Sinful Thoughts?

The Question:

I have known the Lord for some time. I have accepted Jesus as my personal savior and I pray often. Yet, I continue to sin, mostly through my thoughts, and can't seem to stop. I don't carry out my thoughts but can't seem to stop them from entering my mind. What can I do?
- Gordon from Massachusetts

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The Answer
Part 1: Just thoughts versus sin
Part 2: Keeping clean/renewing your mind

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Just thoughts versus sin (Part 1)

I want to start off by making sure you understand that the fact that bad thoughts enter your mind is not a sin. Satan flings lots of garbage into our minds hoping he can make some of it stick. He confuses us into thinking that since it is in our mind, we are the originator of it but that is not necessarily true. He originated it.

Think about a dessert cart at a restaurant. The waiter rolls it by and stops to tell you about each dessert hoping he will entice you into ordering one. The fact that the cart is in front of you does not mean you have consumed the dessert or that you will be charged for it. You can say "no thanks" and the cart will go away and you don't need to feel guilty that it stopped at your table.

Now, suppose you say; "Yes, I'll take that chocolate mousse cake" but to yourself you say; "I'll order it but won't eat it. I'll just let it sit here on my table." That puts you on shakier ground. You ARE going to be charged for it on your bill and it is going to be quite hard not to eat it. This is the example of someone holding onto temptation too long; lingering over it and considering it.

So now you need to ask yourself where you are at in this scenario. You say you don't carry out your thoughts but how long are they sitting? Have you ordered the dessert but now you're trying not to eat it? If you reject every thought which does not match up with the mind of Christ right up front, then you have not sinned just because the thought came in.

I'm going to go on the assumption that you are struggling with lingering thoughts which you are attracted to but don't want to put legs to because you know the actions would be wrong. You've got the dessert sitting on the table; you're just trying not to eat it? Let's talk tomorrow about ways to dump the dessert and then NEVER reorder it again.

Next: How do you deal a death blow to tempting thoughts?

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Keeping clean/renewing your mind (Part 2)

Romans 12:2 says; "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…" A renewed mind is less likely to struggle with ordering off the dessert cart and then squirm not to eat it. But how?

I have several suggestions. The first one is this: just who is running this show anyhow? You are not your mind but you control your mind - or should. The spirit realm is a higher authority than the physical realm and must submit to it. If you have accepted Jesus as your savior, your spirit has come alive and has the right to tell your body and your mind (your soul) what to do. Chew on that thought for awhile until you begin to feel the truth of the power you have to decide what comes in and what gets kicked out immediately.

Secondly, let's be practical about your thought life. Examine the triggers you are most usually dealing with. Are they coming from TV images, magazines, Internet? What time of day is most troubling - what circumstances? You should easily recognize a pattern and once you do you can disrupt it. For instance, when I am dieting, I do not even allow myself to go down the ice cream isle.

Here's the other thing I do when I'm dieting: I make sure when I go grocery shopping I'm full - not hungry. What that means to you is that you need to keep your mind very full of "good stuff" so there is no room for the junk Satan tries to slide in. "Whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

Can you play Praise and Worship music in the background during the day? How about falling asleep at night with it on? One of my close friends plays the Bible on CD overnight every night. That's a good way to get the Word deep down inside of you. Are you reading Christian inspirational books? What hobbies do you have that are good and wholesome and just plain fun? Do you volunteer anywhere? Fill your life with good and leave little room for temptation to fester.

You mention that you pray. Keep that up and increase it. The kind of prayer to accentuate is deep one on one conversation with the Lord. Fall more in love with God till everything else fades into the background. That's where you want that dessert cart!

 

We are all human and get tempted, so do not feel guilty. Do not feel like a failure. And most important of all, try your best to never give in. These are ways to avoid temptation.

Steps: 


1. The more you believe in Christ, the more pressure Satan will put on you to sin, and it's no coincidence. We must recognize an attack when it arrives, and Satan has many devices. He may use your past, pent-up anxieties of the future, anything to kill your feelings of worthiness and make you falter in your relationship with Christ. For the truth is, Satan wants you back. Back to living just in a material world and not living in conjunction with the Lord. And if he were to pry you back, you would not find spiritual happiness. Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 4:27, "Neither give place to the devil."

2. Avoid situations that may lead you to making a sinful act. This may mean the type of people you hang out with, or the scene. Pray silently if you cannot pray out loud. Proverbs 13:20, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

3. Turn your back on sin from the past. Don't live as if it happened, live as if it did not. Once you ask for forgiveness, God then completely forgets about it. Yes, forgets as if you never sinned in the first place! So act like Him, He's forgotten and that's all that matters, so why don't you? Otherwise, it has a hold on you (and ignore Satan's voice saying, "No he hasn't... Are you sure..."). Yes, God has forgotten your previous sins. The Word never lies. Hebrews 10:17, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

4. Remember that we need to trust God even when being tempted. Resist the devil, and he shall flee from you (James 4:7). He will be fleeing. He's afraid of us because he's afraid of Jesus and the love of God.

5. Remember what Jesus has done, that His blood is our righteousness, which means it cleanses us from all sins (1 John 1:7). "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," including our minds.

6. Get into the word! The Bible truly does have some good things to say. Try a different Bible from your usual one if you think you'll need it. And the clearer and neater the text, the more enjoyable it is to read. Try Christian novels like "The Believers Authority" as well. Not trying to move in faith makes you vulnerable to temptation. John 15:3, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

"Remember, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!" Romans 8:1

• Take a hold of the situation. Aloud, demand what you'd like to be freed from. Did you know that when Jesus died he gave us Authority over the devil (Mark 16:17)? So never cower or fear Satan. Yes, ask for assistance. But what God really wants you to do is address him yourself and aloud (James 4:7, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you". Speak words of faith. Helpful ways to do this are listed in the Tips section.

Tips:

• Addressing the temptation.
• You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. His name is extremely powerful. So when you want to get rid of any emotion, any doubt, any ailment or sickness, speak words of faith with a heart full of faith. Quote scripture, demand what you want to leave you, and use "In Jesus' Name" or "By the Blood of Christ Jesus." It need not be lengthy or anything, but you have to mean it.

How to Avoid Sin in your Life:

• Read the bible everyday
• Think stuff through
• Pray every night
• Always look to God for help
• Stay away from the wrong crowd
• Ask others for help when needed
• Combat Satan with scripture
• Keep a bible within a good distance
• Keep your mind out of the gutter
• Don’t let your mind Wander off
• Let God take control
• Always look to God for advise
• Stay in a good mood
• Stay away from what makes you mad
• Praise God and love Him
• Stay away from those who sin a lot
• Let God do the talking
• Let God do the punishing
• God will take care of those who believe
• Go to church
• Ask for help from Pastors
• Ask for help from teachers
• Ask for help from the counselor
• Ask for help from you Mom
• Ask for help from your Dad
• Ask for help from your Grandpa
• Ask for help from your Grandma
• Ask for help from your Friends
• Believe that God will provide
• Blow off a little steam
• Go for a swim
• Think about the consequences
• Always think of the best of things
• Be a glass half full
• Don’t be a glass half empty
• Let your friends hold you back
• Be consistent with your friends
• Always tell the truth
• Praise God in any way shape or form
• Ask for forgiveness for you past sins

 Warnings:

• We should be confident in God's Word. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not allow you to be tempted above that ye are able. You can overcome sin completely! What we must do is to pray. Pray for forgiveness, get back on your feet and continue your life with Jesus. When God forgives you, he completely forgets that you ever sinned. Dwelling on old sins which God has forgiven will only make Satan's influence over you stronger. Be forgiven and move on. And remember in Proverbs second chapter, it is said that the one who confesses his sin to GOD will have mercy and the one who does not will see death.

Things You'll Need:

• Scripture
• Faith
• Love