The Mouth Speaks

For quite some time I have had wrong thoughts. I think of things that are not God honoring and later find myself feeling condemned and frustrated because I keep having trouble in this area and I don’t seem to be able to overcome it.

Many times I have tried to think of something else or even justify my thoughts through rationalization. It often feels like a recurring cycle that I cannot seem to break.

Then I read Luke 6:45 which reads, “for out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks.” I’ve heard this verse before, but today it had new meaning. My issue with thoughts is not something that I can change by simply wanting to think differently. It is an issue that will need a heart change.

The real problem is what I’ve allowed to dwell in my heart. Past hurts, anger, unforgiveness and frustrations have taken up residence where they are not wanted and my thoughts have been the result of their presence.

I need to clean up my heart and my thoughts will follow. How do I do that?

First I need to know that though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Second, with that divine power we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

I had no idea what a prisoner I had become to my thoughts until I read this passage and the words, “Divine power” jumped out at me. I have been trying to fight this battle with my own, very limited, power and failed again and again.

But God was telling me that in His power, together we will demolish those strongholds and I will be able to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.

What a gift of hope that was! I want the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to God, my Rock and my Redeemer.

My Prayer

Father, thank you for showing me the right way to go about cleaning up my thoughts. I pray that as I begin the journey of cleaning up my heart that I will remember You are with me. You have given me Your divine power as a weapon against the enemy and I pray that I will use it. You have said I will have victory if I do not give up. Thank you Lord for refining me and for teaching me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Where does my help come from?

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.