• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

What to do when the enemy keeps trying to remind you of your past?

GodsChilde

Member
Sep 4, 2021
18
20
29
California
✟25,549.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
Hey bro :hug:

^^^That there - it's been the story of my life, up until a decade ago or so. All those negative thoughts/anything reminding you of the past in a negative way comes from down under. The only solution, is to verbally ask the Holy Spirit to protect your mind from this noise. Verbally declare your submission, from your heart, to Him, His love, guidance and power. Keep on doing that. Every day. Until the noise fades into nothing. That is the one thing that worked for me, and I know it will work for you. Just ask Him directly, verbally, from the heart.

Edit:
Here's a testimony on just that. Were it not for submission to the Spirit, I would have lost my job.
Thank you so much brother I'm going to be trying this from now on every time those negative thoughts pop up again
 
  • Like
Reactions: andreha
Upvote 0

andreha

Senior Contributor
Site Supporter
Feb 13, 2009
10,421
12,379
53
Gauteng
✟154,869.00
Country
South Africa
Gender
Male
Faith
Word of Faith
Marital Status
Married
Thank you so much brother I'm going to be trying this from now on every time those negative thoughts pop up again

My pleasure man. And on the topic of submission to the Spirit of God, this is what happened to me yesterday. It's a lesson that will remain with me for the rest of this life.
 
Last edited:
  • Prayers
Reactions: GodsChilde
Upvote 0

longwait

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2016
1,118
769
43
asia
✟93,478.00
Gender
Female
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
As of recent I've build up my faith for the lord like crazy ( I can't remember the last time I would even read scripture and watch sermons for hours and hours) .. But one thing I did notice is that the enemy keeps trying to remind me of my past, especially my ex gf and past friends who I no longer talk to or have outgrown.. I had forgotten about her for quite sometime now but he keeps bringing her into my thoughts throughout the day and even in some vivid dreams, and it sometimes brings a sadness to my heart. I've moved on long ago so idk why these thoughts of her are suddenly popping into my head again now that my faith is so strong in the lord. It's as if the enemy is trying to play mind games with me.. has anyone ever experienced the enemy playing tricks with you like this to distract you from praise? And how did you overcome these unwanted thoughts?

Just don't entertain or encourage these thoughts in your mind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GodsChilde
Upvote 0

Gregory Thompson

Change is inevitable, feel free to spare some.
Site Supporter
Dec 20, 2009
30,167
8,503
Canada
✟880,889.00
Country
Canada
Faith
Christian Seeker
Marital Status
Married
It's as if the enemy is trying to play mind games with me.. has anyone ever experienced the enemy playing tricks with you like this to distract you from praise? And how did you overcome these unwanted thoughts?
These thoughts are like the biblical character Esau, trying to partake in the inheritance of Jacob at first.

It's not a demon, it's sin. Confess the sins as they arise to give yourself relief.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GodsChilde
Upvote 0

Sarah G van G

Pro-peace, anti-war, anti-violence.
Site Supporter
Jun 29, 2017
911
1,146
52
Netherlands
✟158,511.00
Country
Netherlands
Gender
Female
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
As of recent I've build up my faith for the lord like crazy ( I can't remember the last time I would even read scripture and watch sermons for hours and hours) .. But one thing I did notice is that the enemy keeps trying to remind me of my past, especially my ex gf and past friends who I no longer talk to or have outgrown.. I had forgotten about her for quite sometime now but he keeps bringing her into my thoughts throughout the day and even in some vivid dreams, and it sometimes brings a sadness to my heart. I've moved on long ago so idk why these thoughts of her are suddenly popping into my head again now that my faith is so strong in the lord. It's as if the enemy is trying to play mind games with me.. has anyone ever experienced the enemy playing tricks with you like this to distract you from praise? And how did you overcome these unwanted thoughts?
If I randomly remember someone from the past I pray for them
 
  • Like
Reactions: GodsChilde
Upvote 0

GodsChilde

Member
Sep 4, 2021
18
20
29
California
✟25,549.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Private
To see what you'll do with the thoughts. This is how Satan works. God's allowing the devil to test you. To what end?

1). To show you where you're really at with God.
2.) To teach you how to do battle spiritually.



2 Corinthians 10:4-5
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,


How do you "take captive every thought to obey Christ"?

1.) By humbly submitting yourself - your desires, your feelings, your thoughts, your conduct - to God all throughout every day. (Romans 12:1; Romans 6:13-22; James 4:7, 10; 1 Peter 5:6, etc.) When God is in control of you, He will fill you with Himself and transform you, in the process freeing you from all bondage to the World, the Flesh and the devil.

2.) Love God with all of your being. This is the First and Great Commandment from which obedience to all of God's other commands is to arise. (Matthew 22:35-38) Love - a deep longing, a deep heart's desire - for God is the only motivation powerful enough to overcome our natural, sinful selfishness (to which Satan always appeals) and lead us into rich, joyful, holy fellowship with God. And it is this wonderful fellowship with God that is supposed to be the fundamental safeguard we have against the tempting wiles of the devil. Loving God deeply, we reject anything that would negatively affect our precious fellowship with Him.

This is how God has made us to work: We follow our desires. Consequently, if God is the object of our greatest desire (as He should be), we follow after Him - even when it may cost us severely to do so, even when it means we must put aside friendships, distracting entertainments or hobbies, illicit sexual gratification, that unnecessary extra piece of cake or pizza, or suffer the unjust assassination of our reputation for His sake, and so on. The Love Motive is so vital to Christian living that the apostle Paul went so far as to say that no matter what we say, or know, or do, if it doesn't all come from a motive of love for God, first of all, and then for those He loves, it is all useless. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

3.) By "piercing" the devil's lying thoughts and feelings with the Truth of God's word (Hebrews 4:12). Use the "sword of the Spirit which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) to expose false, devilish thoughts and feelings and then reject them, standing by faith upon God's truth, anchoring yourself to it.

4.) By focusing yourself upon the things of God. We are always in some measure conformed to our focus: The more a thing occupies your focus, the more it gains influencing power over you. So, "look unto Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2-3), "behold the glory of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18), think on what is "true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report" (Philippians 4:8) and you will find that as you do, by the Spirit, you are conformed to your focus and become more like Christ rather than succumbing to the lying thoughts and feelings the devil places in your mind.

wow thank you so much! I'm going to try to come back to this every single time I have those thoughts again, this was really insightful and I'm grateful that you took time out of your day to break it down to me.. thank you again and God bless!
 
Upvote 0

aiki

Regular Member
Feb 16, 2007
10,874
4,352
Winnipeg
✟251,568.00
Country
Canada
Gender
Male
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
wow thank you so much! I'm going to try to come back to this every single time I have those thoughts again, this was really insightful and I'm grateful that you took time out of your day to break it down to me.. thank you again and God bless!

You're welcome. Glad to have been of help.
 
Upvote 0