Don't Forget This 'Accessory'--It's a Must!

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 
I Thes. 5:18 (KJV)

The other night I felt led to actually do something I've not done in a long time---and that was to draw a picture... nothing fancy---just something simple.   I was overtaken by the idea that our thoughts really have an affect on how we behave.   It's almost as if the devil has placed a "target" on the side of our head---each morning, before our feet even HIT the floor, he's got his bow and arrow aimed directly at our minds.  That's why it's just as important for US to have our hearts calling out to the Lord to protect us and  help us. . .as soon as our feet hit the floor, the enemy begins shooting those fiery darts, doesn't he?  So while we're getting dressed, physically, we really need to be putting on the whole armor of God...so that we can withstand the onslaught of our enemy's fiery darts.

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Ephesians 6:16 (KJV)

I am an auditory learner---I learn by hearing, but sometimes it really helps to visualize things... I guess that's why the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart to get out a notebook and begin to draw.  What He gave me to draw was something like the following picture.   However, at the top, I had a few arrows, pointing towards the target, and for each arrow, there was a little "balloon" that I wrote a negative thought.   So, at the red arrow, pointing towards the target, I want you to think of some negative thought that you've been battling.  Could be a feeling of worthlessness.  Could be a thought of hatred (or an unforgiving attitude) towards someone who's done you wrong. 

Allow the Holy Spirit to point out SOME NEGATIVE thought that you're battling on a daily basis. 

Okay...now that you've done that....allow the Holy Spirit to point out the negative behavior that has been "born" from that negative thought.   Been thinking you are  worthless?  Maybe the resulting behavior is an unmotivated, lazy spirit.    Thinking negative, unforgiving thoughts towards someone who's wronged you?  The resulting behavior could be a bitter attitude towards not just that person, but everyone around you.  You are just in misery.    Feeling like your situation is too big for God?  Then you'll stop living by faith, and maybe even stop praying and seeking God through it all.   

Give the Holy Spirit some time to really help you nail down SOME negative thought(s) & resulting behavior(s) in your own life. 



We need to be aware
that our enemy targets our minds
and thought-life. 
If we allow negative, discouraging thoughts
to take up residence in our minds,
this will have a direct affect on our behavior. 
This is one tactic that our enemy will use to
render us inaffective in our Christian walk with God. 
We will never be living life
"to the fullest," as our Lord intends
for us to be doing. (John 10:10)



Okay, as I was looking at the diagram that I had drawn with some negative thoughts and resulting behaviors in my own life, I thought, "Goodness, I wonder if there's a way to place an invisible, protective shield around my thoughts and mind?"    Hmmm..."Funny you should ask that question, Tam." LOL   :o)  As soon as I pondered that thought, the Holy Spirit reminded me of "In everything give thanks." (I Thes. 5:18)  Then He proceeded to remind me of another verse that says, "Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6, 7 (KJV) 

Ahhh! That's the key: In everything, give thanks! Then His peace will guard our hearts AND our minds,through Christ Jesus.

So now, draw a dotted line around the entire cartoon "profile picture."  That dotted line represents God's peace.  But it's only placed there when we are thankful in everything. 

So... let's apply this.   When someone does me wrong...I mean, REALLY does me wrong. . . if I immediately say, "I will give thanks to You in this, Father, for I know that THIS is Your will for my life-You may not have CAUSED it, but You have ALLOWED IT.  You will do something wonderful from this, and get glory from this, if I am called according to Your purpose.   I am, therefore, I can actually THANK YOU for this situation."   Then as soon as I give thanks to God, He gives me His peace to guard my heart and my mind (thoughts)----and then my behavior is going to reflect a peaceful heart and a thought-life that is victorious through Christ Jesus!!



I will begin to BE that "new creature" that He has made me!
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
II Cor. 5:17.

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As soon as I entertain ONE negative thought---out the door goes the thankful heart!   In the door comes the enemy to take me DOWN, down, down.   

And it's a LONG way down isn't it?!

The peace of God comes to our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, if only we'll be thankful in everything, talk to Him in everything, tell Him all our troubles.  Take every thought captive and ask Christ for HIS perspective on that situation.  Ask and it shall be given!  As soon as we ask Him "what would YOU think about this~or~that?" and we open His Word,  we'll begin to receive more of "the mind of Christ."   This is a key to living a victorious Christian life through Christ Jesus.   Being THANKFUL.  

If you have children or grandchildren, maybe they've watched the Veggie Tales movie "Madamme Blueberry. "  She had an ungrateful heart. . .and she was miserable...never satisfied.  Everyone around her was affected by her ungrateful attitude.  After she learned the lesson, they sang a song, "A thankful heart is a happy heart. " 

One final note:     Notice in Ephesians 6:16, we are told:  "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked."  Look at the verse AFTER I Thes. 5:18 ~ (verse 18 says, "in everything give thanks....")   Verse 19 says, "Quench not the Spirit."  Seems like it'd take a lot of faith to be thankful in everything, wouldn't it?  Guess what?  We are either quenching the fiery darts of the wicked by having faith and being thankful ~OR~ we are quenching the Holy Spirit when we're not giving thanks in everything because we have no faith in God.  Letting our negative thoughts have control over us results in bad behavior, which ultimately results in quenching the Holy Spirit ~ and guess who's in "Open Season" ??   We are.

I'd like to add:

"A happy heart is a great place to start
walking victoriously through Christ Jesus."




Father, we thank You---for this is Your will for our lives---to be thankful in everything.  You want to give us Your PEACE, which passes all human comprehension.  This peace of God will provide ultimate protection to our minds.  Father, we are under attack non-stop!  Our enemy knows JUST WHAT BUTTONS to push, and what "thoughts" to give us. . . Please help us to NOT entertain those thoughts....because this will result in bad behavior, quenching Your dear Holy Spirit....rendering US useless as the church, the Body of Christ.   So many people are going to hell because the rest of us are wrestling our negative thoughts, and becoming inaffective as Christians.   Please grant us a thankful heart, in everything, Father.  We need Your protective peace to guard our hearts and minds!   Give us the mind of Christ, Father, so that we may know His perspective on every situation we are allowed to go through.  We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I Thes. 5:23 (NIV)