Brother Jari,as to negative thoughts. I know of no one,who does not have them. Having them is not the problem,we all have them,it is what you do with them the matters. I have thought long on hard on this,with much prayer,that is why I have not answered this part of your question until now.
If you are in a room with a fly buzzing around you,this fly does not bother you,unless it gets in the way of you eating,if it lands on your T.V. screen, or on something you are holding or doing. At times you may wave this fly away,but after a few days of this you may grow tired of this fly, and end this annoyance by killing the fly.
How you decide to remove this problem is up to you. Since we know in Jesus that the room he has given us,is his freedom for us,he wants us to be free. The renewing of our mind takes time to learn,it takes time to understand how best in Jesus, to do this for our own self.
We have something or put up with something for as long as we choose to do this. You are a smart man,you know the Word,but this knowledge does no good for any of us unless we apply it to our situation. Some choose to leave the room,this helps for a time,the problem I have found is that by doing this,another fly or negative thought comes buzzing around us again.
Now we are in a different room, but still have the very same problem! To end this problem brother Jari,we have to kill the fly,there is no other way. Jesus gave us his Word to do just that.It requires us though to trust in his Word,in order to render this fly helpless against us! Just today in prayer I asked the Lord to do what he did to Moses on the mountain,give me his mind,I reminded Jesus that he said if you ask anything in my name I will do it! So I expect this now.
But when? Yestersday is far to late for me.I want his mind right now! I should be able to recieve this according to his Word,so why haven't I?? Before we eat some food, we must prepare it, meat must be cooked first before we consume it. I am in the kitchen,I am preparing. In everything in Christ,we must always DO something.
For Moses he had to climb a mountain,we are doing just that my brother,during this,thoughts of every nature attack us,I am sure they did Moses as well.The difference between us and results is how far we climb. Do we go all the way? Or because of bad thoughts, do we give up? 1Peter 1:6 say In this your greatly rejoice( not in fact!! we are not to joyful at the time) but rather in Faith, through our Jesus.
Even though now,(which of course means our present situation) if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,(Trials does not have to be something we physcialy are going though,they can be negative thoughts as well!Is this not a trial?Sure it is! then verse 7, the reason we do this. I cannot speak for you,nor will I, I will speak for myself in this.I need proff of my own Faith!
That is why we climb all the way to the top,we let no negitive thoughts stop us,we let no mountain stand before us.WHY?? because my brother I have to know!! As you have so often said by grace are you saved through Faith and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God lest any man should ever boast!( eph 2:8)
If we recieve this grace in Jesus freely which he has given to us,then we recieve his salvation through him,and since we do,then why would we not work hard to get to who gave this gift to us to thank him personal? That is why we climb. To offer ourselves as a living sacrifice unto our Lord.
On the way to him sure negative thoughts come,Jesus used the Word against the enemy in matt 4. true Jesus saw the devil,but are not evil thoughts the devil as well? Who tells you ,you cannot live for Jesus? Who tells you, you are to weak to make it? who tells you just forget it,and climb back off the mountain? NOT GOD!!
Since Jesus has given you his wisdom,why do you look to self to overcome this? We cannot. The Word which is and who Jesus is only can. But we have to prepare ourselves to dish it out to eat,to partake of,yes to become full of his Word. And when we are full,we have the strength to continue our climb to All Mighty God,to thank him,to offer ourselves unto him.May this help you understand,and may our Jesus continue to bless you,even as you have blessed all of us jari!! amen!
