“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25
In David’s Psalm of confession, when he deals thoroughly with the matter of forgiveness, and cleansing from sin, he goes to the very root of the issue of sin in asking the Lord, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10) It is not enough to just confess sin, even repenting of it. There needs to be a return to a basic, and fundamental, attitude of heart and mind when Christ again is the Lord and King of the life. The importance of right thoughts in this regard is essential if true fellowship is to be restored with God, and the power of the Spirit is again operative in the life. Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, sums up the necessity of having not only a right attitude towards God, but having a right mind. He writes: “For as he (man) thinketh in his heart, SO IS HE.” (23:7) A man’s actions will always be according to his thoughts, whether they be good or evil.
When Jonah was called of God to go and preach to the Ninevites, who were the enemies of Israel, and who had inflicted such great suffering upon them, he not only had a change of heart towards God in fleeing in the other direction, he also had a change of mind, of thoughts. His refusal to obey God resulted in embracing a thought that was illogical, and completely untrue. During the storm that was hurled against the ship he was traveling in, he told the mariners with whom he was traveling that he was “fleeing the presence of the Lord.” Here is a prophet who knows God, is the servant of God, but who has adopted a thought which was a lie. It almost cost him his life, for how can a man flee from the presence of the omnipresent God. Even the Psalmist David writes: “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence. If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there.” (Ps. 139:6,7) Essential to true faith and obedience in right thinking that is true.
When the Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthian believers on the matter of worship, he spoke of the necessity of thinking aright, and using the truth as the basis of understanding. He wrote: “I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” When he wrote to the Philippian believers concerning the necessity and means by which to know the peace of God, he wrote not only of the need to rejoice in the Lord always, being careful for nothing but praying always with thanksgiving, and in so doing giving Christ access to every need, but then he addresses the issue of thinking, or thoughts. He begins with “whatsoever things are true, then honest, just, pure, lovely, are of a good report, and are virtuous, and praise worthy, “…think on these things.” (Phil. 4:9) The importance of this is seen with regard to the reward of knowing the very real peace of God. God the Holy Spirit blesses these things, for Christ is the Author of them. There is power in these thoughts, for it is upon them that the Lord manifests His blessing.
Concerning the spiritual warfare that the Christian is engaged in, Paul writes that the battle is in the mind, for the thoughts. This spiritual war, and its weapons which are “mighty through God,” (2 Cor. 10:3,4,5) is to be engaged in for the purpose of “…the pulling down of strong holds: casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity, every THOUGHT to the obedience of Christ.” (v.4,5) The thoughts of God’s truth are essential if one would know the blessing and power of God.
Dear Father, Strengthen us to think aright. In Jesus’ name, Amen.