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!
What humble reminders! Very helpful, I thank you! God bless!??❤️??
God bless you for your post. All I can say is that this Article was inspired by the Holy Ghost! Thank you.
Thank you so much for this! I am battling this, but I am on the upside, I think! I was aware I needed and wanted Biblical guidelines, but nothing I googled answered. Your steps as outlined are the ones I can handle right now. Just thinking about them leaves me feeling positive. One of the lies I am dealing with is one of failure. It’s been hard to pray, but I have been asking Jesus to be with me or asking Him for help. Even that little bit indicates I am not failing! Thank you!
I know it’s been awhile since you wrote this article, but I had to comment. I am having such a hard time struggling with negative thoughts, and it has been 4 years now that I was diagnosed with severe generalized anxiety, and I really feel I cant do life anymore, the only reason Im still here is my kids, I found it helful to read these tips to combat the lies of the enemy, but I am struggling with prayer too, I need to pray but it cause me anxiety, I do it anyway but I dont know how much longer I will resist. Im restless, no peace, no joy, and I need to confess sinful thoughts patterns but I am so alone I don’t have anyone to turn to for prayer. Please help me in prayer, me my husband and kids because they suffer more with this. Thank you!
I’m praying for you Safira (what a beautiful name!)
I have so much I would like to say…wish we could connect in a more private setting.
Just know you are loved by your Creator. He knows exactly what’s going on, and He hasn’t left you to manage it alone.
If all you can get out is a simple “help me Jesus” it is enough!
Invite Him to sit with you during those hard times…He is perfect love, and in my experience that Love has a power to heal! Whether you feel it or not, He is working on your behalf.
Thanks! I found it. I had to dig a little deeper.
Great! Thanks for letting me know
Sorry for the confusion Amy! So glad you were able to find it! I’m praying they encourage you.
I have tried several times and can’t et the scripture cards connected to this post. Always says not found or something.
Hi Amy, sorry that you have encountered a problem accessing the cards. While the page does say not found. You should immediately receive a welcome email from Lee that contains the link to her freebie hub along with a password to access the scripture cards. Can you check your email and let me know if you receive the email?
I’m going to start battling the lies. Thank you for options
You are so welcome! Yes battle the lies. Don’t give up. Stand firm in Him. I am praying for you in this.
I am in this place right now… Naming the lies, finding scripture to fight and then replace them. I love the list!
Yay, for you Tiffany for taking a stand against the lies. Continue to fight the good fight of faith.
Yes fight and replace! So glad you were blessed Tiffany!