S) "10 Thus says the Lord GOD, 'It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan,'"
Ezekiel 38:10 (NASB)
O) The audience of this message was Gog, of Magog. The LORD was going to use them in war against His people. This opening line gives us a little bit of insight to the dynamic of thought, and our responsibility, although some of this verse remains undefined. God is predicting, foretelling what will happen with certainty. This is not the same as causation, though. This is something of a real life spoiler. God does not specify the origin of the thoughts that will come into Gog's mind. Considering that this fulfillment would accomplish God's will, it is conceivable that God put the thoughts there Himself. It is possible also, that the thoughts were put in his mind by the devil, tempting him. It is also possible that the thought came to him from other evil men suggesting thoughts to him. Whatever the case, notice that those tempting thoughts were not called evil. It wasn't until God says he devised a plan, that it was defined as evil.
A) Thoughts may come from a variety of places, and I am not necessarily at fault in them. However, the moment I take those thoughts and devise plans… that is the seed of temptation bringing fruit of sin. My responsibility is to carefully consider the thoughts that occur to me, regardless of their origin. This is the same concept as taking a thought "captive" (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). I must be vigilant. Thoughts can bombard me from every angle. Every sense can be used to plant seeds of thought. So, I must be on guard, to keep careful watch. I must be prayerful, asking my Lord to expose hidden parts of my heart that I cannot see clearly. Finally, when I do recognize those seeds (and the sooner the better), I must expose them to the light. I must confess them for what they are - not confessing that I've done something wrong, but confessing the truth of the situation- so they can be rooted out. I can then effectively ask for prayer, because I can be transparent and specific, without fear. The earlier I can confess those thoughts, refusing to give them ground in my heart to take root, the more healthy my heart will be.
P) Father, I need Your help in this. Your perfection is impossible for me alone. But, I know that I'm not alone, You are with me. I can be holy, because You are holy. I want to keep a clean heart, fully devoted to You. Help me to guard my mind and my thoughts. When I am confronted, when I am afflicted with thoughts that do not bring You glory and honor, help me to recognize them as toxic, and immediately take steps to get rid of them. Give me courage to confess them for what they are, and seek out the faithful prayers of other men, who also have Your glory and honor in mind. Open my eyes to see Your truth of every situation. Speak to me, Holy Spirit, and give me the wisdom I need to walk in righteousness. All to Your glory. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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