Where Do My Thoughts Come From?

Have you ever thought about where your thoughts might be coming from and what to do with them?

We are learning that thoughts come from three places. Our own intellect (something we have learned), the Spirit of God, and the enemy and his kingdom.

An example in scripture that shows the three places thoughts come from is found in
Matthew 16:13-23.

When Jesus asked the disciples who He was, their response was from what they had heard and learned from others. That is one place that our thoughts come from.

When He asked them who they say that He is, Simon Peter had the perfect answer. Jesus
replies and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. This thought is from the Spirit of God.

Later in the these verses, Jesus was explaining to them what was going to happen and Peter began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

Jesus’ response was, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. This shows the third place where our thoughts come from, Satan’s kingdom.

Peter was not possessed by Satan; he just spoke out a thought that was from the enemy's kingdom.

In the verse John 13:2 we see another example of a thought coming from the enemy’s kingdom.

"And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;"

This, of course is just a tiny teaching on this whole concept, but it was revolutionary to me. It is not like this was totally new information. When I began to really understand this and began to discern where my thoughts were coming from, it was so freeing. Thoughts I assumed were my own thoughts actually were from the enemy’s kingdom! As I practice discerning my thoughts I am able to make a choice of whose kingdom I want to display in this world. Do I want to speak and act on thoughts that come from my Father’s kingdom or the enemy’s?

Hebrews 5:14 says, But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

I want to exercise my senses to discern both good and evil. I want to be able to teach my children this. Just because a thought comes into my mind, this does not mean it is from God, and I can choose to not act upon it.

I need to become a doer of the Word and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

I challenge you to begin really paying attention to your thoughts. Discern where they came from. Does it line up with the Word of God? Is it just something that you have learned or have heard? Is it part of Satan’s kingdom? Grab hold of that thought and by the power and authority you have in Jesus Christ tell it to GO! Replace it with the Truth.

As our two year old son questioned me one day, “Who’s talking to you”?