Sunday Drive - Vain Imaginations

Vain imaginations....This is something I've been struggling with all week! But this tree in our backyard has been filling me with joy all week!💗

There isn't any "Webster's definition" for vain imaginations, but this is what I found.

Vain imaginations: worst-case scenarios that repeat over and over in your mind. Fearful, worrisome and anxious pictures we continuously roll through in our mind. An unfounded thought that lingers in your mind, repeating over and over. A false hope. Engaging in an internal argument with people.

Some of these vain imaginations can become so powerful in our mind, that we would swear that they were true.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5(MEV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 5 casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Vain imaginations start with one little thought... right then and there is where we need to take it captive! If left unchecked, it begins to form and grow and become a mental stronghold that is tougher and tougher to get rid of.

The thing we need to remember is that the Lord knows all of our thoughts. Yes, every single one of them.

Psalms 139:1-2(NLT)
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.

We are so very precious to Him and He cares about every one of our thoughts. In fact, His Word teaches us what we should be thinking on.

Philippians 4:8(NLT)
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I love this verse... it says 'fix', be purposeful, intentional, make your thoughts think on these things.

Thankfully, that's what I did this week. It was tough though... I kept having to do it over and over! At one point, I decided to just blast praise and worship music to force the thoughts to leave.

Nowhere does it say that taking thoughts captive would be easy. In fact, most of the time when you are trying to take something 'captive', there is a fight involved.

But again the Word of God, has given us armor for this war. 

Ephesians 6:16-17(NLT)
In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

These are only a few pieces of the armor of God, but they are so valuable in the fight against the enemy and our own vain imaginations.

Put on the helmet of salvation, hold up the shield of faith, and slay every vain imagination with the sword of the Spirit!

We are overcomers!

Blessings,
Lori