2 Corinthians 10:3 - 5 (NKJV) for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 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,
Does Satan exist? Yes. He has been around since he was thrown out of heaven; he just stays out of sight, but not out of your mind, he is just waiting to see, if you let him come into your mind. I should say into your thoughts.
While Satan cannot read our minds, he can influence our thoughts. Thus, the Bible instructs us to “put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11).
Satan wants you to believe that you’re the only one who has this problem and that you can’t gain victory over it. However, these beliefs are false. We are overtaken by temptations that are common to all Christians (see I Corinthians 10:13), but in Christ we have victory over the destructive power of impure thoughts that come into your mind. (See Romans 6:22 and 8:2.) By God’s grace, as you follow His plan, you can conquer impure thoughts that come into your mind.
When an impure thought comes into your mind, you are induced to take pleasure in that. This is what Satan uses to tempt you. He likes to put an impure thought in your mind. Sometimes we like the thought and crave to retain it in our mind. Sometimes you induced yourself into thinking more similar thoughts and seek to find pleasure in them. If you do so, you are committing sin.
We need to keep in mind that any temptation is just an urged towards sin. When we entertain the impure thought we may be in danger of yielding to it, and it is when we act on them that it becomes a sin. We must resist immoral thought, through Christ who gives us the strength to do away with them.
Often what happens is, even when we try to erase an impure thought from our mind, it stays. Therefore we think we have sinned. It is only when we decide wholeheartedly to retain that impure thought in our mind and to think more and more of it that we really commit sin. Therefore, even if impure thoughts linger in our minds for a long time, if we don't yield to them, we are not committing sin.
If we give room for impure thought, and we are slightly sluggish in dismissing them, and we are not making adequate efforts to remove the impure thoughts. Then we may be in danger of committing sin. We must remember that when we harbor impure thoughts, it gives Satan a chance to try to make us sin.
Sometimes the impure thought is more difficult to control than actually committing the sin itself. We must trust in Jesus Christ and the power of his might to help us overcome any impure thought.
When impure thoughts come into our minds that cause us to doubt Gods love and provision for every need or the needs of others, thoughts involving acts of sin such as worry, fear, envy, bitterness, discouragement, lust, pride, lying, and anger we need to talk to a Christian brother or sister for help.
They can pray for you and gave you support to overcome the impure thoughts lingering in your mind. You don't want an impure thought to stay in your mind. We must learn to turn our impure thoughts over to Jesus.
Some of us may have been deceived into thinking that sin lies in having an ungodly thought flash through our minds. We may feel defeated and helpless because we do not understand that the thought in itself is not a sin. It is what we do with our thoughts that it's important for if it remains in our mind it may lead to sin.
We are not responsible for the thoughts coming into our mind, unless we are exposing ourselves to situations that will put that thought in our mind. But we are responsible for controlling the thought. Doubt, anxiety, anger, and nervousness can show up disturbing our physical and spiritual rest, but we are not helpless in the face of defeating thoughts. We are born again Christians we walk by faith and not by sight.
Keep these truths in mind:
You will never face a temptation that is impossible to overcome. (I Corinthians 10:13.)God is eager to give you all the grace you need to reject the temptation. (Hebrews 4:16.)God promises to give you wisdom, but you must ask for it in faith. (James 1:6–8.)
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