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Negative thoughts. Are they sinful?
Hello my fellow Christian friends!!!
I have a question,if have negative thoughts about someone,something, or even about myself, is that a sin? As long as I dont act upon them??
I have a question,if have negative thoughts about someone,something, or even about myself, is that a sin? As long as I dont act upon them??
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on
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Veronica, you are 100% right - this is one of the greatest truths toward growing in Christ and gaining victory over the mind of the flesh.
We must realize that victory by acknowledging the power of God's word to pull down strongholds - those fortresses that satan puts in our thoughts.
First we have to realize they are strongholds! We cannot defeat them in our own power: but God's word is powerful enough to defeat the works of the enemy. But, also we have to realize that God intends to rebuild and replace those strongholds with truth.
The things that the enemy intended for evil, God will use for good. The things that the enemy tried to weaken us with will become the areas that God makes us strongest - when we submit to God's word.
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Permalink Reply by paul pipkin on
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Paige,
Carla and Bob are correct. Always rely on the truth. For Jesus said, " If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" {John 8:32}. ''If'" , we abide in His word, is meaning a choice to do something, and that is to follow His word. We are sealed with His Spirit when we except Him as Lord and Savior of our life. His Spirit is the earnest money, the engagment ring which claims us for His very own. Just as He was tempted, so must we be tempted. We are to reflect upon the very word of God, because "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for our reproof, our correction, and our instruction in righteousness"{II Timothy 3:16}. "Our reproof" meaning to make something pure, that is the act on His sancification, which is to make holy. We can only be made holy if we are first put through things, trial and temptations, to make us pure. For it is by this means that the goldsmith purifies the metal by fire, so in the same since our trials and temptations are a sort of fire to refine us. Jesus was sent to bring Gods word to us, to show us how and what to do. By His example, we are to live our lives. We are of the flesh and as such, we will continue in the flesh, but our power comes from His Spirit within us to over come our temptations. The word was given to us for our teaching(doctrine), reproof(refining) correction(to make right from wrong) and instuction into righteousness (that is to do what is right). We read and study and learn of His word and it is our rod and our staff, it is our sword. When we think of bad things, which I do constantly, we need to reflect upon His word. To reflect is to remember, or to meditate upon. Yet, I must admit, If one does not read or study the word of God, then one can not reflect or meditate upon it. Therefore, you leave yourself exsposed and with out protection. Listen to your heart. God will speak to you. Think of scipture, sing a song you like, remember, reflect about all the good that God has done for you, and just as James tells us "and the devil will flee from you"
I hope this helps. I do understand how you feel. I to think that there is something wrong with me, because I think so negitively, so many times, yet we live by faith and know that "greater is He that is in you, then he that is in the world"
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Permalink Reply by Amenamen on
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We Are ALL, Sinners by thought, word and deed...
Isa 64:6
But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Philipp 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Luke 18:19
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none [is] good, save one, [that is], God.
Tis Mercy ALL, We are SavED... by GRACE
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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This devotion came in my inbox today from proverbs 31 ministries... It suits the discussion here and I hope that it blesses all who read it.
In Him, Carla
18 Dec 2009
Lynn Cowell
"When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate." Ezekiel 46:9 (NIV)
As soon as my eyes opened I knew it was going to be one of "those" days. You know the type. The saying, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy" was created for days like this. I was sad, disappointed, frustrated and empty. I couldn't put my finger on why I felt this ball of emotions; I just knew I had to get out before everyone woke up and my feelings steered our day in the wrong direction.
I put on my tennis shoes, grabbed my keys and started out the front door. Though unsure of where I was going to run, I was certain of the length: far! Far enough for me to come back a different person. What I needed was to get alone with Jesus and have Him fill me and exchange my negative emotions with His peace, truth and life.
As I started my run, old thoughts poured into my head. You are not beautiful. You are not special. Your life doesn't count. After years of reading the Truth, studying the Truth and even teaching the Truth, it was hard to believe I still struggled with these dark thoughts. I guess I shouldn't have expected the enemy to lie down and give up. He knows my weaknesses and all my buttons to push.
As lies poured in, I retrieved scriptures stored in my mind and heart. He sees me as beautiful. He says He is wild about me. He is more than enough for me. He is all I need.
Mulling over these precious chunks of God's Word, tears began to pour. This is what I needed. I didn't need more words of affirmation from my husband. I didn't need another pat on the back from a friend. I needed a new outpouring of love from my Love. I needed to be reminded of who He says I am, to give up the old lies and replace them with His Truths.
When we come into His presence, He fills us. The Lord changes us so that we are not the same as we were when we came to Him. Ezekiel 46:9 represents this exchange of old for new. The people of Israel were told when they came into the temple area to worship, they were to enter through one gate and exit through the opposite gate. So the same should be true with us; we are "not to go back as we came, but more holy, and heavenly, and spiritual" (Matthew Henry). As we enter into our special times with God, we need to come out the "opposite gate," different than the way we went in.
After an hour of running, crying and praying to God, I returned home a different woman. Now, I was ready. Ready to be the w ife and mom I needed to be. Ready to be God's vessel to pour out. Being in the Lord's presence restored me. I had been filled and changed.
Dear Lord, I need You today. Living this life sometimes drains me and leaves me empty. As I come through Your gates and into Your presence, change me. Pour Your life and heart into me so that as I leave through the "opposite gate," I am not the same woman as when I came in. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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Carla, I really like this devotional. Before I read it, I contemplated to understand the meaning of the passage in Ezekiel. I think the author nailed it. We aren't to return as we came - we are to take new paths, set new courses and tread new paths.
That's a very insightful piece. I'm going to consider that one carefully.
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Good question sis.
Desires can be sin if contemplated, but generally they are equivalent to temptations, which are not sin until we indulge in them in a tangible way or by thought. An evil thought may come into the mind as a firry dart and it all depends if we contemplate that evil thought or not for it to become sin, which undoubtedly will eventually birth an evil action.
You can pick up on the trend by now and realized that a thought in its self is not sin, meditating in it and acting upon it makes it sin. God wants us to learn to fend for ourselves by allowing Him to work through us. We must learn to choose to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.
1 Cor. 10:4-6 4 the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 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. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
Do we need to confess temptations and desires - if our conscience is telling us to do so, we should, but we should mature enough to understand the difference between sin and our struggle between flesh, world, Satan and the Spirit and the internal turmoil that can create for us. Among condemnation we can lose our joy because we allow the accuser to fill us with insecurities and doubts.
1. Sin= the sinful desire of the body and the mind, i.e. "flesh"
2. sins= wilfull decisions made to disobey God's known will, i.e. "transgression"
For me romans 13:14 illustrates the two aspects of sin according to the biblical definition, which i believe kevin makes clear above.
rom 13:14b "...make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires". "Flesh" would be the evil "desires of the body and mind"(eph 2:3). "Transgression" would be "making provision for", or "carrying out the desires"(eph 2:3) of the flesh. in this sense "Sin" (flesh and its desires) leads to "sins"wilfull decisions to disobey Gods known will).
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These may help explain it.
In general: No rapist, killer, thief, selfish, lustful, arrogant and prideful individual etc... Becomes that out of the blue. A rapist and all the rest have spend months and years in accumulated time indulging in the sin before actually turning the thought into action/sin, not everything we think about will eventually birth and action as we are all aware and maybe we meditate on the sin for our entire life without ever acting upon it. However the times we indulged in the thought- is sin. When the thought becomes and action we sin again, which generally carries more serious consequences. If we learned to take the thought captive at the time of conception of the thought then we have not sin and you don’t need to confess it.
Example:
A very attractive woman passes by me and my mind (fleshly desire or a firy dart is thrown) starts lusting, at this point if i am quick to take the thought captive to the obedience of Christ, it’s my conviction that i have not sin, but exercise self control. In the other hand if I fail to take the thought captive and indulge in it – I have sin. If I continue to indulge in the lustful thoughts, sooner or later for most individuals it will birth sexual immorality in the case of lusting.
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Permalink Reply by Rosa Marie Brooks on
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I dont know how many times i have comanded my mind in the name of Jesus Christ to think only Godly, Holy thoughts; Listen my friend, What ever bad things that we are thinking of is not in any way bigger than God, and what His beloved son has done for us.I know how scarry it is to have evil thoughts, it is very tormenting; We need not give up though for he cares for us. I have been angry, and told the Lord, what I was thinking and how i felt about someone; I also told Him that i new that it was wrong to feel , and think this way; Then i asked Him to help that person, and to help me to do His Will. Examples: Going into work and seeing the person that i thought ill of and saying good morning, or hello; If we take our steps to obey God, He will take care of the heart problem, It may not happen on our time but the feeling part will catch up. Now there are things that we may think, that does not need to be said. The Lord will help us with that; I believe we need to renew our minds. PHILIPPIANS 4:8 Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, I will think on and weigh and take account of these things ( fix my mind on them). Dear Lord, i pray that you help us to study, and ponder your words; Help us with our mind,and our emotions i pray in the beloved name of Jesus Christ, Thank you Lord, Amen.
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Permalink Reply by John on
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hello
we are not responsible for first thoughts
we are responsible for what we do with them
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My son is ten and really struggling with "bad thoughts". He is praying for God to help him to stop having the thoughts and is almost always praying for God to forgive him for those thoughts. He feels guilty and is confessing to me every few minutes about one thought or another he has or is having. It really is taking a toll on us all. Any suggestions would be appreciated and trully needed.
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Permalink Reply by Stacey Osana Arquines on
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Always think positively, negative thoughts are dangerous and pray for protection.
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