Chapter 16

The war for your thought life.

David referred to Goliath as an uncircumcised Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:36 says,

36 “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”

The term uncircumcised indicates a lack of blood covenant with God.

As we study this event with David and Goliath and relate it to the blood covenant, we will focus on one of our primary “uncircumcised enemies,” our thoughts. As you study this story, notice that Goliath was throwing “thought bombs” at the Israelites. He was producing fear and intimidation, while all the while Israel was in blood covenant with God. God was their warrior but they took Goliath’s words and believed them.

One of the biggest struggles in our walk with the Lord is overcoming false thought and belief systems. In our old nature our minds controlled us. Now, in our regenerated nature, our spirits are to be in control. We are to take our thoughts captive to the truth.

However, so often we succumb to our old unregenerated thoughts and often speak them. We hear a false thought message, receive it as truth, welcome the resulting emotion, and act upon it. Then our act becomes a habit, and eventually our habit becomes a satanic stronghold. Soon we have become prisoners to the enemy.

Our thought life can be the tool of the enemy.

In the last chapter we saw how the blood covenant dealt with storms and trouble coming with circumstances. Now we are going to see the blood covenant in action from another door that the enemy uses, perhaps the biggest one, our thoughts.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (Amplified Bible) says,

3 “For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing [high thing] that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) [The Word],

6 Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.”

Notice in the above Scripture, the weapons are to war against inordinate thoughts. Also notice that this Scripture refers to arguments which are imaginations and reasonings; they are thoughts that we obtain. It also refers to strongholds, which are thoughts that have become demonic fortresses. So many of these arguments and strongholds can be a result of our past life. But also notice that this Scripture refers to high things. High things are thoughts that have been originated by satanic beings, they are fiery darts aimed at our minds. The enemy wants us to take the thought, act upon it until it becomes a habit, and then he sits back until he can make it a stronghold.

Ephesians chapter 6 explains the idea of high things.

Ephesians 6:11-12 (KJV) says,

11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

A stronghold is a fortress of false knowledge that is believed on as truth.

I believe that the primary evidence and function of a stronghold in a person's life is that when a certain thought or event takes place related to that stronghold, that the person's stronghold short-circuits the will, and rational thinking, and causes a irrational reaction immediately before the person can even make a choice. It is like a "knee jerk" reaction, almost involuntary. I have seen Christians (and of course others) who actually could tell a lie and still pass a lie detector test. Their stronghold of deceit and lying had them believing their own lie, 2 Thessalonians 2:11. Anger is a very common stronghold.

The weapons referred to in 2 Corinthians 10 are weapons that are to protect our covenant rights of our “knowing” Him.

Notice in the Scripture quoted above from 2 Corinthians 10 that this warfare is against knowing God, or being intimate with Him, “…[T]hat sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God” (v.5).

Knowing God is everything.

Knowing is a word that suggests the most intimate personal contact, more than intellectual knowledge, a close personal knowing. It includes the ability to hear God's voice on a regular basis. But we are in a war for that. The war is in and for our mind. Our greatest task is taking our thoughts captive with the weapons God has given us.

Jesus has already defeated Satan at the Cross. He has already given us a complete blood covenant, which includes our rights to know Him. Our war is not to defeat Satan or to gain our rights to be close to God, but to simply to defend what our rightful inheritance is. Furthermore, Jesus is the mediator of the blood covenant. He is there to make sure that we receive the blood covenant privileges.

If you are disconnected from knowing God, you live as a mere Gentile in the futility of your mind. You can nullify everything He wants to give you in and through His intimacy. Your life will be a futile as an unsaved person.

Ephesians 4:17 says,

17 “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind.”

Ephesians 4:23 says,

23 “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.”

When you are knowing Jesus, present tense, you make Him alive here on earth and the devil's plans are thwarted. But if the devil can get control of your thoughts you will not know Jesus, and the devil’s plans can succeed. Remember Jesus said to some in Matthew 7:23, “I never knew you.”

Please know that I am not attempting to minimize the mercy and grace of God, the finished work of Jesus at the Cross by suggesting some sort of salvation by works program or legalism. I am not suggesting that God is sitting back to watch how well we perform. No! He did it all. However He also warned us that we would have to overcome, which is a term used in warfare. Our new birth is free. But our staying plugged into the life of God allows Him to make us whole, to use us for His glory and to bring His Kingdom purposes to this earth. That staying plugged in is the warfare needed to keep our thought life plugged into His Word and to resist Satan’s thought bombs. Satan’s task is to take over our thoughts so that he can unplug us from God’s life.

Knowing Him! The New Blood Covenant is about knowing Him.

The removal of sin is what allows us to know Him. Jeremiah prophesied it.

Jeremiah 24:7 says,

7 “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.”

Jeremiah 31:34 says,

34 “No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

It is confirmed in the New Testament.

Hebrews 8:6-12 says,

6 “But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.

8 Because finding fault with them, He says: ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah –

9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.'"

Paul prayed that the church would know and experience God.

Ephesians 3:16- 20 (Amplified Bible) says;

16 “May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,

18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];

19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams].”

Examples of damaging thoughts.

We can receive thoughts against the true character of God, against our true identity in Christ, and against others. This is exactly the opposite of Jesus’ command, which says we are to love the Lord our God with all of our mind, our thoughts.

Matthew 22:37-38 says,

37 “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

38 This is the first and great commandment.'"

Satan shoots thought bombs at us, which lie about the character of God, and against who we are in Christ.

Satan's thoughts often bring worry and fear, both of which cut off our knowing God. Perhaps some thoughts such as these will come.

“Shame on you, you are not good enough for God to move on your behalf. You have been too bad.”

“God is too busy for you, you will have to make this one on your own.”

“Did God really mean that ‘By His stripes you were healed?’”

“It is okay, God understands your ungodly habit. He understands your heart, so it is okay just to keep on and not repent.”

“This problem is just too big for me, and I cannot visualize God solving it. ”

“I can never be as good as those other people, I can never succeed like they do.”

"Others can hear God speak, but I cannot."

"There is no way I can obey what the Bible says about my money, and spending time in the Word."

These are just a few. You need to judge your thoughts by the Word of God. Remember, Satan inspired Eve to take his thoughts and doubt the Word of God.

The seed of negative thoughts often can come from a broken past.

Anger, fear, shame, rejection, poor self-esteem, helplessness, hopelessness, discouragement, and loneliness can all produce and/or be the result of negative belief systems, emotions, actions and strongholds. Many times we fall into these negative belief systems due to dysfunctional and/or broken relationships in our lives. If you have come from a family or a lifestyle that has had broken relationships, especially with the father, and/or if your forefathers have experienced broken relationships and have lived an ungodly life, then your belief system will default to “wrong” until your mind is renewed.

With this cycle we never really enjoy what God has for us. We do not glorify God, nor do we produce fruit for His Kingdom. Worse yet, if we do not “slay” these negative thoughts and seeds passed down to us, they can be our “Achilles heel.”

Potential for tragedy. Look at Solomon.

David’s son Solomon was called the wisest man. Certainly he was one of the wealthiest. God gave him the greatest wisdom. He wrote the Proverbs. Yet, because he would not deal with his thoughts of being unloved, he had over 1,000 wives and concubines, most of whom were idol worshippers. They caused him to worship the gods of Satan.

Dr. Mark Rutland, in a one of his teachings, called this a true tragedy. He used the definition of “tragedy” as one who falls from a high and lofty position unnecessarily. You are actually higher and loftier than Solomon because you are of the new creation race. Solomon was looking for love in the wrong places. Dr. Rutland stated that he did not believe that Solomon was lustful, but he was somehow hungry for love.

Many people attempt to “medicate” these feelings and emotions with the wrong prescription as Solomon did. Most often these are caused by some broken connection in your past. Perhaps they are caused by a bad or a non-existing relationship with your father. Maybe you have suffered rejection from loved ones or peers. It could even be from a generational curse coming down your family line that is just now popping its head up and you cannot figure out what happened!

How do we deal with negative and destructive thought patterns within the blood covenant?

Most of us have heard the David and Goliath story. Let us look at it again from the point of view of deliverance from our bondages that result from an undisciplined thought life.

Israel had been disobedient to God on an “on and off” basis. Saul was king. The Philistines were intimidating God’s people and they were afraid, even Saul was afraid.

In view of all of this there was at least one, little David the sheepherder, who understood something about the blood. He must have learned, at least in part, about the hand of the covenant God out in the field when he killed the lion and the bear. Most likely he killed them with his sling and a stone. That is no small feat. However, David had a way of hearing God and responding to Him (Psalm 23, 32, 51). We know that faith comes by hearing God speak. David had faith in the blood covenant with God. Let us take a lesson from David to slay our own Goliaths.

Remember, Israel had a blood covenant with God that promised that He would defeat their enemies. Their false belief system gave Goliath the door to curse them and instill fear.

David refused to use the arm of the flesh, Saul’s armour.

Saul represents the old nature, our flesh, our unregenerated “king.” One’s armor also represents a covenant item. When two enter into a blood covenant, they exchange armor. Most often we do not really turn our backs on the strength of our old flesh nature until we see it fail us. But David somehow knew that he already had Other Armor.

1 Samuel 17:38-39 says,

38 “So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail.

39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.’ So David took them off.”

David refused to be intimidated by Satan, Goliath. He trusted in the Word of God, in the covenant of blood.

How do we know that? He expressed his faith in the blood when he cried out in 1 Samuel 17:36 said, “Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God

I can guarantee you that Satan is active, alive and he is not without his plans to keep you in slavery and bondage! It is real! But look at what David said to Goliath!

1Samuel 17:45-46 says,

45 “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands.’”

David refused to be discouraged by his own family, Eliab his brother.

People within our families, and even the Body of Christ, may discourage us. These people who should be our cheerleaders, but due to their own bondages they attempt to bring us down to their level with discouragement.

1 Samuel 17:28 says,

28 “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, ‘Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.’”

David had the “name” of God.

He knew that God had given His name in blood covenant to Israel, and David understood the significance (See 1 Samuel 17:45 above). He knew that Goliath the Philistine did not have a covenant with God. The Philistines, in many respects, were better warriors, better cultured and stronger people. But that made no difference to David. He understood the value of the blood exchange, the blood covenant!

David used five smooth stones and his sling.

1 Samuel 17:40 says,

40 “Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones...”

Five is the number for grace.

Rocks and stones often refer to the Word. The Word of grace perhaps represents David’s choice of five smooth stones. Christ is often referred to metaphorically as the Stone or the Rock.

Acts 20:32 (KJV) says,

32 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

Luke 6:47-48 says,

47 “Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:

48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.”

David, unlike his brothers, had a personal relationship with God, which he developed while in the wilderness tending the sheep. He is the one who wrote Psalm 23. Certainly during his conversations with God, David learned about the blood covenant. Notice how David takes control of his thoughts in full view of potential danger and negative circumstances. David was speaking the Word of faith; he was slinging smooth stones at his thoughts.

Notice David's faith statements in Psalm 23.

Psalm 23:1-6 (KJV) says,

1 “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

Smooth stones.

David perhaps chose smooth stones, ones that had been through years of polishing in the river, because they were aerodynamic and would hit their mark with accuracy. Our polished stones are those Scriptures, which God has made real to us, those that have been polished in our meditation, memorization and study. We need to “polish” some stones, some of the Word, so that we may have our “smooth stones of grace” with which to fell our giant, demonic and negative thoughts.

Beware, apply the blood!

When you hear and receive a word, a seed is planted; that is a fact of life!

Thoughts become words then they bear fruit. Satan also plants thoughts, which become words.

Matthew 13:25 says,

25 “[B]ut while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.”

These thoughts and words eventually bear Satan’s fruit. Your old nature and Satan screams at you to speak out these thoughts. All this does is “water the seed.” This is a counterfeit for God’s process. We are to allow His Word to enter our heart, and then speak these out aloud. Many people go around looking for someone who will listen to their negative thoughts, always complaining. Do not rehearse your negative thoughts. Instead, take them to Jesus; take them to the Cross. How? Confess them to Jesus as a sin, be real with Him, and tell Him how you feel, but as you are speaking, make sure you let Him know that you know that these are inordinate thoughts. Thank Him for forgiving you and cleansing you.

Now you take the Word, your smooth stone, put it into the sling of your mouth, and speak it to your Goliath every time your thoughts begin to attempt to take over your life in a negative way.

Take your every thought captive. Do what the security people do at the airports. When they see a dangerous object in the X-ray machine, they stop it and take it captive. They say, "Access denied." The verb in the Scripture I used above 2 Corinthians 10:3 is lead. "and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ." When you sense and ungodly thought, lead it into captivity by beginning to speak God's Word and obey Him.

As ungodly thoughts come up, give them to God intentionally. But first, forgive those who may have originated your problem, forgive those who discourage you, and turn your back on your own fleshly power. Then watch your stone hit the giant and fell him. Then take the sword of the Spirit and cut Goliath’s head off!

In summary:

Jesus gave us the Blood Covenant that removes our sin. One of the main benefits of that is that we may have a knowing of Him, an intimacy. When we are in the present tense of knowing Him, His power works in us, for us and for others in the world. Satan knows that our thought life can keep us from the power of God; therefore that is where he concentrates his “big guns.”

What are some warfare disciplines?

Keep your mind stayed on the Word of God. Meditate on the Word. Keep a habit an honest confession pouring out your heart to the Lord. Keep the Word coming out of your mouth. Practice a life of praise, worship and thanksgiving. Repentance from an ungodly lifestyle or habit will lift the veil of our misunderstanding of the Word of God, and will make the Word alive to your mind and heart (2 Corinthians 3:16).

The armor of God is in Ephesians chapter 6.

1. Stand against the devil. This means to protect your position of victory.

2. Gird your waist with truth. Always demand of yourself truth and integrity in your lifestyle. You will reap whatever you sow. Therefore always be truthful and repent of any deceit, otherwise you will not hear God speaking the truth.

3. Breastplate of righteousness. Knowing our righteousness and who we are in Him. Continually studying and confirming that issue.

4. Shod your feed with the preparation of the Gospel of peace.

5. Above all take up the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts. Faith comes by the Word.

6. Helmet of salvation. This is to protect your mind. Meditate in the Word, as the Bible says, day and night.

7. The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Speak the Word out loud.

8. Praying always in the spirit, being watchful with perseverance and supplication. Praying for extended periods of time in the Holy Spirit is very powerful. It will bring supernatural results into your life!!

Now, follow the warfare path of David to break your old unregenerated thought pattern. Become a covenant thinker! The result of a successful battle is peace. Take advantage of the time of peace to practice the presence of God through the Holy Spirit within you.