Last week was pretty rough. Looking back I can see that many of the “problems” stemmed from giving in to my feelings and listening to my wrong thoughts. I didn’t counsel my heart according to the Word of God, but I relied on myself and my instincts.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…
2 Corinthians 10:5
I must always be on the offensive, taking those wrong thought patterns and putting them in their place – under the authority of Christ. He died to give me the ability to do so. He died so that I didn’t have to live enslaved.
I have recently realized (through a Bible study at church) that the reason I choose to live by my own feelings and listen to my own thoughts is because I am an idolater. I have idolized myself so much that I choose to listen to me instead God’s Word, that I choose to operate on what I feel rather than on what He says is true.
It is definitely a moment-by-moment battle. I can’t lock all the thoughts away at the beginning of the day and be done. I wish it were that easy. I’m thankful that we have the Holy Spirit who there moment-by-moment to fight the battle, to counsel my heart, to lead me in the right.
Though my sin nature is ever present, it doesn’t have to have any dominion or power over me. This excerpt from my devotional book today really describes it well.
I don’t want to live enslaved to a tyrant who no longer has a right to demean and terrorize me, tormenting me with guilt and self-doubt. I’m tired of giving the devil more airtime in my mind than I give the Holy Spirit.”
~Lazarus Awakening, by Joanna Weaver
