation!)
There are two kinds of thoughts: positive and negative. Positive thoughts are biblically based. They are God thoughts. Negative thoughts are fear based, lying, and deceptive. They are far from the truth. We have the power to choose which way we think.
The Apostle Paul told us how we should think. He said, “Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always” (Phil. 4:8 TPT).
The word keep in this verse shows that our thoughts can stray from those that are God-based. If we naturally always thought about what the Bible says about us, Paul wouldn’t have needed to instruct us. To think God’s way will take a little work, but He has equipped us to do it.
Second Corinthians 10:5 is how we keep our thoughts continually fixed on the Lord. It’s how we take negative, lying, fear-based thoughts and make them captive to God’s Word. That verse says, “We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One” (TPT).
I like to say it this way: Anytime a thought is contrary to God’s Word, we have to “Second Corinthians 10:5 it.” We can have many negative, fear-based thoughts every day that are completely opposite of the Word of God. How do we demolish them?
- Identify negative thoughts. What we think about eventually becomes what we believe. We must think about what we’re thinking about.
Our thoughts become our beliefs. Our beliefs determine our decisions. Our decisions become our direction. And our direction eventually becomes our lifestyle.
We can’t let our minds run wild. The more we think about something—positive or negative—the easier it is to think that way. Let’s compare our mind to a forest. In that forest, people have walked on the grass and worn a path. That is what thoughts do in our mind.
The first time we think a wrong thought, we may tell ourselves not to think that way. But the more we think that thought, the more it wears a path in our mind.
It works like this: “Wow, my head really hurts. I wonder what’s wrong with me. I’d better Google ‘What can cause a headache?’ Oh, my! It could be a brain tumor. Or maybe a brain aneurysm. I could die at any second!”
That is how our thoughts go way down the wrong path. It starts with one negative, fear-based, lying thought that is contrary to God’s Word.
- Determine false core beliefs. If our thoughts are based on a lie, then our beliefs are also based on lies. If there’s an area of our life where we don’t have a lot of victory, we need to change the way we believe about it. And to do that, we have to change the way we think about it.
Maybe we accepted the thought, “I can’t get anything right. I’m worthless.” We thought that enough to believe it. That belief affected our decisions. And those decisions affected our direction in life, so eventually our lifestyle was based on that lie.
- Challenge the lies and false beliefs in our lives. Truth is the only thing that can change a lie. And we get our truth from the Word of God. We must expose negative thoughts and beliefs to the truth of God’s Word. (See “Challenging the Lie” worksheet.)
- Establish healthy, Bible-based core beliefs. When our thoughts and beliefs line up with God’s Word, then our decisions will be based on His Word too. And those decisions will determine our direction in life. When our thoughts, beliefs, and direction are based on the Word of God, our lifestyle will please Him.
It’s so important to establish healthy, truth-based core beliefs. And we do that by continually taking our thoughts captive. I believe doing this will completely change our lives.
CHALLENGING THE LIE WORKSHEET
After determining the lie you are believing, write down 10 scriptures that challenge it. Every time that thought enters your mind, say your scripture list aloud. Below is a worksheet to help you get started.
The Lie I’m Believing: ______________________________________________________________
10 Truths to Cut Down the Lie
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
- _____________________________________________________________________________
Common False Core Beliefs
- I have to make others happy.
- People can’t be trusted.
- I am alone.
- It’s not okay to ask for help. If I do, that means something is wrong with me.
Emotionally Healthy Core Beliefs
- I am good enough.
- It’s okay if people don’t understand me.
- God is constantly helping me, protecting me, and meeting my needs.
- Making mistakes is okay. It helps me to grow.
Author
Denise Hagin Burns
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