A Prayer to Stop Being a Prisoner to My Own Thoughts
By Alisha Headley
“…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” - 2 Corinthians 10:5
It’s been said through research that the average person thinks anywhere from 50,000-70,000 thoughts a day. Eighty percent of those thoughts are negative, and 95% of our thoughts are repetitive, meaning they are the same things we thought about the day before. It’s as if we are stuck in the cycle of negative thinking since most of our thoughts are shown to be negative. And to take it further, how many times have you thought of something negative, only to realize that one negative thought has sent you down a spiral of a hundred other negative thoughts, and before you know it, you’re in a state of worry, fear, or insecurity that started from just one thought.
As believers, we know that there is an enemy, and he roams this earth daily, “prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour,” as we are told in 1 Peter 5:8. One of his main tactics is whispering negative thoughts to us. We must be aware of our thoughts so that we no longer live as prisoners to our own negative thinking.
Today’s scripture talks about casting down all the arguments, which include all the lies, all the thoughts, and anything that puts itself against the truth of God’s Word. When Paul wrote this, he knew the Corinthians were in grave danger of being led astray from the gospel. We, too, are in danger of being led astray from the truth if we are not careful with our tendency to have a downward spiral of negative thoughts. This is they Paul urges us to pull down and cast out these thoughts that have been established in our minds. We do this by making every thought obedient to Christ. In other words, if there are any thoughts that are not in sync with the truth of the Bible, they should be destroyed and cast out of our minds.
If we are not careful, our negative thoughts can turn into actions; as Proverbs 23:7 states, “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” In other words, your thoughts can dictate your actions. So, ask yourself, what is it that you always think about? Are you thinking thoughts that are obedient to God, that honor God, and are truths of God? Or are you thinking and focused on lies that lead you spiraling? It’s time to take inventory of what it is we are thinking about so we can stop being a prisoner to our thoughts.
Let’s pray:
Father God,
We love you, and we’re sorry for not guarding our minds and hearts as well as we should. You tell us in Proverbs 4:23 to “guard our hearts above all else.” In order to guard our hearts and minds, we must be aware of all the thoughts we are thinking on a daily basis. Forgive us for mindlessly going about our day and life without doing anything to protect what enters our minds. Please prompt us throughout the day, reminding us to be aware and alert about what we are thinking. Help us to surrender all the thoughts that come at us each day. Help us guard what we listen to, what we watch, and who we associate ourselves with that may be allowing thoughts that are against your Word to enter our minds and hearts. Reveal to us any thoughts we need to destroy in our lives. Teach us to always guard ourselves and to be alert to the enemy prowling around, seeking to destroy us. Thank you for this wisdom from your Word. Thank you for being a good Father and instructing us to live a life of peace with thoughts that are everlasting and fulfilling, not the thoughts of the world that are temporary and unfulfilling. Thank you that we have the power to cast down negative thoughts and bring them all to you so that we no longer have to be a prisoner to them.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Doucefleur
Alisha Headley is a writer + speaker who has a desire to meet the everyday woman in her everyday life with biblical truth. Stepping into her true calling, she left the corporate world behind as a former-financial VP to love on her family as a stay-at-home wifey + dog mama, while also being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Healing from a chapter of life consumed with lies she once believed about herself, she is inspired to point women to Christ to experience the freedom + power to overcome those lies with the truth written in God’s word. In her free time, Alisha enjoys road trips around the country, working out so she can eat her favorite foods, and creatively styling her outfits with a craft for fashion. Alisha is a proud wifey and dog mama living in Scottsdale, Arizona.
You can follow her blog by visiting her website or connect with her on facebook + instagram.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
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