Dear Elim Grace,

Let’s be honest: How do I know my thoughts are controlling me?

A few weeks back we asked, “Are the things we think about controlling our thoughts?” We said, “We can think on what bothers us or angers us or offends us, BUT we don’t let those things control our thoughts. In other words, they don’t get to dictate to us that we will/must always think about them!”

So how do we know that our thoughts are controlling us? Or how can we discern something is taking our thoughts captive?

Are our thoughts or is what I’m thinking about stealing, killing, and destroying peace? Joy? Patience? Kindness? Goodness? Faithfulness? Gentleness? Self-control? These are the fruit of the Spirit. The affections and character traits of Christ. They are the result of a mind and heart led by and keeping pace with the Spirit of God.

“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) As a Christian and disciple of Jesus, your enemy seeks to annihilate you. How? In general through assimilation. Annihilation by assimilation. He seeks to assimilate or absorb your thoughts (and desires) back into ways of thinking (a mindset) previous to following Christ and/or antithetical to “the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Colossians 3:2; Philippians 4:8; see also Isaiah 55:8-9)

But the Holy Spirit is the Breath and Life of God within you. He is your advocate and comforter alongside you. He is the power and love of God written on (into) your heart, transforming your innermost thoughts and desires. He is Christ living in you now. (Galatians 2:20) Yes, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Let’s be honest: How do I know my thoughts are controlling me? Are the fruit of the Spirit in your life devoured by your thoughts (what you’re thinking about)? Or are your thoughts filled/directed by the fruit/presence/character of the Spirit of God?

Pastor Jonathan