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Dealing with Bad Thoughts

A temptation is a solicitation to do wrong. It comes from a desire to perform something that we know is against God’s expectation of us. Understanding how we go from a temptation to sin is important to comprehend in order to stop the process by taking the way of escape before we work out the desire from the temptation. In the book of James, we find the process by which we are solicited and how that temptation works out to sin.

Let no one say when tempted, “I am being tempted from God”. For the God is without temptation of wrong and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted by his own strong desire while being drawn out and baited. Then the strong desire after being conceived, births sin. And the sin, when it is finished, brings forth death – James 1:13-15.

We are first presented with a strong desire to do wrong by one of our three enemies: the sin nature, Satan, or the world system. This temptation has no impact on us until we accept the desire as our own and then choose to perform it. Conception is the combination of a wrong desire and the determination to do it. This is a trespass and always happens within the mind, resulting in a person being in a state of unrighteousness, although sin has not yet happened. Conception does not guarantee birth, but unless it is interrupted it will always result in sin. Once a temptation has become a desire within us that we have determined to fulfill, if we do not apply the truth, the faith, or reject what the world wants, this determination will work out to sin when we perform the […]

Dealing with Bad Thoughts2023-12-14T08:11:01-08:00

THE PROCESS OF A TEMPTATION: HOW TO MANAGE BAD THOUGHTS

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “for though in the flesh we walk, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not pertaining to the flesh, but pertaining to the natural ability of God towards the tearing down of fortresses; pulling down logics and every high thing lifting itself up against the experiential knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought into the obedience of Christ.”

How do you control the thoughts in your mind?

So often we struggle with thoughts that are of a “lacking in character” type, which flood our minds all day long. Perhaps they are thoughts that we will never do because ultimately our conscience would not permit such an action; nonetheless, we struggle with them. Perhaps we would do them if the opportunity presented itself knowing full well that we should not be involved with that type of action. Or perhaps they are thought that seem to be impossible to resist. They take over our minds, making us feel guilty and unworthy before God for even allowing such a thing in our minds, not to mention actually doing them.
We need to remember that our battle is not a battle of the flesh; we are not waging war against fleshly enemies. Our enemies are spiritual and affect our way of thinking. When it comes to how we deal with thoughts in our minds we need to realize that the thought is not a sin, or even a trespass. The thought in itself is nothing until we make it something.
In James 1:12 we are told how we are tempted by a desire to do something that lacks in character. First, the lust has to enter your mind, hence, a […]

THE PROCESS OF A TEMPTATION: HOW TO MANAGE BAD THOUGHTS2023-11-23T12:48:41-08:00

Understanding the Mind

The mind is very powerful. The medical trade is again recognizing the importance of the mind in overall mental and physical health, although through secular and worldly religious methodology. It is known that the state of mind directly impacts physical and psychological health and will dramatically influence healing. The importance of the mind is expounded on within Scripture in detail, providing a vast amount of information concerning the uses of the mind and its impact on our everyday lives. What exactly is the mind? The mind is an aspect of intelligence and consciousness manifested as combinations of thoughts, perceptions, memories, emotions, imaginations, desirous wills, and determinations distinct to an individual. Understanding the mind begins with comprehending the human nature. The human nature is comprised of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. The soul and spirit are the sources of emotions and logic within the human nature. Therefore, the mind is a product of the immaterial elements of a person through which there is a balance between emotions and reason to coordinate the properties of the soul and spirit for the well-being of that individual in any circumstance. Hence, the mind is the stream of individual consciousness within a being. This is not limited only to humans. All intelligent beings, spirit and human, possess a mind.

Click to access Understanding-The-Mind-Pastor-Luther-Walker.pdf

Understanding the Mind2024-09-26T20:32:03-07:00

Self-Control (ἐγκράτεια)

Self-control (ἐγκράτεια) means to have strength over one’s appetites through regulating emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the face of impulses or temptations.

Self-control is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:23. Since it is a part of the fruit belonging to the Spirit, we cannot obtain it through law or self-effort. Those who seek to be righteous through their works, although having a word of wisdom through self-imposed religion, humility, and the neglecting of the body, do not through these enjoy freedom over the indulgences of the flesh, Colossians 2:23. Self-control is a product of walking by the Spirit; therefore, self-control is an ingredient of the characteristics of Christians who are Spiritual, Acts 24:25.

As we work out our faith, we gain knowledge. To this knowledge, we are to add self-control, through which we can apply godliness to our lives, 2 Peter 1:6. As we continue to mature, we add to godliness a fondness for the brethren that gives place to seeking the best for the ones loved, so the we abound and are not unfruitful or barren in the full experiential knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore, self-control is a natural result of seeking out and governing our lives by the desires from the Holy Spirit, so that in freedom we maintain strength over our appetites, emotions, thoughts, and behavior in a worthy manner that glorifies God as the Holy Spirit produces the character of Christ through us.

Self-Control (ἐγκράτεια)2024-06-06T06:33:53-07:00

Inner Burning (ἐνθύμησις)

Enthumesis (ἐνθύμησις) comes from a word that means inner burning (thumos – θυμος). By adding the preposition in (ἐν), it describes the burning within a person while not retaining the aspect of anger that thumos expresses.

During Christ’s ministry to Israel, a paralyzed man was brought to him. Seeing the man’s faith, Jesus told him to be of good cheer because He has forgiven his sins, Matthew 9:2. Immediately, some of the scribes said among themselves this was blasphemy. However, Jesus intuitively knew their inner burnings and asked them, “Why do you burn malignant evil in your hearts?” Matthew 9:4. Answering the inner burnings of their hearts Jesus states, “Is it easier to say your sins are forgiven you or to say rise and walk?” Christ stated that this man’s sins were sent away so they would know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sin, Matthew 9:6.

The Pharisees were firmly against Jesus and took every opportunity they could to speak against Him. After Jesus released a man who was possessed by a demon that was causing him to be blind and mute, the multitude was amazed and questioned if Jesus could be the son of David. The Pharisees responded by claiming that Christ cast out this demon by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. Jesus, being aware of their inner burnings, calls them out for their sons’ actions, who were casting out demons. If He is doing it by the authority of Beelzebub, by whose authority are their sons casting them out? However, the reality is that a house that stands against itself falls; therefore, since a demon was cast out, the Kingdom of God is at hand, […]

Inner Burning (ἐνθύμησις)2024-05-12T07:03:10-07:00
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