1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:13,800 Praise the Lord Church, today's topic is all about controlling our thoughts. 2 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:18,740 All of us have thoughts that we know we shouldn't have, and sometimes we have thoughts that 3 00:00:18,740 --> 00:00:20,560 are pretty distracting. 4 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:27,160 Our first scripture is 2nd Corinthians 10, 3 verse 5 in the ERV version. 5 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:32,040 It says, We live in this world, but we don't fight our battles in the same way the world 6 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:33,200 does. 7 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,040 The weapons we use are not human ones. 8 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,600 Our weapons have power from God and can destroy the enemy's strong places. 9 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:45,920 We destroy people's arguments and we tear down every proud idea that raises itself against 10 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:47,360 the knowledge of God. 11 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,920 We also capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ. 12 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:57,200 One of the main reasons we can't get rid of entangling thoughts is because we don't believe 13 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:01,320 that in Christ we have the power to rebuke every demonic thought. 14 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:07,400 When we don't believe we have that authority in Jesus, that is when it doesn't work. 15 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:12,200 Because when we are harboring any sin or any unbelief in our heart, it actually separates 16 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,560 us from hearing from God. 17 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,880 So instead of our prayers having as much power as they would, they don't. 18 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,320 Now, some thoughts will seem innocent. 19 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:28,020 When we are listening to the word and we maybe have a funny thought and we start getting 20 00:01:28,020 --> 00:01:33,360 distracted and it seems innocent, but when we start pondering on them, the enemy will 21 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,320 take that and plant a seed. 22 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:38,560 So be on guard. 23 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:43,840 Our next scripture is Psalm 119 verse 15 in the CSB version. 24 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:48,040 It says, I will meditate on your precepts and think about your ways. 25 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:53,800 David often meditated on God, pondered and dwelled on God's word. 26 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:59,760 Now there's a very, very, very big difference between Eastern meditation and Christian meditation. 27 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,720 Eastern meditation is when you're clearing your mind, which is actually a bad thing because 28 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,840 it makes your mind susceptible to what the enemy wants you to think. 29 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,840 But when we are meditating on God, we are dwelling on his word. 30 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:19,800 And a lot of times instead of meditating on God, what we dwell on is other things. 31 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:24,800 We might be stressed because we have this big event coming up and we want everything 32 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:25,800 to be perfect. 33 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,800 Or we might be having random thoughts. 34 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,120 Or we might be dwelling on thoughts because we just don't like someone. 35 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,720 But when we are constantly thinking about the word, it's more difficult for the devil 36 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:40,320 to do his dirty work. 37 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,440 The devil will always try to distract us. 38 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:49,360 Even when a funny thought or a seemingly innocent thought pops up, that might be the devil trying 39 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,360 to interrupt the thought of Jesus. 40 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:57,080 He doesn't want you to be focused on God because he doesn't want you to hear what 41 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,440 God has to say to you. 42 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,040 Our last scripture is Philippians 4 verse 8 in the ESB version. 43 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:10,280 And it says, finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, 44 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,600 whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable. 45 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:22,040 If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 46 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:26,800 When we have thoughts, and we probably know deep down somewhere, it's probably not a good 47 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,300 thought. 48 00:03:28,300 --> 00:03:31,760 Always go back to the scripture and think, is this true? 49 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:32,760 Is it honorable? 50 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,360 Does it bring glory to God? 51 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,960 If it doesn't, then it's a thought that we shouldn't be having because our mind is not 52 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,240 a trash can. 53 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,920 And God gave us these bodies and their temples and we need to take care of them because it's 54 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:47,440 not a trash can. 55 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:54,160 But a lot of times what we're thinking can resemble how we act in our everyday life. 56 00:03:54,160 --> 00:04:01,280 Now in order to lose wrong thoughts, one, we have to be on guard and two, we have to surrender 57 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:07,400 it to God because when we are half heartedly surrendered, it doesn't do much because we 58 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,000 are still holding on. 59 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,960 We're still holding on to the old. 60 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,080 We're still saying to ourselves whether we realize it or not. 61 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:20,400 I just need a little bit of it because a lot of times what happens is we take pleasure 62 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:26,760 in sin because sin is destructive, but sometimes for us it's pleasurable. 63 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,320 Remember, your mind is not a trash can. 64 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:36,240 Our points for today are one, in Christ we have the power to overcome. 65 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,160 We just have to believe it. 66 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:44,560 Two, the more we think on Jesus and his word is the more our appetite changes. 67 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,360 For more of Jesus and less of sin. 68 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,880 For more of Jesus and less of silly. 69 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:56,360 And for more of Jesus and less of anything else that we know isn't good for us. 70 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,600 And that God knows isn't good for us. 71 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,160 And three, change your thoughts, change your life. 72 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:07,040 Our last point, four, be on guard. 73 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:12,480 Put on the full armor of God so that the devil can't throw his attacks at you so easily. 74 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,720 The more that we practice obedience, the more we grow. 75 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,160 And the more we grow, the stronger our faith becomes. 76 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:24,120 So if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then this message will help 77 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:25,120 you. 78 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,720 But if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then I invite you to give 79 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,680 your heart to the Lord today. 80 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,480 To receive him into your hearts, go to Romans 10, 9 through 10. 81 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:41,160 It says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that 82 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,600 God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 83 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,520 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto 84 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,020 salvation. 85 00:05:50,020 --> 00:05:55,800 If you said this prayer with sincerity, you are saved and now have eternal life with Jesus. 86 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:01,040 You are saved from all your sins, past, present and future sins you may commit. 87 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,280 This truth is not a free past to sin any time. 88 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:09,720 Instead, Jesus gives you power over all wrong choices and empowers you to spread the gospel 89 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:10,720 to others. 90 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:26,480 Your Savior, Ever, and your name is written in the book of life.