April 10, 2017: SOAP #2685: 1Samuel 8-10; 2Corinthians 10

Scripture:  1Corinthians 10: 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 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. 

Observation:   Often the toughest strongholds to overcome are the arguments and pretenses in the mind.   If not careful, a person can become a captive of thought processes that hurt them.  Thoughts must be taken “captive.” The mind can become a battlefield.

On the battlefield facing Goliath (1Samuel 17), the Israelites were thinking, “How BIG Goliath looked compared to themselves!”  David was thinking: “How small Goliath looked compared to God!”  David’s part was the sling and the rock.  God’s part was the results.

Application:   The biggest battle I will fight today will be in my mind.  I am not a mind, but I have a mind.  I must take control of my thoughts.  I cannot stop thinking about something, but I can start thinking about something else.  The strategy is “thought replacement.”  I must replace thoughts about my big problem with thoughts about my big God!  The Bible never tells me how to feel, but often tells me how to think.

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, thank you for the “helmet of salvation.”  Being your child, and having your Holy Spirit sharing this life with me makes a BIG difference in how I think!   Amen

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!