II Corinthians 10:4,5
4: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5: casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
We are surrounded by sources that constantly inject worldly ideas into our minds. These worldly themes and opinions are so popular that if we let those thoughts take root in our minds, they can easily influence the decisions we make day in and day out. If we keenly observe the various messages that we are bombarded with every single day, it's clear that although they don't seem ungodly at first, they are in direct contradiction to God's Word.
"Follow your heart" they say, but the Bible says "The heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9); lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)". "Plan for the future" they say, but the Bible says "Do not worry about tomorrow, sufficient for today is it's own troubles". "My life, my rules" might seem like a cool motto, but we know that "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." The worldly philosopher might conclude that "Happiness is the chief end of man", but God's Word reminds us that "Holiness, is God's will for man" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The fashion world emphasizes that your beauty is what you look like on the outside, but God's Word says, "the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, is very precious in the sight of God" (I Peter 3:4). The opportunist says, "Go for it now, for the future is promised to no one", but the Psalmist says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him".
Our mind is not a playground for various thoughts to dwell and have their way; it's a battleground where there's a constant battle between these conflicting ideas (worldly and Godly) forcing us to choose one over the other, as we cannot serve two masters.
How do we overcome this battle? How do we choose to live according to God's Word? It may not be easy for us to discern the worldly thoughts, because they often seem very close to "good" thoughts, but when we open up to the Holy Spirit, humbly imploring Him to search our hearts and reveal our anxious thoughts, He will help us with the discernment and lead us in the way everlasting (Psalms 139:23,24). Once the Spirit enlightens us with the Truth of God's Word, there's another enemy that's waiting to pull us down - fear. What if the world does not accept what I believe according to God's Word? What if I look like a lunatic when I apply God's wisdom in my decision making process? What if I wait on God and His unwavering promises and miss out on the pleasures of this life? Someone said, "When fear knocks at the door, send Faith to answer". I John 5:4 says, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith". When doubts and fears arise, let the Holy Spirit strengthen our Faith, to trust in God's Word, which is the ultimate Truth and Wisdom, to surrender our lives to Him who knows the beginning from the end. Amen.
4: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5: casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
We are surrounded by sources that constantly inject worldly ideas into our minds. These worldly themes and opinions are so popular that if we let those thoughts take root in our minds, they can easily influence the decisions we make day in and day out. If we keenly observe the various messages that we are bombarded with every single day, it's clear that although they don't seem ungodly at first, they are in direct contradiction to God's Word.
"Follow your heart" they say, but the Bible says "The heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9); lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)". "Plan for the future" they say, but the Bible says "Do not worry about tomorrow, sufficient for today is it's own troubles". "My life, my rules" might seem like a cool motto, but we know that "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." The worldly philosopher might conclude that "Happiness is the chief end of man", but God's Word reminds us that "Holiness, is God's will for man" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The fashion world emphasizes that your beauty is what you look like on the outside, but God's Word says, "the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, is very precious in the sight of God" (I Peter 3:4). The opportunist says, "Go for it now, for the future is promised to no one", but the Psalmist says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him".
Our mind is not a playground for various thoughts to dwell and have their way; it's a battleground where there's a constant battle between these conflicting ideas (worldly and Godly) forcing us to choose one over the other, as we cannot serve two masters.
How do we overcome this battle? How do we choose to live according to God's Word? It may not be easy for us to discern the worldly thoughts, because they often seem very close to "good" thoughts, but when we open up to the Holy Spirit, humbly imploring Him to search our hearts and reveal our anxious thoughts, He will help us with the discernment and lead us in the way everlasting (Psalms 139:23,24). Once the Spirit enlightens us with the Truth of God's Word, there's another enemy that's waiting to pull us down - fear. What if the world does not accept what I believe according to God's Word? What if I look like a lunatic when I apply God's wisdom in my decision making process? What if I wait on God and His unwavering promises and miss out on the pleasures of this life? Someone said, "When fear knocks at the door, send Faith to answer". I John 5:4 says, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith". When doubts and fears arise, let the Holy Spirit strengthen our Faith, to trust in God's Word, which is the ultimate Truth and Wisdom, to surrender our lives to Him who knows the beginning from the end. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment