STAGES BEFORE A FALL – THOUGHT STAGE

Some years ago, a young lady walked into the church, and I gave her a warm hug. Right after I hugged her, the Holy Spirit asked me, “Why did you hug her?” (By the way, when the Holy Spirit asks a question, the answer flashes right before you in a moment)

It struck me immediately that the moment I saw her, I had nursed a thought to hug her. Did you notice a pattern? I saw her. I thought to hug her. 

Right after the eye stage is the thought stage. At the thought stage, the seed of whatever temptation you are facing is about to be sown into your heart. The battle here is real. You must not allow the thought to land, let alone settle into your mind. 

The error of Judah progressed with a thought he did not deal with on time:

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face.

Genesis 38:15 NKJV

One of the strategic ways the devil gains ground in the life of men is through careless thoughts that were not dealt with. If the devil succeeds in sowing a seed of strange thought, he will come back to look for the harvest. 

When it comes to the realm of strange thoughts, you have the right to be a thought assassin. Be violent with strange thoughts. Apostle Paul told us to deal with it decisively: 

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

II Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV

Bring the thoughts into the obedience of Christ. Stray thoughts will lead you astray. Do not let him use the eye gate to have access to the mind gate. 

When it comes to battling thoughts, the scriptures become militant: 

You are meant to “guard” your mind with all “vigilance”

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

Proverbs 4:23 AMPC

You are meant to hold strange thoughts captive until they submit to the Lordship of Christ. 

When it comes to your mind, be militantly brutal. Deal with military decisiveness. Your precision must be one hundred percent. Hesitation can mean defeat. Do not let nonsense stay. 

Deal with it preventively. Let the word of God be in your mind already as an anti-virus before the thought lands on your mind at all. Your word-soaked mind will not allow such a thought to survive. The word environment chokes the strange thought immediately. Prevention is always cheaper than cure. 

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

Psalms 119:9-11 NKJV

Some songs also programme your mind for sin. In my teenage years, porn was called “blue film,” and a category of songs was also called “blues.” They set you in a mood for nonsense. Deal with it. Use military precision! 

Do you see why we are kitted in God’s armour? This is a military affair. Wear your sword. Take your shield. Boots on. Belt tightened. Bullet-proof Vest of Righteousness. Helmet fitted. Mount guards. Shoot down stray thoughts. Take down strange thoughts. 

That is how we deal with the devil and his foot soldiers – strange and stray thoughts. 

© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa