Guard Your Thoughts
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Phillippians 4:8
Mismanaging your emotions is like escorting a group of known terrorists into a large international airport, clearing them through security, and seating them in first class. Well-managed emotions are processed without special clearance and brought before the security stations of God and others. It requires humility, faith, and a commitment to growth. But you can be assured that Satan hates it when a man is in emotional control of himself, because it means only one thing. Satan has lost control.
Many times we forget the fact that we have been given a mind to control. Our mind does not control us unless we allow it to. If we do what comes naturally, meaning allow any thought or emotion to trudge through our mind, uncontrolled and unchecked, we are at the whim of the evil one. It says in John that the three temptations in life are the world, the flesh and the devil. The world impresses our mind with things and power. The flesh tempts us with illicit sexual pleasure, food and how we look. But the most powerful of the three temptations is our mind. The mind in reality has control of the first two temptations; it’s the trump card of Satan.
The mind is the cathedral of your body. In the cathedrals of Europe you will see the placement of guards that prevent vandalism and the defacing of the precious things inside of their cathedrals. How important and what a powerful tool God has given us; He allows us to place centennials so that our minds are kept free of the devastation that Satan has planned for us.
Father, you have given me a choice of what thoughts I will allow to take shape in my mind. Thank you for allowing me to control my mind.