The long debate of which came first, the chicken or the egg, happens if we don’t believe that God created all creatures. As Christians or Christ-followers, we are choosing to believe God’s word as the truth for us to live by. According to God’s word, our bodies and our minds were made first. Therefore, our thoughts came before our words.
Why Does It Matter?
Why is this important, you may be asking? The fact that our thoughts come before our words show us that we choose the words we speak. We must also know that we will be held accountable by Jesus for the hurtful words we don’t repent for before we see him face to face.
Our words reveal what is in our minds. “As someone thinks within himself, so he is.” (Prov 23:7 PASS) In Bible Gateway, I looked up how many verses contain the following words. Here are the results. Thoughts: 107; Mind: 262; Think 289; and Tongue: 148. These results show us how important it is for us to know and evaluate what we think BEFORE we speak.
How Can the Bible Help You Today?
The apostle Paul, who started out persecuting Christians to the extreme of death, before Jesus revealed his sins on the road to Emmaus, knows the importance of his thoughts. Throughout the Bible, Paul wrote thirteen to fourteen of the books in the New Testament, which contain messages about the importance of our thoughts. Here are a few verses that have helped me let Jesus transform my thoughts to be more like his.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col 3:2 ESV)
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor 10:5 NIV)
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. (Phil 4:8 NLT)
When we choose to follow Jesus, we choose to surrender our mind, thoughts, heart, and words to him. As we study God’s word and let Jesus transform our mind and heart, our thoughts and words will mirror his love. Our transformation in faith is a life-long journey.
What You Must Do to Change Your Thoughts and Words
Our choice to follow Jesus is a choice to grow in a deep personal relationship with him every day. Our faith is not to accept him and to wait for him to automatically make us like him. Jesus is not our genie to command. Every person in the Bible who had a deep relationship with God or Jesus developed it over time.
Our faith requires our participation. We are responsible for learning about our salvation and our new identity in Christ. If we expect to automatically think and speak like Jesus, after accepting him into our lives, we do not understand God’s definition and design of our faith. Jesus gave us everything, and now it’s our turn to love and honor him by giving him every aspect of ourselves as we walk hand in hand with him every day.
Trust, Believe, and Follow God’s Thoughts for You
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer 29:11 KJV)
When you choose to live as a Christ-follower, you are choosing to believe the scriptures of God. It means you trust that God is good, and His thoughts toward you are of peace. This may be hard for many of you, as it was for me, because of my difficult and hurtful relationship with my earthly dad. Remember, God is perfect. Invite him to show you his heart, character, and unconditional love as you get to know him through his word, as you praise him, and as you pray.
No matter where you are in your faith walk and maturity, it is critical that you understand you have the power of life or death in your words. You are responsible, and you will be held accountable, so choose wisely.
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. (Prov 18:21-22 NLT) Choose your thoughts and your words that would make Jesus smile, and you will choose life!
If you struggle with your thoughts, words, and actions, download my FREE Empowering Proclamations!
