Part 3 – Paul’s Words Concerning How We Think

Paul offers us understanding to deal with our troublesome thoughts that lead to awful feelings. Paul wrote here of the root issue in dealing with our troubling thoughts that produce anxiety, fear and depression.

We need to understand how that Satan has long worked and he still works to tie up the minds of Christians with everything from false religion, to misuse of “the word of God,” to attacking their minds with  “fiery darts”  as ‘thoughts’ that provoke fear, anxiety, and depression in order to bind them to hopelessness. Yet, the fact is that right now, since the cross of Christ, every believer is  liberated from the power of the Devil who would deceive us and plague us with these thoughts.

Our liberation from these thoughts arises out of the fact that we have died with Christ, and so we are now free from what has bound us.

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized [set] into Jesus Christ were baptized [set] into his death [not water]? (Romans 6:3 (KJV)
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith [and faithfulness] of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for [Gk. hyper, on behalf of] me. (Galatians 2:20 (KJV)  

But more than having died with Christ we now possess His overcoming resurrection life is our new life.

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 (KJV)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a New Creature [a whole new creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 (Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

“When Christ, who is our life …” (Colossians 3:4 (KJV)

“Even the mystery [Gk. musterion, former secret of God] which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ In You, the hope of glory:” (Colossians 1:26-27 (KJV)

As believers, the love of God by the Cross-work of Christ has already made “all things new” for us. Our past is over and forgiven and forgotten by God. Satan is now defanged because he cannot use our past against us… for we, as to our old self soul, died with Christ. As our “accuser,” Satan has been disarmed, he cannot condemn us since God no longer even records or imputes our failings (sins) unto us… while we today are learning of our New, Elevated, Identity In Christ.

“But to him that worketh Not, but Believeth on him [Jesus Christ] that justifieth the ungodly, his Faith [in Christ] is Counted For Righteousness. ⁶ Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth [counts Christ’s] righteousness without works, ⁷ Saying, Blessed are they whose Iniquities [Sins] Are Forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ⁸ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will NOT impute [count his] sin.” (Rom. 4:5-8 (KJV)

Our ‘works,’ what we do or have done – good, bad, or imagined – have no impact upon who we really are “in Christ.”

Sadly, some Christians are sent down the wrong road to deal with their thoughts and feelings. They are often told you need to go back in your memory to find what is haunting you because you need something (which the Bible does not even mention) called ‘the healing of memories.’ This is bogus, a malpractice of spiritual counseling… how can I say this?

Notice how the secular psychologist excludes the Lord and what He has already accomplished on our behalf… liberating us from our past, real or imagined. Since we are “new creatures in Christ’… our past is irrelevant!!! We’ve been separated from your past because, death ends it! We as to our old self-soul died with Christ. We are dead as to our “Old Man,” our old soul-self (Rom. 6:6-7). We should KNOW that;

“… our old man is crucified [dead] with him [with Christ], [so] that the body of sin might be destroyed [Gk. kartargeo, ‘be made of no effect’], that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin [from the Sin-nature’s power over us]. Romans 6:6-7 (KJV)

Dead people who are buried in graves no longer have any connection to their past doings or experiences, or their old self. But we are now vitally connected to “Christ who is our life” (Col. 3:4). In fact, we are forever sealed “in Christ” by the Holy Spirit.

“In [Christ] whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel [good news] of your salvation: in whom also after that Ye Believed, ye were SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise,” (Ephesians 1:13 (KJV)

Satan’s only remaining device is “the lie,” which he often shoots as “fiery darts” into our minds… accusing and condemning us in order to separate us from the unconditional truth of the security we can enjoy by our union with the Lord. We triumph over the Devil’s flashing fiery thoughts by

1.) abiding in the truth of our new identity “in Christ” who is our life and,

2) the truth that we can never be separated from God’s unconditional love.

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in (in union with) Christ, ...” (2 Cor. 2:14a)

Paul then instructs believers as to what we ought not to think about … and what we ought to think about.  

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to Quench All The Fiery Darts Of The Wicked [One].” (Eph. 6:16)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Tim. 1:7)

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God [as TRUTH], and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”

(2 Corinthians 10:5, see also the lengthy study: http://www.artlicursi.com/articles/part-1-10-%E2%80%9Ccasting-down-imaginations%E2%80%9D )

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true [real], whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)

So, actually, ‘thoughts of thankfulness’ toward God are in order… for His unconditional love and grace and the security we have in union with Christ. These good thoughts are to fill the void caused by the now displaced accusatory, evil, condemning thoughts… to now produce feelings of well-being and joy in our soul’s emotion, even while the accusing, condemning fear-provoking thoughts shot into our minds by the Devil try to prompt feelings of fear, regret, dread, or anxiety.

Thus, Paul wrote;

“For they that are after the [sinful] flesh do mind the things [thoughts] of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit [mind] the things [thoughts] of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally [fleshly] minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6 (KJV)