Every Thought by W.

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 15, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 40.

"Every Thought"

By W.

How to Win in the Greatest Conflict

ONE of the great discouragements which meet the Christian is the lack of ability to control his thoughts. They are ever turning aside to bye and forbidden things. Incidents of the old life of sin will intrude themselves with startling vividness, arousing all the old emotions experienced at that time. A word, a thought, a person, a picture, or an act, recalls things seemingly and gladly forgotten, and they stand out anew with all their old-time wicked insinuations and associations. If dwelt upon, if parleyed with, the mortal flesh responds, and sin is committed in thought, if not in deed, and the soul is ready to sink in discouragement. There is longing for perfect victory, but the experience often marks utter defeat.

How obtain the pure mind? These souls know that the Bible says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." The Revised Version puts it, "Have this mind in you;" but how to have it is the question. If we could seize these marauders as physical things, we would cast them forth, and then close the doors of the mind, that they could not gain entrance; but this we can not do. If these deadly foes were men, we could war against them; but they are not. They are thoughts, suggestions, temptations, dreams, sometimes so vague, so shadowy, so subtle, as to be indefinable, so interwoven with our being and experience as to seem to come to us of our volition or choice. How banish them from heart and mind?

Surely the Lord has not asked of us impossibilities. He does not tantalize His children by setting before them impossibilities. He does not lead them to hope for blessed attainments in character which can never be reached. All that He requires is possible through Him. In Christ all things are possible. Here are some scriptures which may help some poor souls:

"For tho 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 mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds); casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:3-5.

"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:29.

"The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way." Ps. 25:9.

"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, . . . having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints." Eph. 6:11-18.

"Thy Word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Ps. 119:11.

Any one of these is sufficient, if faithfully studied, to show the way; but we give several, that what may not help one may help the other. Read them all, over and over again. Believe them to be, as they are, living and mighty to build you up. Note the one thought in them all of the Word of God, either stated or implied. You desire the mind that was in Christ? — Well, that was the mind of God; and God has expressed His mind to us in His written Word and His works. But His works have been greatly marred, and we can read them aright only as we read them through His written Word. Let us study the scriptures above.

1. The first — 2 Cor. 10:3-5 — clearly shows that the evil strongholds, evil imaginations and evil thoughts, are opposed to the knowledge of God. They are all used of Satan to keep us from that knowledge which to us is eternal life. John 17:3. What is the lesson, then? — We must oppose all these by the power of the knowledge of God. Where is this knowledge revealed? — In His Word. Guard every avenue of the heart by sentinels of His Word.

2. Learn of Christ. He came to this earth, the Son of God, the Son of Man, to meet what we must meet, to live as He desires us to live. When Satan came with all his hellish, crafty, insinuating, subtle temptations, how did our Lord meet him, and meet him victoriously? — By the use of the Word. In every case His calm reply was, "It is written." Matt. 4:1-10. The meek will be taught of God; only the meek can be.

3. There is but one weapon to be wielded by the Christian warrior, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. The breastplate, the shield, the helmet, are for protection. The girdle binds his panoply about him in a glorious band of strength and beauty. The greaves of peace express the purpose of his goings. The only weapon for offense and defense is the sword of the Spirit. The field is the mind, the heart, the soul, the flesh of him who is fighting life's battle. The foes are the wicked thoughts, principles, passions, and impulses, pressed home by the evil one. We may not prevent the enemy's using them; we may not prevent his temptations; but we may slay them from within, and guard the citadel lest they enter. We must

likewise pray, earnestly, faithfully, constantly. Mark, also, that our warfare is not against our brethren. Our duty is to pray for them, and that earnestly. "The Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends." Job 42:10.

4. Lay up God's Word in the heart. Fill the heart with the expressions of God's mind. The basket that is full of chips will hold no apples. The basket filled with apples will hold no chips. The measure filled with wheat has no room for chaff. The heart filled with the thoughts of God, with the Word of the living God, has no room for the foolish, vain, corrupting thoughts of sin. "Concerning the works of men," says the psalmist, "by the Word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." Ps. 17:4.

Thus Jesus lived among men. His language was, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." The clamors of sin, the discord, the strife, the siren voice of temptation, were heard on every side; but He was as if He heard them not. The seductive temptations of the flesh, the flaunting wiles of the enchantress, were all about Him; but He was as if He saw them not. Well did the Lord through the prophet say: "Who is blind, but My Servant? or deaf, as My Messenger that I send? who is blind as He that is at peace with Me, and blind as Jehovah's Servant? Thou seest many things, but Thou observest not; His ears are open, but He heareth not." Isa. 42:19, 20. And yet toward God His eyes and ears were ever attent. He declares: "The Lord Jehovah hath given Me the tongue of them that are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth Mine ear to hear as they that are taught. The Lord Jehovah hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward." Isa. 50:4, 5.

Trust Him. Follow Christ Jesus. Fill the mind, the heart, the flesh, with the Word of God, and let the life be a life of earnest prayer, keeping ever open the channel of almighty life, and love, and power. Thus shall you win the greatest of all conflicts.