“Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a
Our desire as Christians should always be to fulfill the law of love. To be more like Jesus means that we are highly developed in our love walk and ability to forgive. When we are operating in the love of God, we view things differently. In order to develop and mature into this kind of love we must increase our time in the word of God. In addition, we must be very disciplined with our thought life. Developing this kind of mature love walk begins with our thought life. The thoughts that we allow eventually become feelings, and the feelings can eventually become actions. Some people believe they are unable to control their thoughts. However, the scriptures declare that we are well able to control our thoughts.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Notice that the scripture commands us to cast down EVERY thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. What is the knowledge of God? It is His promises as written in the scriptures. Therefore, if the word of God declares that you are healed by the stripes of Jesus (see Isaiah 53), then there should be no thought allowed to remain in your mind that says you are not. That is a thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It basically contradicts God’s Word. When the scriptures tell us that Christ was made poor that we might be made rich (See 2 Corinthians 8:9), then we are not to meditate on thoughts that tell us we are supposed to be poor or that we can never get ahead. Psalm 35:27 declares: “…Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.” Therefore, if a thought comes into our mind that tells us that God takes pleasure in our poverty, we are to cast that thought down and replace it with the truth of God’s word.
Phillipians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
The Apostle Paul was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, falsely accused and so much more; yet throughout it he was able to continue to praise God and speak life. This is not by accident. He was diligent to take control of his thought life. He was disciplined to cast down any contradictory thought that the enemy tried to throw at him, and replace it with Kingdom thinking. We are to meditate on the word day and night. (see Joshua 1:8). We are not to meditate on the wrong thoughts that go contrary to God’s word.
This is true when dealing with our relationships. Often if someone says a hurtful word or does something unkind, the tendency is to think on and rehearse that hurt time and again. However, that violates the law of love in the scriptures. Instead, we need to immediately arrest that impure thought and instead cast it down. Replace that thought with those things that are true, lovely, of good report and of praise. Pray for the person who did the wrong. Think the best of them, do not think evil about them. Too often Christians will be very critical of their brothers and sisters in Christ. They will often focus on what they are doing wrong. Instead, we need to follow after the law of love and think no evil about them. When we do this, our emotions and words will follow. Mathew 5:44: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you…”
To do this, we must control our thought life. If you meditate on an unkind thought about someone else, it becomes very hard to desire to bless them. Instead, the emotions get involved and out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth will speak. (See Luke 6:5)
The world has trained people since they were young to talk about what others are doing wrong and focus on their failings; to rehearse the wrong that has been done to them and to tell everyone about it. However, God does things differently. Love covers over a multitude of sins (see 1 Peter 4:8). We are commanded to forgive if we have ought against any. If you are having a hard time forgiving, then check your thought life. Become extremely disciplined as to what thoughts you allow into your mind. If you are having trouble controlling your thoughts, then speak to them. If your thought tells you something ungodly or impure, speak out the opposite instead. Speak life! “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it will eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21.
When you cast down wrong thoughts and choose your words wisely, you will find that you have the fruits of the spirit operating fully in your life. You will have the peace God and think more clearly. Decisions will become easier to make and you will hear God’s voice more clearly. The joy of the Lord will abound, and you will live a much more fulfilled life. Therefore, let’s make the quality choice to “think no evil”. Then watch as the blessings of God chase you down and overtake you! (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14) Get ready for the blessed life! Blessed thoughts birth a blessed life!
Further Reading: Romans 8:5-6, Galatians 5:13-25, Mathew 6:31-34, James 3, 1 Corinthians 13
