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HOW TO HAVE A GREAT THOUGHT LIFE

February 28, 2025

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations [casting down imaginations KJV] and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

1. CAST DOWN IMAGINATIONS: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS. Our thought life is decisional. The Bible exhorts us to forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead (Philippians 3:13). These scriptures tell us that we have the ability – and responsibility – to take our thoughts captive. This old saying was brought to life for me recently: “You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can prevent it from laying a nest in your hair.” I was sitting very still in a cold plunge tub in my backyard when a songbird unexpectedly landed on my head and started pecking. Before it could pull out any hair, I moved, and it flew off. I couldn’t stop the bird from flying over or landing on me, but I could stop it from pulling out my hair and making a nest on my head. The same goes for negative thoughts – they may pop into your head, but you can prevent them from taking root in your mind.
 
2. ASK GOD FOR HELP WITH YOUR THOUGHT LIFE. David prayed through the Psalms about his thought life and meditation. In Psalm 19:14, he wrote: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” As a warrior, father, husband, king, and musician, David carried many responsibilities that could have preoccupied his mind. Yet, he knew where his help came from: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3a). David’s prayers through the Psalms show us the importance of seeking God’s help to get our thoughts on the right things.

Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; as for me, I shall be glad in the Lord. Psalm 104:34

 
3. MEDITATE ON GOD’S TRUTH. God’s Word restores your soul – your mind, will, and emotions (Psalm 19:7). Not every thought that comes to you is from God. Thoughts come, but if we do not take them in and do not speak them out, they wither away. If a thought doesn’t line up with God’s Word, let’s refuse to meditate on it. We cast down imaginations that are not true, lovely, pure, honorable, praiseworthy, or excellent (Philippians 4:8) and say, “No, I’m pressing on with God. I’m going to pray about this. I’m going to trust God. I’m going to fight the good fight of faith.” “Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14), and take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

DAILY CONFESSION:

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. As for me, I WILL be glad in the Lord. I forget what lies behind, and I reach forward to what is ahead. I cast down imaginations and every thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and I take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  Whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, I will think on these things (Psalm 19:14; 104:34; Philippians 3:13; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8).

God bless You!
Pastor Jeff Perry

cap·tive, adj.
Taken and held as prisoner. Confined. Kept within bounds. Caged. Fenced in. Checked from free activity or course.

Copyright © 2025 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked “KJV” are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge, 1769. “Captive, Adj. (2).” Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, C. & G. Merriam CO., 1971, p. 334.