THE POWER OF THOUGHTS

   

We become what we think about most of the time. Aligning our thoughts to God’s word is one of the most powerful tools of self-transformation.

 

A man is literally the product of his thinking. Based upon this important truth, author James Allen wrote his acclaimed self-help book, “As A Man Thinketh”. This view concurs with what the Bible says in Proverbs 23:7: “As a man thinks in his heart, so does he become”.

How did Apple start? When Steve Jobs thought out of the box and created his prototype computer in a humble garage. Every big corporation was first conceived within someone’s tiny little, fertile mind.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

While it is true to say we are the product of our thoughts, we can achieve much more than we can ever think, imagine or conceive when God adds another dimension to our lives.

                                                                

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

God can do a wonderful work in our lives so that we move not only in the realm of the natural but the supernatural. He can do amazing things in and through us that have not crossed our mind before – even great things that we have not conceived before.

But before we can come under His blessing and favour, we have to fulfill certain conditions:

Firstly, we need to acknowledge the fact that His wisdom is far superior to our limited human understanding:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6).

Secondly, we need to recognise what He says we are capable of doing. In other words, we need to have a sense of self-esteem based on what God thinks of us.

Gideon saw himself as defeated, bereft of hope, as the Midianites invaded his homeland. Offering no resistance to the enemy, he was threshing wheat when God spoke to him through the angel, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valour … Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” (Judges 6:12, 14).

Earlier he had thought he was incapable of leading Israel against their enemies — coming from the weakest clan and being the most insignificant in his family. All that changed when God called him and gave his self-image a boost.

One can see a cup as half-empty or half-full and, in both instances, one is right. Gideon saw himself as “empty” when he was threshing wheat. But when God called him, his mind was renewed. He then saw himself anew, and was filled with courage and boldness. And, as they say, the rest is history.

Thirdly, we need to bring every wayward thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Unless our thoughts are positive and pure *, we will not be able to experience His blessing and favour.

The end result of fulfilling all three conditions is that we will be able to experience the reality of the following verses:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.”

(1 Corinthians 2:9).

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

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Footnotes:

*   Positive and pure thoughts

“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

(Philippians 4:8)

“The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”

(James 3:17)