Is it possible to control your own thoughts?

[com7fy8]

Hi, Cuja . . . thank you for the explanation. I think it is good you have that friend to give you advice. It sounds like a good idea to be careful what you talk about, with her. I have someone who can go off, being snotty and judging. But my lady friend and I understand she needs good example Christian friends. So, it can be good to become stronger so she can't get to you, and then you can learn how to talk with her and be a good example for her.

"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20)

If she is a critical spirit person, she can spread this to get you into being critical of her. So, be prayerfully careful not to let her wrong ways effect you to make you against her, but we care for wrong people in prayer.

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

It is possible she will appreciate being kept in more positive sharing. But I find that a critical person can ambush me and I do not see it coming. But I can stay calm and not let it have power over me. Possibly, you can listen for what information she is giving to you, but also realize that might be only how she is capable of seeing things, plus not all situations are the same.

With God, there is hope for her and for you. Love "hopes all things" (in 1 Corinthians 13:7). So, we keep with this and do not give up. Hard things are meant to fool us into thinking they can't go away. So, yes you can, but with God

"But He said, 'The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)

I had a church leader who could seem to turn on me and argue instead of talking about good things of God and His word. He seemed to single me out to treat me like I was the peon of the church and needed to be talked down on like I was a stupid little boy. And a certain very charming and attractive lady in the church seemed to be giving me the you are less than me treatment, though she did not get nasty and mean-spirited like he seemed he could. And they associate with each other in ministering.

So, they got to me . . . at first . . . and I could get right into criticizing them, and putting them down, in my imagined interacting with them. So, this is what can happen; in wrong handling of things, we can let others have power over us and have us doing to them what they are doing to us. But Jesus on the cross is about saving people, not just sending them back some negative and nasty stuff >

"not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:9)

With him, I would prepare in prayer and simply be encouraging in my attitude, with him. And keep good example in his face while he did whatever > he might have been wrong with me, but the next time I would be like it never happened and I was encouraging and caring. So, he could see what he did was not going to decide how I am. And he seems to be doing better.

I would not shut him out or actively avoid him, but I did not give him any special attention, either. And when I might spend some time with him, I would get right on to others and to ones who are good example for me, "and feed on the good example."

But, of course, if she isn't a Christian, it can be she will keep getting "worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13) with others of Satan's kingdom. Others might act nicely, but . . . sin keeps making a person more and more in trouble and degraded emotionally and deeply ruined in relating with people. So, be her example of where we are inviting her to

And, yes, you are not on your own. If she is nasty with you, she is missing out on how she could have real love. It is spoiling her for how she could be really loving with ones closer to her. So, she is missing out on so much. So have compassion on her, and be encouraged in spite of how impossible it can seem to control our thinking and how we react. It is possible with God, and we have Jesus Himself praying for us > Romans 8:34 > Jesus Himself has hope for us!!!

Oh yes ! Cuja, have you heard about "Paul's thorn"? 2 Corinthians 12:7-15.

 

[cuja1]

Hi, Cuja . . . thank you for the explanation. I think it is good you have that friend to give you advice. It sounds like a good idea to be careful what you talk about, with her. I have someone who can go off, being snotty and judging. But my lady friend and I understand she needs good example Christian friends. So, it can be good to become stronger so she can't get to you, and then you can learn how to talk with her and be a good example for her.

"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20)

If she is a critical spirit person, she can spread this to get you into being critical of her. So, be prayerfully careful not to let her wrong ways effect you to make you against her, but we care for wrong people in prayer.

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

It is possible she will appreciate being kept in more positive sharing. But I find that a critical person can ambush me and I do not see it coming. But I can stay calm and not let it have power over me. Possibly, you can listen for what information she is giving to you, but also realize that might be only how she is capable of seeing things, plus not all situations are the same.

With God, there is hope for her and for you. Love "hopes all things" (in 1 Corinthians 13:7). So, we keep with this and do not give up. Hard things are meant to fool us into thinking they can't go away. So, yes you can, but with God

"But He said, 'The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)

I had a church leader who could seem to turn on me and argue instead of talking about good things of God and His word. He seemed to single me out to treat me like I was the peon of the church and needed to be talked down on like I was a stupid little boy. And a certain very charming and attractive lady in the church seemed to be giving me the you are less than me treatment, though she did not get nasty and mean-spirited like he seemed he could. And they associate with each other in ministering.

So, they got to me . . . at first . . . and I could get right into criticizing them, and putting them down, in my imagined interacting with them. So, this is what can happen; in wrong handling of things, we can let others have power over us and have us doing to them what they are doing to us. But Jesus on the cross is about saving people, not just sending them back some negative and nasty stuff >

"not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:9)

With him, I would prepare in prayer and simply be encouraging in my attitude, with him. And keep good example in his face while he did whatever > he might have been wrong with me, but the next time I would be like it never happened and I was encouraging and caring. So, he could see what he did was not going to decide how I am. And he seems to be doing better.

I would not shut him out or actively avoid him, but I did not give him any special attention, either. And when I might spend some time with him, I would get right on to others and to ones who are good example for me, "and feed on the good example."

But, of course, if she isn't a Christian, it can be she will keep getting "worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13) with others of Satan's kingdom. Others might act nicely, but . . . sin keeps making a person more and more in trouble and degraded emotionally and deeply ruined in relating with people. So, be her example of where we are inviting her to

And, yes, you are not on your own. If she is nasty with you, she is missing out on how she could have real love. It is spoiling her for how she could be really loving with ones closer to her. So, she is missing out on so much. So have compassion on her, and be encouraged in spite of how impossible it can seem to control our thinking and how we react. It is possible with God, and we have Jesus Himself praying for us > Romans 8:34 > Jesus Himself has hope for us!!!

Oh yes ! Cuja, have you heard about "Paul's thorn"? 2 Corinthians 12:7-15.

Thank you for the advice. I will take it to heart.

 

[Xalith]

To be honest, I think Paul is merely giving us guidelines in that very often-quoted Philippians passage (4:8-9).

The Bible teaches us that we are Justified when we receive Christ, and that the Holy Spirit will, over time, sanctify us, making us "more like Him" as time goes on.

As a newly-born again Christian starts his or her new Christian Life, they are far from perfect. They are Justified and Saved, but they still look very much like that old dead self that they had just freshly cast off. Their lives are still the way they were when they were Saved.

It will take time for the new Christian to turn their life into a direction that God desires, and it takes awhile for the Holy Spirit to confirm the Christian's Mind to a Mind like Christ's. This does not happen overnight barring some kind of miracle or supernatural conversion experience (I've heard of them).

As a new Christian lives their life and learns of God, they are slowly conformed. At first, they will still sin occasionally, they still stumble, sometimes they will still use their vulgar language, sometimes they will still allow anger to boil in their mind. And of course, God will use whatever methods He requires to teach the errant child the wrongs of their ways to correct them.

As for the OP, well, I'm somewhat of a "new" Christian myself. I do not know exactly when I was Saved (I've said things like the Sinner's Prayer and similar prayers for years and I've always wanted Christ), but I just started following Christianity (actually trying to stay away from sin, and actually understanding how Salvation works, and what the Bible really says, and actually reading the Bible itself) about 3 months ago.

I still have intrusive thoughts, sometimes I'll get random violent, angry, or sexual thoughts pop in my head out of nowhere.

I try not to dwell on them; I say a quick "LORD, I'm sorry... please forgive me, and help me keep these thoughts out of my head..."

It usually works, the thoughts go away for awhile until later and this repeats itself. Slowly, bit by bit, I'm having less of these thoughts as He cleanses me over time. I still find myself getting angry at circumstances, though I catch myself and go "No, no, NO." when I find myself being tempted of getting angry at people, though. People can do bad stuff, and if I must get angry, I try my hardest to direct my anger at the things that were done, not the people who did them, as He said to love everybody, including our enemies, and especially our enemies.

Anyways, all of this doesn't happen overnight like a light switch. The conversion is, the sanctification is not. It is like a homeless person who suddenly gets a job out of nowhere and is given cash enough to buy 1 change of clothes so that he can show up for work wearing something reasonable.

He's still homeless and it will take time for him to earn enough money to get him some kind of lodgings of some sort and more clothes, and regular showers/baths. He will still stink for awhile, but he at least has one change of clothes and the means to get more, later.

Or to use another analogy, if you go to the city dump and you find an abandoned dog living (or, well, dying would probably be a better word to use) in the city dump, and you rescue this dog. It is severely malnourished, it has mange, it has festering wounds on it, and probably has a lice infestation as well.

You take the dog out of the dumps and you take it to a vet who gives the dog a flea bath, and bandages up the wounds and gives it some food.

However, the dog still has mange, which will take time to heal, the wounds will take time to heal, and the dog will require lots of care and food to bring it back up to healthy status.

 

[linssue55]

I know that you don't have to act on your thoughts and that you can dismiss your thoughts but I was under the impression that you can't control what goes through your mind.

We can Absolutely control our thoughts. With the teachings of the Lord's Doctrines and the Mechanics He gives us to aid us in positive thinking which in turn helps our thoughts MUCH easier to control. But never forget, WE are ALL sinners, we will have the "old sin nature" until we die. So in the mean time, use 1 John 1:9 to get back into Fellowship "EACH AND EVERY" time we sin and LEARN Doctrine daily. Doctrine is our "Armour" against evil thinking, sins of the tongue and overt sins.

Life is not meant to be easy! This is our time of testing and growth in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. HE knows ALL our faults. LEARN HIS way of thinking and apply it!

 

[com7fy8]

Thank you for the advice. I will take it to heart.

I had some second thoughts about how we see her. There are people who can be point-blank, not meaning to be mean and nasty with us. But we can take it hard, and it can be easy to find someone to agree with us. So, be prayerfully careful about how you see her.

Like I say, when I am not pleased with a certain person, maybe because the person was frank with me, I can find someone to tell me I am right and that person is a problem or the problem

And because I don't really know her, I need to be prayerfully careful about what I think and conclude about her.

But you "may" know that she is really critical. In case she is, still there can be value to listening to what she says. There are people who have been caring and responsible, but not Christian; and so they have become very frustrated about how they have done things as well as they can and others have not.

That can be part of the "package deal" of having ability that others do not. If you are more talented and responsible, it is good for you to help others to "get it", too > to have hope instead of criticism.

And, like this, ones of us "get" that it does not help to be critical; but we need to be thankful for this, and willing to help others to learn how to be grateful. And, "of course", we can't do this unless our Father makes us able and successful. Or else, we can be self-righteously looking down our own noses . . . at those who are self-righteously critical, in which case we let their cup run over to us!!

So - - yes - - - know "it can be me" >

In my case, anyway, I have been a really messed-up person being critical. Most of all was I was not caring about other people; and so I could be very quick to criticize. And I think of how Satan was in Heaven, itself, and he was criticizing even how Heaven is, with all the loving and perfect surroundings, and still it wasn't good enough for Satan.

And can't any of us be like this? I notice how even "really good" Christians can complain against God's blessing of rain and treat it like it is pain ! ! And then in our negative cursing of God's own blessing, we can be negative and get dismal and depressed . . . because we let an evil seed be sown to ourselves, which has us committed to cursing and complaining against a blessing of God. And then, in our ability to curse what is good, we also can be messed-up in various other ways, then "wonder" how ever we could be like this.

But, Cuja, even more than this about rain, we need to be appreciative of our Jesus brothers and sisters who are quiet and humble and gentle people. Ones could consider their humility and quietness to be boring and not exciting, because we want our pleasures and adrenaline rush things to make us "feel alive" and so these pleasures and rushes keep us from feeling our deep-down mess of our selfish nature. So, it is very important to appreciate and seek those who are our examples of honesty and humility and peace and quiet. But we fear quiet if it still can be a place of fear and boredom and loneliness. But quiet is where we can find rest with our Father; so this is part of "why", maybe, Satan will attack our quiet.

I still have intrusive thoughts, sometimes I'll get random violent, angry, or sexual thoughts pop in my head out of nowhere.

When this happens with me, I consider wrong thoughts to be attacks of a wrong spirit. So, if I do give in to them, this means to me that I am still weak enough to give in; so I offer myself to God for correction so I am not so available to being messed-with by Satanic stuff. Satan may still be allowed to attack, but God can make my character so the devil can not effect me with such stuff. And, more and more, when certain people come to mind to trouble me or pleasure-tempt me, I can start right in with praying with care for those people. And, "often enough", when I start to think about loving and caring for the people, they might "vanish" from my memory . . . as if to say Satan did not bring them for prayer!!

It usually works, the thoughts go away for awhile until later and this repeats itself.

Satan can be allowed to come back and attack again, to test us; and we can use this for evaluating how we are becoming in our character, then keep on seeking You, Father, for Your correction > Hebrews 12:6-11.

And we have James 5:16 >

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16)

So, even though we are not perfect, God is committed to having our mutual confession and mutual healing prayer succeed to get us "healed" of whatever in us is making us able to sin and suffer emotionally, and "healed" together more with God in His love.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

2 Corinthians 10:5King James Version (KJV)
5 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;

Amen!! It is not only possible to control our thoughts, we are commanded to do so. The Spirit that dwells in us is incompatible with thoughts or imaginations which are separate from obedience to God and are self-serving, or serving devils.

God through Peter commanded us to "gird up the loins of your mind...as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation". All manner of conversation includes our thoughts and imaginations. It takes self control, discipline, to serve God because by nature (our old sin nature) we are independent, proud, rebellious critters who don't like being told what to do, even when it is God telling us for our own good. The new nature which is Jesus Christ living in you, by whom we are new creations born of His Spirit, cannot be independent of God in thoughts or imaginations. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, and when we are filled with the Spirit we will cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exults itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought into obedience of Christ. If we are not doing this, we have a sin problem and we need to get it cleaned out so it will stop hindering us from walking in fellowship of Christ's sufferings.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

She said that she knew because she was a waitress and she did everything. This lady is very critical. I was so mad at her I thought I would blow up and scream obscenities at her. I was going to confront her just to get it off my chest but someone advised me to just talk to her about work and nothing else, which I think is what I will try to do.

One of the reasons I ask this question is because for the last 12 years or so I believed that we don't have control of our thoughts. That bad thoughts come from the devil and good thoughts come from God and I really haven't questioned it until this week. I've told many people this, and I assumed that if they didn't believe it that it's because God hasn't revealed it to them. But this week I decided maybe I should look further into this because maybe I'm wrong.

About 12 years ago when I decided to give God a try again, I spent about a whole week fighting with my thoughts. Very evil thoughts were entering my mind and I kept trying to get them to stop. Each bad thought I'd think was met with a verse from the Bible to contradict each bad thought. It wore me out trying to fight these thoughts, they were endless. Then all of a sudden it dawned on me that bad thoughts are from demons and good thoughts from God.

This gets into my relationships too because someone will be talking to me and all of a sudden a critical thought about the person enters my mind and I try to forget about it and then I keep thinking about not thinking about it and I'm trying to not let the person that's talking to me realize that I'm not paying attention to what they are saying and it throws the whole conversation off. It seems like it's gotten better lately but it still happens all of a sudden.

If it's possible to control your thoughts, I'd definitely by up for trying it, but everything I've tried has failed.

Be filled with the Spirit? How? to start with, ask God to fill you with His Spirit. Jesus said a father knows how to give good things to their children, and much more your heavenly father will give His Holy Spirit to those who ask. Believe God, obey Him, do what He asks you to do and you can expect Him to fulfill His promises. Remember also He promised that if we love Him, the world will hate us the same as they hated and crucified Him. To take up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow Him we must be in fellowship with His sufferings, and share in His desire for unbelievers to be converted from eternal death in Hell to eternal life in heaven. Jesus is the only way, and if we are not fully determined to serve Him, love Him with all our hearts, soul, and minds we will struggle with our faith as we wrestle with our flesh and out thoughts and imaginations will haunt us as they go independent of or against God.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

those evil thoughts have demonic origins, it's strongholds devils have in your thinking patters from sin which ingrained itself somehow in your error....it happens to all of us one way or another.....its spiritual wickedness in high places.....you need to confess your faults in the matter and seek help from a godly man.

If you have had any kind of occult involvement, any kind of desiring supernatural powers or asking for supernatural signs, Ouiji board or occult games like séances....tarot cards, Dungeons and Dragon, watching ghost hunter shows on tv and thinking those spirits are anything other than demonic.....those kind of things, when engaged in willfully, give evil spirits legal rights in your life and they will cause you to have evil thoughts.....extremely evil sometimes, and you will say "how can I even think like that". Sometimes you will find yourself as you said, unable to listen to people because of something like an unholy critical thought toward a person.
It's a spiritual battle you are in, and you have to take control with your mind and ask God to show you anything that is hindering His desire for you to be fruitful as a branch He grated into His holy vine family.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

The more you serve God and seek to be filled with His Holy Spirit, the more the demonic sources of your evil thoughts will expose themselves. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. It may take time for you to get victory over your thoughts and imaginations, but don't give up.....God can only chastise you if you are not willfully trying to obey Him. If you are obeying Him, He can show you things and lead you. He wants you to be fruitful, He wants you to know the power of His resurrection and ever increasing abundant life...and I'm not talking about material things or physical health. Knowing Him, who is our life, who is eternal life, serving Him....the abundant life He promises is for those who trust and obey Him. "I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God"

I always quote only the King James Bible and no other book which pretends to be a Bible. I usually quote from memory and may miss a word or two or get the punctuation wrong.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

She said that she knew because she was a waitress and she did everything. This lady is very critical. I was so mad at her I thought I would blow up and scream obscenities at her. I was going to confront her just to get it off my chest but someone advised me to just talk to her about work and nothing else, which I think is what I will try to do.

One of the reasons I ask this question is because for the last 12 years or so I believed that we don't have control of our thoughts. That bad thoughts come from the devil and good thoughts come from God and I really haven't questioned it until this week. I've told many people this, and I assumed that if they didn't believe it that it's because God hasn't revealed it to them. But this week I decided maybe I should look further into this because maybe I'm wrong.

About 12 years ago when I decided to give God a try again, I spent about a whole week fighting with my thoughts. Very evil thoughts were entering my mind and I kept trying to get them to stop. Each bad thought I'd think was met with a verse from the Bible to contradict each bad thought. It wore me out trying to fight these thoughts, they were endless. Then all of a sudden it dawned on me that bad thoughts are from demons and good thoughts from God.

This gets into my relationships too because someone will be talking to me and all of a sudden a critical thought about the person enters my mind and I try to forget about it and then I keep thinking about not thinking about it and I'm trying to not let the person that's talking to me realize that I'm not paying attention to what they are saying and it throws the whole conversation off. It seems like it's gotten better lately but it still happens all of a sudden.

If it's possible to control your thoughts, I'd definitely by up for trying it, but everything I've tried has failed.

It will help If you discipline yourself to read your Bible every day, and have a time of prayer afterwards and often throughout the day, and try to obey God in "pray without ceasing" You might as well be honest with Him about your evil thoughts and tell Him how wicked they are and say sorry to Him for allowing them in your mind and ask Him to help you see why they keep coming back or new ones keep popping in. God will give you control by His Spirit always in keeping with His word, but He cannot if you will not be honest and open and honest with Him. You can tell Him everything you have thought and felt throughout your life and get it in the open with Him...you might as well do it now because in the judgment, every idle word spoken in secret will be shouted from the housetops for everybody to hear. Confess it all and get it cleaned out now, and God will replace the things you wrestle with in thoughts or imaginations.

 

[SaintJoeNow]

I went through so much of this and God is giving me victory. Faith is the victory which overcomes the world. Every man who has His hope in him purifies himself because Christ is pure. My heart goes out to you because I have been through the same kind of problems and I know God gives victory if we will trust and obey Him. Be a believing believer, believe His promises and order your life in obedience to His word. If you really want to have victory, God will give it but you will have to deny yourself and take up your cross to follow Jesus.....and He promises we will suffer persecution when we do, and we will know Him and the fellowship of His suffrerings and the power of His resurrection, being made conformable to his death, if by any means we might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Believe God that it's worth it because of His promises. Time is very short and soon we will see His promises openly displayed and given to us because He is good and He delights to show Himself as such. It's worth it to follow Him no matter what it costs us, to walk in confidence of His promise, enduring the suffering as He did for the joy which is set before us.

 

[cuja1]

I will pray this thank you

 

[cuja1]

I had some second thoughts about how we see her. There are people who can be point-blank, not meaning to be mean and nasty with us. But we can take it hard, and it can be easy to find someone to agree with us. So, be prayerfully careful about how you see her.

Like I say, when I am not pleased with a certain person, maybe because the person was frank with me, I can find someone to tell me I am right and that person is a problem or the problem

And because I don't really know her, I need to be prayerfully careful about what I think and conclude about her.

But you "may" know that she is really critical. In case she is, still there can be value to listening to what she says. There are people who have been caring and responsible, but not Christian; and so they have become very frustrated about how they have done things as well as they can and others have not.

That can be part of the "package deal" of having ability that others do not. If you are more talented and responsible, it is good for you to help others to "get it", too > to have hope instead of criticism.

And, like this, ones of us "get" that it does not help to be critical; but we need to be thankful for this, and willing to help others to learn how to be grateful. And, "of course", we can't do this unless our Father makes us able and successful. Or else, we can be self-righteously looking down our own noses . . . at those who are self-righteously critical, in which case we let their cup run over to us!!

So - - yes - - - know "it can be me" >

In my case, anyway, I have been a really messed-up person being critical. Most of all was I was not caring about other people; and so I could be very quick to criticize. And I think of how Satan was in Heaven, itself, and he was criticizing even how Heaven is, with all the loving and perfect surroundings, and still it wasn't good enough for Satan.

And can't any of us be like this? I notice how even "really good" Christians can complain against God's blessing of rain and treat it like it is pain ! ! And then in our negative cursing of God's own blessing, we can be negative and get dismal and depressed . . . because we let an evil seed be sown to ourselves, which has us committed to cursing and complaining against a blessing of God. And then, in our ability to curse what is good, we also can be messed-up in various other ways, then "wonder" how ever we could be like this.

But, Cuja, even more than this about rain, we need to be appreciative of our Jesus brothers and sisters who are quiet and humble and gentle people. Ones could consider their humility and quietness to be boring and not exciting, because we want our pleasures and adrenaline rush things to make us "feel alive" and so these pleasures and rushes keep us from feeling our deep-down mess of our selfish nature. So, it is very important to appreciate and seek those who are our examples of honesty and humility and peace and quiet. But we fear quiet if it still can be a place of fear and boredom and loneliness. But quiet is where we can find rest with our Father; so this is part of "why", maybe, Satan will attack our quiet.

When this happens with me, I consider wrong thoughts to be attacks of a wrong spirit. So, if I do give in to them, this means to me that I am still weak enough to give in; so I offer myself to God for correction so I am not so available to being messed-with by Satanic stuff. Satan may still be allowed to attack, but God can make my character so the devil can not effect me with such stuff. And, more and more, when certain people come to mind to trouble me or pleasure-tempt me, I can start right in with praying with care for those people. And, "often enough", when I start to think about loving and caring for the people, they might "vanish" from my memory . . . as if to say Satan did not bring them for prayer!!
Satan can be allowed to come back and attack again, to test us; and we can use this for evaluating how we are becoming in our character, then keep on seeking You, Father, for Your correction > Hebrews 12:6-11.

And we have James 5:16 >

"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16)

So, even though we are not perfect, God is committed to having our mutual confession and mutual healing prayer succeed to get us "healed" of whatever in us is making us able to sin and suffer emotionally, and "healed" together more with God in His love.

I was really just trying to use that situation as an example of how I can't seem to control my thoughts. I would prefer just not to think about it, but instead I keep hearing thoughts of calling her mean names. But I'm glad to have discussed it with you because it helps me work through the situation a little.

 

[cuja1]

I want to press this question a little further. The verse that I have seen quoted to prove that we can control our thoughts is "take every thought captive". But what does that actually mean? If you take a prisoner captive, the prisoner actually has to exist to take him captive. If we apply that to thoughts, the thought actually has to exist to be able to take it captive.

From what most people have told me, it sounds like they are saying that it is possible, and actually commanded that we never even allow an evil thought to enter our minds. I don't think that the verse "take every thought captive" proves this. I haven't seen any verses that say we are capable of keeping all evil thoughts out of our heads.

I think we can stop the thought from taking hold. We can "change the current" of our thoughts. In other words, if an evil thought enters our head we can say that it is wrong instead of continuing to dwell on it, but we can't keep the evil thought from entering. The Bible says the devil tempts us. If not through our thoughts then how?

Someone once told me "you can't keep the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair" by birds he meant evil thoughts.

 

[joshuanazar]

The more you serve God and seek to be filled with His Holy Spirit, the more the demonic sources of your evil thoughts will expose themselves. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. It may take time for you to get victory over your thoughts and imaginations, but don't give up.....God can only chastise you if you are not willfully trying to obey Him. If you are obeying Him, He can show you things and lead you. He wants you to be fruitful, He wants you to know the power of His resurrection and ever increasing abundant life...and I'm not talking about material things or physical health. Knowing Him, who is our life, who is eternal life, serving Him....the abundant life He promises is for those who trust and obey Him. "I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God"

I always quote only the King James Bible and no other book which pretends to be a Bible. I usually quote from memory and may miss a word or two or get the punctuation wrong.

You have wrote a lot and I would have loved to be able to read it all, however I have a short attention span. But I did see where you were talking about the King James Bible and I want to ask, if you really believe that the KJV is the only bible that is the Word of God?

 

[com7fy8]

I want to press this question a little further. The verse that I have seen quoted to prove that we can control our thoughts is "take every thought captive". But what does that actually mean?

Ok, let me look in my Bible and see what it says >

"bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (in 2 Corinthians 10:5).

So, there is more than your quote has given. There also is "to the obedience of Christ."

I have understood that this means that with God we get to where we have all our own thinking in obedience to Jesus.

What comes from Satan, of course, is not obedient, nor can be; however, we just resist him and make him and his stinking thinking flee >

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

If you take a prisoner captive, the prisoner actually has to exist to take him captive. If we apply that to thoughts, the thought actually has to exist to be able to take it captive.

Like I said, I consider that Paul does not mean to capture evil thoughts, but he means for our own thinking to become captivated with Jesus in our love for Him, and how we with Him care for any and all people, having hope for any person, at all, and all that is possible with God. So, then, our thinking becomes captivated with God's love purpose for Himself and all people >

how He desires to have many children who are like Jesus (Romans 8:29, Galatians 4:19, 1 John 4:17) >

children who are fragrantly pleasing to Him (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) >

sweetly pleasing to Him like His own Son Jesus is (Ephesians 5:1-2).

But a lot of people, even in their prayer, are elsewhere in their "cares of this world" (Mark 4:19). So, Satan does not only attack with his thoughts, but he can degrade a person, spiritually and emotionally, by getting the person to care in worldly ways, in lust, greed, discontent, frustration, bitterness, and unforgiveness . . . and ambition and stress. But Jesus gives us "rest for your souls." (in Matthew 11:28-30) Jesus does not drive us and waste us.

But - - in the case of Satan's thoughts . . . we do not really capture those thoughts, but we resist Satan so he flees, and then so also his thoughts go with him.

And, "of course", it is God who has Satan fleeing . . . after we first submit to our Father, including for correction (Hebrews 12:6-11), and then obey how He rules us in His peace.

It is written,

"For our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29)

So, then . . . He can burn Satan from us.

From what most people have told me, it sounds like they are saying that it is possible, and actually commanded that we never even allow an evil thought to enter our minds.

I would say that Satan is allowed to test us. He was allowed to talk to Jesus; Jesus heard what Satan said; but Jesus did not go along with what Satan said > > Matthew 4:1-11.

And it is important that we do not give in to how Satan's spirit would effect us. With his thoughts can come lust, unforgiveness, bitterness, frustration, boredom and loneliness, depression, fear and worries, doubts, and nasty angry reacting, and stress.

And with these things come "torment" of various sorts . . . "torment" about various things we may fear. So, we need to be strong in His love so we can not be effected by negative and nasty and naughty things, and so we do not suffer in personality torments which are somehow connected with fears and worries >

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

So, taking thoughts "captive" includes how we grow and mature in God's love with His power almighty to cast out fear and keep us from being effected by wrong thoughts, and to burn Satan from us

I think we can stop the thought from taking hold. We can "change the current" of our thoughts. In other words, if an evil thought enters our head we can say that it is wrong instead of continuing to dwell on it, but we can't keep the evil thought from entering. The Bible says the devil tempts us. If not through our thoughts then how?

Paul does say there is "the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (in Ephesians 2:2).

The evil spirit of Satan "works" very hard, I consider. There are dominating emotions and passions witch drive us the wrong way. They do not only "suggest", but drive drunkenly, until there is a crash. Therefore, Peter says,

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

He does not just "talk" to people, in the form of thoughts, but he devours people > he eats people alive, by means of unforgiveness, fear and worry, nasty angry reacting and arguing, complaining, frustration, depression, self-righteous judging, self-condemnation, bitterness, ambition and stress and discouragement.

There is nasty and angry raging reacting to not getting the treasure pleasures we want. These all work hard; they do not say "excuse me". So, I would say there are thoughts, yes, but also things which may not start with thoughts.

Someone once told me "you can't keep the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair" by birds he meant evil thoughts.

And be at home with our Father in His peace ruling us. We need to first submit to Him; but submitting to God does not mean only that He will make Satanic stuff go away, but also it is required of us how we stay with Him and obey how He rules us in this peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

By staying in His ruling, all the time, we abide and rest in how He guides us, yes, and in the almighty power of this peace to keep us >

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)