God, our thoughts and free will.

[DeeDee79]

Does God influence our free will to do what he wants us to do by inserting certain thoughts in our head?

 

[PeaceJoyLove]

Does God influence our free will to do what he wants us to do by inserting certain thoughts in our head?

Scripture tells us God says “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” And that the TRUTH will set you free...

Paul tells us about the duality within (Romans 7 is one example) and that we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) Jesus tell us to be careful how we hear.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in....

Luke 11:9....Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Jesus says "the kingdom is within you..."

Seek to hear from the right place...HE is there...


"What you seek is seeking you." ~ Rumi

 

[DeeDee79]

Thanks for your reply to my post. I am just trying to understand how those scriptures apply to my question?

 

[RDKirk]

Does God influence our free will to do what he wants us to do by inserting certain thoughts in our head?

What the first clause of your sentence means is debatable, but God does speak within our own minds as we will allow it.

 

[Micah888]

Does God influence our free will to do what he wants us to do by inserting certain thoughts in our head?

The "us" should be clearly defined. There are children of God as well as children of wrath on this earth. However, God clearly speaks to all mankind in many different ways, particularly through His written Word. "Inserting thoughts" sounds intrusive, but God's ways are always righteous.

 

[DeeDee79]

So how does God go about "correction"?

 

[Randy777]

Does God influence our free will to do what he wants us to do by inserting certain thoughts in our head?

We pray.
I think He aides us in our weaknesses and works for our "good"

"Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven ourdebtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Jesus=>All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

But freewill has been decreed until the appointed time "The day of the Lord"
Rev 22:11
Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy."

 

[~Anastasia~]

We can receive thoughts from outside ourselves from different sources.

Christianity has long understood that the enemy can tempt us from outside ourselves through our thoughts. God can do the same, encouraging us in the right way.

We are free to accept or reject - to act or not - on any of these. NOT realizing the kind of battleground our thoughts can potentially become is the source of much human downfall and misery.

 

[DeeDee79]

So how does God go about correcting an evil doer if he cannot take control? How does the victim get recompensed?

 

[~Anastasia~]

So how does God go about correcting an evil doer if he cannot take control? How does the victim get recompensed?

This life is not always "fair" in human terms.

But God is always offering ways by which we can be benefited (and others along with us) in the long term. Sometimes that means in eternity rather than just in this life. God's greatest desire is our greatest good, which for each of us is to be restored to Him in eternity.

One example though is the OT account of Joseph, who recognized that even though his brothers intended evil by selling him as a slave, God used for good to not only elevate Joseph, but to use his influence to save his entire family - including the families of his brothers who betrayed him.

Sometimes it doesn't happen in this life though. But God is always offering ways to make it happen in the next, where it really counts.

This is most understood by those who have drawn near to Him in times of suffering.

 

[DeeDee79]

So if someone is harming you over and over you just have to take it. Even praying won't stop them? I thought prayer was powerful?

 

[RDKirk]

So how does God go about correcting an evil doer if he cannot take control? How does the victim get recompensed?

This is a fallen world. If God did that, it wouldn't be a fallen world, it would be a just world.

Compensation is not made in this world.

 

[RDKirk]

So if someone is harming you over and over you just have to take it. Even praying won't stop them? I thought prayer was powerful?

Do you actually have an intent or a point behind these questions that you have not revealed?

 

[Dropout_Theologian]

I cannot remember any time in the Protestant or Catholic Bible in which God explicitly put thoughts in someone's head. Someone please correct me if I, as I fear, have overlooked anything. If I recall he has put fear upon people or armies; I also think he causes people to remember certain truths. Like was said above--

Paul tells us about the duality within (Romans 7 is one example) and that we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) Jesus tell us to be careful how we hear.

--in 1 Corinthians 2:16 "we" (them, and by extension perhaps us) have the mind of Christ.

I once talked to a Christian who theorized that the human mind functioned as a node in a network, and, that, I think, human minds were connected to each other. If such were the case, and our minds were connected to Christ in such a way, then God influencing our thoughts is not too much of a stretch.

I personally believe God influences my thoughts, though I am not aware of Scripture to support this, or I'm forgetting it.

 

[DeeDee79]

I guess I'll just have to take matters into my own hands

 

[RDKirk]

I cannot remember any time in the Protestant or Catholic Bible in which God explicitly put thoughts in someone's head. Someone please correct me if I, as I fear, have overlooked anything..

If God gives a man a dream, that is "putting thoughts into his head."

That type of instance alone would include the Pharaoh of Joseph, Joseph himself, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Paul, and others.

 

[Dropout_Theologian]

I guess I'll just have to take matters into my own hands

Wise counsel can be very good in making decisions, and Lord willing maybe we both can find some here What's up?

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

Does God influence our free will to do what he wants us to do by inserting certain thoughts in our head?

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors–not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." (NKJV)

 

[Petros2015]

So if someone is harming you over and over you just have to take it. Even praying won't stop them? I thought prayer was powerful?

Prayer is powerful, but in the meantime, God also gave us legs. Get away if someone is harming you over and over.

 

[DeeDee79]

Prayer is powerful, but in the meantime, God also gave us legs. Get away if someone is harming you over and over.

It's being done online. The police investigated but they say there isn't enough proof to lay charges that will stick