This has slipped into the teaching of Christianity, and people still today are walking around in denial, thinking that eliminating all negative thoughts from their life will cause them to rise up and prosper somehow.
Look through the old testament in the book of Psalms. David was a man after God's own heart. He always acknowledge he was going through problems and issues, but in faith he would end his Psalm with a statement of faith that God would deliver him in spite of his problems and circumstances. We don't see anywhere in the Bible where he denied that Saul was trying to kill him, or that he confessed over and over that he was going to be King. He didn't use the power of his mind, by rejecting negative thoughts or speech, to overcome in life, he used the power of his faith.
In the new testament Paul says:
2 Corinthians 6:3Giving no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed:
4But in all things presenting ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;
6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned,
7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
10As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Does Paul deny that being an Apostle brings on many hardships and challenges? No he acknowledges the hardships, but he also concludes that in spite of the hardships they are rejoicing, and possessing all things.
You see when bad times come the enemy wants to throw your life into a downward spiral of fears, depressions and anger, so that these things consume you. What does faith, hope, love, grace, and the promises of God do? It helps us find a place of peace, and rest in the midst of our troubles, so that we don't get so out of balance in life that the negative IS ALL THAT we see.
I have a daughter that is multi-handicapped. It would be wrong to go through life never acknowledging the struggles, or the issues, or the fact that she is disabled. There are times when a good cry, or the comforting words of a good friend was just what I needed at the time to help me deal with the issues. Yet, no matter what we face, I know that God has his hand upon her, and I see her getting better each day. If I don't keep my mind on God's love, God's provision, the hope of His Word and faith in His provision the circumstances would throw me completely into depression, frustrations, and anger. Why is it important that fears, depressions, angers, frustrations and the like not completely rule your inner man?
It is because they Holy Spirit flows like a river through your soul.
John 7:38 He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.
When we are consumed by anger, fears, depressions and frustrations ( and others dark things like these) this will block the flow of the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives! Have you ever felt like you were cut off or blocked from the flow of the Spirit because the Spirit of God was not flowing inside of you? This is because worries, angers, fears, jealousy, (and things like this) are blocking the flow of God from your life.
We must bring our inner being back to a place of peace and rest and then the Holy Spirit can flow through us and help us ABIDE in that place of peace and rest, to maintain that rest in God.
How do I come to a place of peace and rest? I do so by focusing on faith, hope, love, grace (and the things of the Spirit)
You don't have to live in the darkness of depressions, anxieties, fears, angers, frustrations and inner restlessness...you can walk in the light by focusing your inner being on good things the Bible says:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
You will change the world on the inside of you, before you change the world on the outside of you. You must find a place of peace and rest through Christ Jesus before the Holy Spirit can flow inside of you. When you allow depression, fears, angers, jealousy, frustrations (and things like this) to rule inside your heart and mind you block the flow of God from your life then everything changes, not for the better, but for the worse.
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