Summer 1991

Food for Thought
Wade E Taylor

"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" II Cor 10:4-5.

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil 2:5.

Our thought life should be centered in, and occupied with, that which is worshipful towards the Lord, and edifying. The "set" of our spirit should be toward strengthening our witness to others, and encouraging spirituality. However, some of us have allowed the enemy to rob us of our spiritual inheritance through a lack of mental discipline, which results in our faith being destroyed.

Many Christians have a problem with allowing their mind to wander into the realm of imagination. This may be the result of a withdrawal from reality when very real circumstances become too difficult to face. Some years ago, while visiting a mental hospital ward, I noticed a patient sitting in the corner of the room, staring at the wall. I remarked that this seemed a complete waste of time. I was told that he was quite happy, living a very full life. He had withdrawn from reality and created his own set of life circumstances. These were completely imaginary and led to nothing.

When we are forced to face a very difficult situation, we are capable of creating a self-exalting, satisfying solution which is lived out in our imagination. To allow this to develop in our mind and then feed upon it, will lead us into a proliferation of vain imaginations that may, in time, take control our lives and rob us of reality. We must be careful to discipline our minds to function only in reality.

Imaginations can rob us of all that the Lord intends for us. We must be very careful about withdrawing into some idealistic imagery when reality seems to have become an enemy. There are many things we desire, but cannot have. Our tendency is to move our imagination into these areas and live as though we possessed these things. The repeating of this process will create and establish within our soul an inner pathway which will lead us toward the destruction of the spiritual reality which the Lord desires to bring to maturity within us.

All of these "patterns" or "paths" which have been built within us must be dealt with, and submitted to the cross for crucifixion. Some of us have allowed these vain, or false imaginations to extensively affect our life style. Many of us have, at one time or another, given some ground to the enemy in our thought lives. Any ground that the enemy has taken from us in the area of our imagination must be quickly retaken and dedicated to the Lord.

If we fail to do this, our inability to properly relate to reality will be noticed, and in time, adversely affect our relationship to the Lord, and to others. By the grace of God we can withdraw from any imaginary pattern of experience and deal, in a positive way, with the very real and tangible things which we were seeking to avoid. Our thought patterns must relate to reality.

It is all too easy for any one of us to "day-dream," or to idealize our frustrations and struggles. This is not a healthy pre-occupation. In any area of our being, when the enemy offers us some kind of a self satisfying illusion, we ought to rebuke it, then come back to reality and face things exactly as hey are. We are not to imagine our way through a situation. Rather, we are to deal with it openly. We will become healthy and strong, both spiritually and mentally if we will do this.

Life can be, and usually is, very difficult. It is exceedingly important that we place the Lord as the head of our circumstances, and then remain open to Him in their outworking. He never promised us an easy way through. Rather, He promised to enable us to become overcomers. Vain imaginations will rob us of our ability to face problems and become an overcomer

Most of us, in some measure, are limited in our abilities. By a divine arrangement, we were created to be dependent, not independent. There is a higher power whom we are to acknowledge. We do not have the grasp, or the hold on things that we can easily imagine we do. The temptation is ever present within us to try to work out our own destiny, apart from God. Since we cannot do this, we are tempted to move into the area of imaginations and create our own destiny, which in time will lead us to our own destruction.

Let us enthrone Jesus as Lord over our minds. Only then will He be able to guide us through each circumstance that we face. He is the Lord of reality.