Evil thought; 20 ways to stop Sinful Thought

Evil thought; 20 ways to stop Sinful Thought

Evil thought is the voice in your heart that tells you to do ungodly action. Who owns the evil voice that purges unclean thought to your mind? Where is the source? Do you want answers to these questions and how to be saved from the troubles of evil thoughts? Alright! Today’s message is good for you.

“In a landmark experiment back in the 1980s, psychologist Eric Klinger, of the University of Minnesota, asked volunteers to record what they were thinking when a handheld device chirped over the course of a week.  Within a 16-hour day, he found, people have about 500 thoughts that are unintentional and intrusive and that last about 14 seconds on average. 

While most thoughts dealt with the concerns of everyday life, 18 percent were unacceptable, uncomfortable, incorrect, mean or bad thoughts. A remaining 13 percent were ugly, out of character, or shocking (for instance; murderous or perverse ideas).”

This finding shows how little control we seem to have over the timing and content of evil thoughts. But thank God for the Power of His Holy Spirit who can give us the victory!

Is it a Sin to Have Evil Thoughts?

The bad thoughts you analysed with interest to execute or for pleasure in your heart is a sin. For instance; Jesus says it was a sin to see a woman and have a sexy thought filled with interest in your heart to put her on bed.

However, the bad thoughts you wrestled with does not make you a sinner. You are not a sinner when struggling with sinful thoughts in your mind, but you become one when you dance to the tune of the impure thoughts.

For instance; Devil’s temptation to Jesus was a thoughtful one, but Jesus never sinned as a result of the bad thought. Though, He was hungry but He rejected the idea and said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

20 Ways to Stop Evil Thoughts in Your Heart

1. Make covenant with your 5 sense of sight, taste, hearing, smell and touch to be for holiness.

2. Die to sin and acknowledge your new status of righteousness.

3. Dedicate your body to be the temple of the LORD.

4. Assessment of evil thoughts with the Will of God gives victory.

5. Accept the responsibility to wipe off the evil thoughts. Don’t cross your arms enjoying the sinful thoughts and expecting God to come and wipe it off for you.

6. Learn to scold yourself. It strengthens your heart to do the right-thinking.

7. Respect the Power of your Mind. It’s so good in painting pictures.

8. Fear God in all your thoughts.

9. Respond with the Word of God and you would overcome sinful thoughts.

10. Give the Holy Spirit the chance to deal with thoughts that fill your heart.

11. Cast down sinful imagination!

12. Meditate on the Word of God every time.

13. Sing gospel songs and not the popular secular music.

14. Pull out from church that tells you to always come and confess you sins every service day.

15. Say goodbye to friends that spent their strength on sex, alcohol or drugs.

16. Stop vulgar language!

17. Pull out from watching movies; the imaginations terribly trouble your heart.

18. Don’t give room for depression.

19. Make friends with those who tell you the scriptural truth.

20. Don’t think deeply about evil thoughts but delete instantly.

What Does Bible Say About Impure Thought?

1. Job chapter 31 verse 1: “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?”

2. Romans chapter 8 verse 12 and 13: “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors–not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

3. Second Corinthians chapter 7 verse 1: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

4. Colossians chapter 3 verse 2: “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”

5. Matthew chapter 22 verse 37: “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’”

You can overcome evil thought when you practice the points above, they are all vital points that give me victory as well. 

God First: How God Can Be Your Chief Planner!

God First: How God Can Be Your Chief Planner!

Many responsibilities such as academics, family, work etc. calls for your concentration every day. Have you taking fast actions on some issues and later backfired? Did you ask why? Not putting God first can be a strong reason for the loss.

Today’s message would enlighten you on how to put God first in all your plans and how to be saved from distractions during critical moments.

What does Putting God First really mean?

To put God as your Chief Planner means nothing should be more important than the Lord’s contribution to your matter. You don’t prioritize the thought or comments of people above God’s message to you.

When God is your Chief planner then your love for His instructions would supersede that of your parents, boss, friends, spouse, children or anyone.

Jesus knew you would go through many tough and happy situations which require critical decision to take. He knew how people or circumstances could be misleading.

So, He says: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

5 Ways to Put God First in Your Plan

1. Knowing His Word for You

Reading the Bible and studying the scriptures through the help of the Holy Spirit are vital ways to know the Will of God for you. When you know His Will then you would find it easy to make Him first in all your actions.

2. Exercise your Spiritual Gift

If you don’t know your spiritual gift then it would be difficult to put God as your Chief Planner. Read first Corinthians chapter 12 and Joel chapter 2 verse 28… and see if you can identify your special spiritual gift.

 

God gives a spiritual gift for you and others to benefit. For instance, I don’t joke with my dreams because the LORD speaks to me through visions, so I allow God to be my Master Planner.

3. Respect the Holy Spirit

Some people disrespect the quiet voice in them because His opinion is different from the decision they love to take. Holy Spirit is the Spirit of GOD, so one of the vital ways to put God first is to respect and not to shun the gentle voice.

4. Regular Communication

If you always browse the internet, ask friends or visit the fortune tellers before taking your final decision then you may not be far from missing the Will of God for you.

Consistent prayer is a good practice that opens your eyes to see and your ears to hear from the LORD. It’s easier to put God first when you communicate always with Him.

Regular Prayer was the secret success of Jesus which made it easy for Him to insist that the Will of God should prevail that night He was arrested at mount Olives.

5. Act of Obedience

Moses obeyed God’s command, put the LORD first and he led the Israelites out of Egypt. Joshua put God as his Chief Planner and he led the Israelites to the promised land. Your act of obedience to Jesus’ commandments would make it easy for you to put God as your Chief Planner in all your dealings.

10 Benefits of Having God as Your Chief Planner

1. God does not make mistake, so you can’t make mistake.

2. You won’t miss your target of brilliant success in life.

3. The journey might be slow but you would arrive gloriously.

4. No loss for you but big gains.

5. You won’t find yourself in trouble!

6. Confusion won’t be your share but clear understanding of life.

7. No false prophets can dupe you.

8. God would be proud of you on earth and in Heaven.

9. Everyone would finally celebrate with you.

10. You won’t miss Heaven!

It is wise to put God first in everything you do by obeying God’s commandments and receiving personal confirmation from the LORD before you go ahead on your plans. I tried it and it works, you would enjoy life forever if you do the same.

Difficult times: 5 Ways to Survive the Tough Situation!

Difficult times: 5 Ways to Survive the Tough Situation!

No one prays for difficult times but it comes like an uninvited visitor. You might have questions like; Can I live without tough times? Why do I have to go through difficult situations? Is my Christian life not immune against difficult times? I also have questions, but it does not change the fact that God is Able to do all things!

Imagine the hurdles of John who was born in the year 1900. World War 1 began when he was 14 years old and never end until his 18th birthday. He survived the tough times but 22 million people perished. 

Just as everyone was trying to breathe a sigh of relief, Spanish Flu pandemic hits the world later in the year. And, John struggled through this period until he was 20 years old, but the flu infected about 500 million and killed 50 million people.

He believed in the Word of the LORD and made his faith stronger than before.

The four years of Great Depression began when he was 29 years old when the unemployment hits 25% and the World GDP dropped 27%.

When John was 39 the World War II starts, and about 79 million people died when he was 50 years old. He survived difficult times repeatedly because he did not stop trusting God for a better life.

Yes! he spent 75 years on earth, but the unique virtue about his story is that he did not allow the difficult times to steal the joy of his salvation.

What to Do During the Difficult Times

You don’t have to be miserable, frustrated and unhappy during the tough times. God is never going to put you into a condition or let you into a trial, without giving you the ability to be in it with joy.

Jesus says: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

Five things you need to do include:

1. Kick off Bias

Difficult times suck faith but you must be firm and focused on your path of Salvation. Don’t look at the hardship but always look at the LORD. No matter how tough it is, don’t take God for granted. Believe in the Power of the LORD for your survival.

2. Praise the LORD

This is a difficult thing to do when going through difficult times but I discovered it shortens the troubled time. It saves you from depression and connects you stronger to the LORD.

Paul who went through many troubles knew this secret and he said: “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

3. Learn to be Calm

Don’t be aggressive to the LORD, your spouse, children or anyone around you. Aggression steals your joy. It would make you stay longer in the unwanted situation, so make yourself gentle in your thoughts and actions.

There was a time I do not know the way out of my trouble because I was just too aggressive, it was so difficult for me to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit- the Great Counsellor…

4. Pray for Grace

Everyone would have to go through one or more difficult times. If tough time starts from the life of Adam and Jesus was not spared from troubles, then you have to be ready to conquer yours too.

Emulate Jesus by engaging in prayers. Don’t cry to hurt your eye balls and don’t bleed your heart to depression but live a prayerful life!

5. Avoid Shortcuts

It is natural for you to think of the shortest route to your breakthrough, but my friend most of the shortcuts are trap of the devil who want you to miss the will of God for your life.

God may delay but HE would surely come to help you. Your timing is different from God’s timing. Remember the story of the ten virgins in the book of Matthew chapter 25.

 

As you follow the steps above you would surely survive the difficult times without backsliding. May the LORD strengthen your heart and make a way for you in Jesus name.  

Why Me Oh LORD Despite My Closeness to You?

Why Me Oh LORD Despite My Closeness to You?

You might be asking this question ‘why’ me presently due to the tough times you are going through. I also asked and I got an answer!

Today’s message is for the genuine Christians who serve the LORD with all they have, obey His commandments as best as the Spirit of the LORD could help them and they presently go through tough times and unwanted situations. I am sure you would be blessed after reading this script.

You ask why me when unbelievers or ‘unserious Christians’ get things done easily or prosper in their ways faster than you do. You wonder if God is fair…

Is the Media and Church Telling You the Truth?

My friend I want you to be healed from the wound of disappointment. When I asked God why me, HE told me that the media and the church of my generation never told me the truth.

The media gives us the impression that suffering is for the poor, the under-developed countries and for the foolish people only. Majority of the pastors preach on media and in their respective churches that suffering is for those who fail to pay their tithes and offer big offerings to the Lord.

Many pastors spend so much time preaching prosperity and funs about this world and less preaching about endurance and holiness. Prosperity is good but failure to balance the message with inevitable sufferings of Christians gives you a terrible disappointment when you go through unwanted circumstances.

I hardly hear pastors preaching to the congregation that ‘suffering’ is part of a Christian life. Many evangelists tell you that once you give your life to Jesus you would always get all you want from Him… that’s not true! ‘Suffering’ is not a curse; we are always bound to be victorious!     

Jehovah is your loving Father who knows you before you were born. He promised not to fail you. HE would do all things for you such that no man would take HIS Glory upon your life. Please, be calm in the Arms of the LORD.

Proof to Me that ‘Suffering’ is Inevitable for Christians!

Alright, I want you to take it easy with the LORD because the truth about life is that the victorious people on earth must go through good and bad times. You can conquer your hard times through patience and faith in God’s word. I don’t joke with the two advice below:

1. John chapter 16: “…These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

 

So, Jesus knew you would go through unwanted circumstances when you give your life to Him. Did you suffer divorce, unemployment, illness or run out of cash when you gave your life to Jesus? Be of good cheers, you would overcome and He would pay you the greatest reward which is Heaven.

 

2. First Peter chapter 4: “…Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

 

“…But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters…Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

You never saw Jesus face to face on earth but you believed in Him. The disciples saw and believed Him but that could not stop them from going through terrible situations on earth. They ran into financial crisis, persecution by the government, lost their loved ones and many other forms of trouble. They endured the sufferings to the end and now they are enjoying eternity in the paradise.

Are you going through pains of racism, office politics or any form of cheat? Don’t worry, endure to the end and don’t be depressed. 

Did You Ask Why Me When You Pray to the LORD?

I did and after my prayers I was referred to the Israelites’ experience in the land of Egypt.

Despite God’s great promise to take them to the promised land, they partake in the first three signs before God separated them from the fourth signs to the tenth (Exodus chapter 7 and 8).

“…And in that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land…” (Exodus 8:22)

Yes, it was a disappointment to the Israelites at that moment, but God’s plan was to establish a mark of sign and authority to all inhabitants in the land of Egypt.

The LORD stopped their angry moment after their endurance of the first three signs.

Please, I want you to know that GOD is not weak to save you, but HE understands all situations than any man. Endure your tough times and always make yourself happy in the LORD’s presence.

Going through hard times does not change the fact that He is taking you to your promised land.

At a point I asked why it took GOD ten signs to set the Israelites free? Why didn’t HE do just one miracle and deliver them? And the short response I received was “Patience and Authority”.

 

Patience; Israelites to learn how to be patient (though they didn’t adopt the lesson)

 

Authority; God’s plan to destroy their cruel enemies in the red sea.

 

Don’t give up! It does not take God a day to position you the way you want because HE promised to make you Big and Shine.

The understanding I have about God’s dealing with you is that His speed of action is too slow for your liking but when HE Does His wonderful actions in your life, no one can take the Glory.

I appeal to you to exercise more Patience. The LORD won’t betray you; HE won’t disappoint you; He won’t reject you because no one deals with God and lose.

Since you deal with God regularly, HE would pay you back. He can’t be angry with you as long as you don’t blaspheme. So, HE would act at the Best Time for you.

 

Am so sorry your calculation and God’s calculation is not integrating. Thus, I appeal to you not to be angry but trust in the LORD who can do all things.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Don’t allow the devil to steal the joy of your salvation through your worrisome heart. Stop asking why me and focus on your eternal gains in Heaven. May the LORD heal your heart today and make a way for you in Jesus name.

God’s Will: 10 Ways to Know the LORD’s Plan for You

God’s Will: 10 Ways to Know the LORD’s Plan for You

Are you bothered about God’s will for your life? How can you know His plans for your success? Enough of this confusion you always go through!

God’s will for you is designed before your birth. So, God has no mistake to make about your life, but living contrary to the LORD’s plan might be frustrating or risky.

Today’s message will guide you on steps to take to know the secret plans of God for your life.

10 Practical Steps to Discover God’s Will for You

Please I want you to know that God’s plans for you do not always fall into the same template you always want. And don’t be carried away by preachers who told you that all about your life is rosy! The following steps will help you to know that God is neither wicked nor deaf;

1. Live a Patient life

No matter how strong your relationship with the LORD…you may quote all the Bible verses by heart…you may invest all your wealth for the Gospel…but if you are impatient then you can’t know God’s will. Don’t blame Him for your disappointment! (James 1:4)

2. Leave your Plan on God’s Table

You cannot understand God’s plan if you always expect Him to approve your own plans. It is good to be hardworking, but get God’s consent before investing your strength and cash!

3. Obey His Instructions

If you obey God’s commandments as instructed by Jesus, He would be pleased to reveal His secret plans to you. Don’t live a careless life and claim you are under His grace! (John 14:21)

4. Stabilise your Relationship with the LORD

Lukewarm Christians and faithless people can never understand God’s will. No matter the circumstances, love God with all your heart, worship and pray to Him all the time.

5. Don’t Compare Your Life with Others

The Israelite compared their lives with the Egyptians without respect to the LORD and it backfired. (Numbers chapter 11)

6. Pay Attention to your Spiritual Gift

The LORD has a way of speaking to you either through dreams, visions, word of wisdom, knowledge or any other unique means. HE won’t put you in the dark if the decision you intend to take is against God’s will. (First Peter 4:10)

7. Pray and Listen to the Holy Spirit

Don’t pray when you had made up your mind on a decision because your thoughtful voice may suppress the voice of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the LORD will counsel you if you do not impose your will on the LORD. (John 14:26)

8. Reverse Repeated Negative Outcomes

God is Sovereign. If you attempt to achieve a brilliant goal and it always comes out negative when many people get positive result, then watch out! It’s not necessarily devil’s work, it might be God discouraging you since it is not His will for you. It is imminent to go through unwanted circumstances in life but it must not be monotonous.

9. Trust GOD and not the System

You cannot know God’s will for your life if your trust is in man, the government, stock market, social institutions, technology and the likes. Let God be the First in everything you want to do. HE would screen your intentions to suit His will for you!

10. Live Righteously

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6: 33-34)