Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
We all have them. Some of us more than others. Condemning, comparative, sad or lonely, unworthy and unloved kind of thoughts.
Negative thoughts.
For some, it’s a continual battle of what we are focusing on. For others, it’s more circumstantial. It can be based on hormones, stress, sleep patterns etc. But no matter what. The thoughts are real and hard to control.
So is it really possible to take those thoughts captive?
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5
Based on this verse, I would like to share what I am learning.
*Please note I am not a medical doctor of any kind. We do take mental health seriously in our family. I can not speak to individual cases and instead recommend seeking a professional evaluation if you have any major concerns.
5 Steps to Crush Negative Thoughts Biblically
#1 Pray.
vs 5 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
We must make prayer a priority in this battle. We are to use our spiritual weapons to fight against these thoughts or strongholds. God’s divine power is available to all believers through the Holy Spirit – tap in!
And yes, you can pray and ask God’s help for ANY type of negative or unwholesome thought. Please don’t be ashamed. Your thoughts don’t surprise God. He already knows. He is there not to condemn you but to help you to turn away from it.
#2 Take it captive.
This is two-part for me. First I need to pinpoint the lie. What about the statement that I am telling myself is a lie? Is it a lie about God? example He could never love me, or is it a lie about me? I could never be loveable.
Once you pinpoint the lie you are believing it’s best to write it down. You can keep a simple notebook for this as it will help in the rest of the process as well. Once it’s written down, find a verse to combat it. If you don’t know one, a simple google search “Bible verse on God’s love for us” will bring up many results.
Pick one that will be your weapon for that lie. Write that verse out next to the lie. Pray and simply acknowledge the lie followed up with the truth.
Something like:
Lord thank you for being able to come to you with this today. Please forgive me for believing the lie that you don’t love me. Instead, I acknowledge your word as truth. In 1 John 4:19 you say We love because YOU first loved us. Please help this to sink into my heart and my mind. Amen.
#3 Bring it to the light.
This may not be for every negative thought or sin struggle we battle, but at least for those that seem to keep coming up.
James 5:16 says, Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
The older I get, the more I realize the importance of having another Godly woman/women in your life. One that you can come openly to and bring your struggles into the light. Believing condemnation and lies doesn’t mesh well with light.
I confess my thought pattern and ask for prayer and/or pray with her. This doesn’t have to be something formal. I have done it many times even by text. But to have the person to go to important.
If you don’t have someone pray and ask that God would make a connection. It could be through your church, neighborhood or even online ministries. There are specific prayer ministries just for this reason.
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Still having trouble finding someone? You can always contact me for prayer too I would be honored to pray for you.
Don’t let it be an excuse to sit in darkness with your negative thoughts.
#4 Observe.
Look for patterns in your life. Can we just say hormones? Shaking your head yes with me?? Many thoughts stemming from sadness or anger flood in during these times. Also during times of stress or lack of sleep etc.
Pay attention to where your weak points are – because the enemy is. One easy place to start I heard quite some time ago. Think H.A.L.T. Ask yourself am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired? These are often times where negative thoughts run free. Be a student of yourself and note your tendencies (another good reason to write it down). You will be better equipped when you know the battle is coming.
#5 Repeat.
I’m sorry to tell you that this isn’t quite a fairytale ending. You likely will have times when you don’t follow thru and instead succumb to your thoughts. Please give yourself grace. Don’t give up.
The last thing you need during a battle of the mind is more condemnation in how you are handling it. Pray and start again. It is a process – an exercise really. If you follow these 5 steps consistently it will get easier to crush the negative thoughts Biblically. Those lapses between will become fewer and farther apart.
Now that I’ve shared what I’ve learned, it’s your turn! Leave a comment below and let us know how you crush those negative thoughts Biblically. Or if you don’t really have a plan let us know you’re going to try this!
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If you need help in the Lie vs Truth area I have a set of FREE Truth scripture cards for you. They have many common lies with verses to combat them!
Please remember if you need prayer, let me know!
Talk to you soon,
Lee
O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. Lamentations 3:58
[fancy_box id=6]Want to go deeper with combating your negative self-talk? Use our referral link to check out these resources.[/fancy_box]
Lee is a Daily redeemed Christ follower, Wife of 18 yrs, Mom to 5 Treasures, an Unexpected Homeschooler and Avoider of Small Talk. She's a Faith Based Blogger + Lifetime Encourager who writes and creates over at Like Minded Musings. Her passion is to Encourage + Equip Christian Women and Tween Girls to Embrace Imperfect & Radiate Christ!