This afternoon I walked past the poinsettia I planted in a pot about a year ago and it was surrounded by weeds. I quickly pulled them out of the soil and got rid of them. I haven’t really had time for gardening lately so I can expect to see weeds. I would love to have a garden which is weed free with a manicured lawn and beautiful flowers all in the right places. But to have that I would need to spend way more time in the garden. For now I have to make peace with the weeds.
When you don’t pay attention to your mind you allow weeds to come up in your life all the time. Your mind becomes fertile soil for everything that enters it. When you just let all kinds of thoughts wander randomly in and out of your mind, you are headed for trouble. You need to pay attention to the thoughts which come into your mind. You must put on the helmet of salvation in order to protect your mind against the plans of the enemy. It is interesting that Ephesians 6:17 says, “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” The helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit are mentioned in the same sentence. Therefore we are supposed to protect our minds from the thoughts that the enemy plants there while filling it with thoughts from the Word of God, or even, by filling it with thoughts from the Word of God. If Eve’s thoughts had been full of what God had been telling her, she might not have fallen for the serpent’s tricks so willingly. He planted a seed of doubt in her mind and it caused all the problems we have now.
Acts 17:10 -11 – “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into a Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the Word with all eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” It’s so easy to believe what people say when they speak with authority. Do you always follow in your Bible when a preacher quotes bible verses? Or do you know the Bible well enough to know when someone is mis-quoting something? Maybe you just assume that he or she will have integrity. I think you should be checking.
Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
This is about people who claim to be teachers of the word but are misleading people; what about when the devil and his minions come and put thoughts into your head?
1 John 4:1-3 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” To simplify this I like to think that if I have a thought and it doesn’t line up with the bible then it’s not a thought worth having. The Holy Spirit is not going to tell you to do something like rob a bank or cheat on your taxes. The Holy Spirit isn’t going to give you thoughts of hopelessness or despair. If you’re feeling that life isn’t worth living because of the circumstances you’re in or because of the illness you have, then you can know with firm conviction that those thoughts come from the enemy.
Isaiah 41:10 “fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Nehemiah 8:10 “And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Exodus 33:14 “And He said, “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.”
These are the kind of thoughts God is giving you in the scriptures. These are the kind of thoughts the Holy Spirit is urging you to listen to. Negative and destructive thoughts do not come from God. Resist them!
1 John 4:4 “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Don’t give the devil any space in your head or in your mind and definitely not in your heart. Don’t harbour any thoughts or ideas that are not confirmed by Scripture. They are like the weeds that grow in the garden when you’re not taking care of it.
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