“Homily Grits Devotional”   http://www.homilygrits.com/

                          “Hold That Thought”

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

           It starts with our thoughts!  A seed of doubt, lust, envy, pride, or bitterness, begins with the thought, and takes root in our heart, and then possession of our mind and our will and we allow ourselves to be overcome and dominated by sin.

    King Saul’s jealousy and hatred of David sprang from hearing “Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten thousands!” (Samuel 18:7b).  David’s sin with Bathsheba all started when he saw her and lusted for her.

      Why do we allow ourselves to be overcome and dominated by sin, when our new birth in Christ has set us free? “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)

      The answer has something to do with our fleshly thoughts taking over our spiritual.  When we allow our free will to choose to let those thoughts take us where we should not go, we have dropped our guard and left home without the “full armor of God.”

     By the power of the Holy Spirit living within the heart of every believer, we can “just say no” to the darts of evil thoughts the evil one is constantly throwing at us.

     If Eve had just taken the thought to disobey God captive, we would not be dealing with this problem today.  When we realize that God is not going to allow any temptation without the grace to overcome, and without providing a means of escape from it, we can begin to filter every thought through the mind of Christ, and put the ones that don’t reflect Him and His glory on permanent hold.

    Father, help me to control my thoughts that the sinful ones not have their way within me.  In Jesus’ name, amen

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