I’m Going to Wash That Thought Right Out of My Head - Girlfriends in God - March 14, 2016

March 14, 2016
I’m Going to Wash That Thought Right Out of My Head
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rules, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12)

Friend to Friend

There are certain television jingles that drive my husband crazy. As soon as he see a nanosecond of commercial appear, he presses the mute button. And while I tease him for being a commercial phobic, you know what happens to me? I end up with that silly song in my head for the rest of the evening. He has the right idea—mute it, delete it, don’t give it a chance to enter your mind. It’s the same way with the lies the enemy tries to make us believe.

We are in a spiritual battle for our minds. And while we often think difficult people or irritating circumstances are the source of the problems, Paul tells us to look past the obvious and go to the root cause.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” Paul begins, “but against the rules, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). As long as we think our foe is a mere mortal, the enemy is sittin’ pretty. But we know the enemy’s true identity. Right?

This spiritual battle is described as a “struggle.” It literally means “wrestling” or “hand-to-hand” combat. In other places in the New Testament, Paul refers to the spiritual battle we face every day. He told Timothy to “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). And he said of himself, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). He encourages Timothy to endure hardship as a “good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3).

Yes, Jesus won the victory over sin and death when He died on the cross and rose again. Satan was defeated. However, until we leave this earth and the presence of sin, we continue to fight against the power of the enemy.

This warfare is nothing to fear. God has given us sufficient armor to combat the enemy’s schemes. We have the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, the power of Jesus’ shed blood over us, and the power of God’s Word under our feet.

We cannot act differently than we believe. That is why it is so important to hit the mute button and reject the lie as soon as it comes.

So the next time the enemy whispers a lie such as, “You can’t do anything right”; “You’re a poor excuse for a Christian,” or “You don’t have what it takes,” hit the mute button. Don’t let that jingle get stuck in your head. You don’t want what the devil is selling. It’s not worth listening to.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, have mercy. Why do I listen to the lies of the enemy that tell me I am less than who you say I am. Today, I am choosing to hit the mute button. I’m not going to listen to what he’s selling. I don’t want it. You don’t want me to have it. It is garbage that I refuse to buy.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

When you read today’s title, did you think of the television jingle, “I’m going to wash that gray right out of my hair”? That’s exactly what I thought when I wrote it.

What is one television jingle that you remember from childhood? Click over to my Facebook page and let’s compare notes. (I’ll tell you one of mine: Sing it over and over and over again...Frosty Morn.” I think it was a sausage or luncheon meat commercial.)

What does that tell you about the power of repetition in your mind?

Today, pick one Bible verse and set it to a tune. Let that be your “jingle” for the week.

More from the Girlfriends

You’ve heard the lies before. Maybe even whispered one or two to yourself from time to time. Maybe repeated them so often you’ve started to believe them. “Nobody loves me. I’m worthless. I would be happier married to someone else. I’m just not good enough.” The list goes on. It’s time to recognize the enemy’s lies and to replace those lies with the Bible’s liberating truth. It’s time to renew your mind and think God’s thoughts rather than be held in bondage by the enemy’s deceptions. It’s time to be set free to see yourself as God see you: His holy, chosen, cleansed, forgiven and dearly loved child. Now that’s a truth worth repeating. To learn more, check out my book I’m Not Good Enough...and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves. It’s a game changer!