4 Ways to Conquer the Serpent of Doubt in the Garden of our Minds

 

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

I love spring and summer because I don’t like to be cold. But warmer weather entices the creeps, which means snakes in the woods, to venture out. They slither through yards and gardens and no matter how beneficial some of them may be, I simply do not like these critters. Because the present season now allows me to plant flowers and vegetables, I constantly peer through every blade of grass on the lookout for something crawling toward me.

The serpent that appeared to Eve in the Garden of Eden wasn’t scary because fear didn’t exist yet and this snake apparently was a beautiful creature at that time. Eve conversed with this reptile as if talking to a snake was no big deal. Rather than acting surprised that she heard a voice, she conversed with a serpent.  

Adam and Eve fellowshipped with God and He gave them everything they needed for physical enjoyment and nourishment. They lacked nothing.

Then the subtle creature appeared with lies and deception.

Whispered words through the leaves of a tree that held beautiful, tasty food.

The words that went into Eve’s mind caused her to doubt the words her Creator had said.

She saw the fruit, she touched the fruit, and she believed the lie. She took a bite and mankind fell. All because of doubt.

Because the first people God created sinned, Jesus had to come to earth and fix what they messed up. Satan also appeared to the Son of God and tempted Him in a wilderness. Jesus had no resources except the Word of God. Scripture overcame doubt for Him.

Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment with every need met. God had given His Word but they didn’t believe Him. They submitted to emotions and their beautiful garden fell into chaos and also affected the rest of mankind. All they needed to do was the same thing Jesus did. Repeat what God said and the snake would have disintegrated.

We face the same battles our predecessors in Eden did and the same ones our Savior endured. Thorns of doubt sneak in and wrap around the mind like a python and squeeze our thoughts in confusion with every suggestion from the enemy.

We will never experience the same spiritual agony our Savior did in Gethsemane, but doubt produces the pain of unbelief. Unbelief cuts away the intimacy with our Father and we are vulnerable to temptation.

What can we do when the same slithery creep appears in our thoughts? 

These 4 steps can help us conquer the serpent in the garden of our minds.

1. Think Good Thoughts – We can’t entertain doubtful thoughts and expect to walk in faith.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8 NKJV)

When a thought of doubt enters our minds, we need to immediately replace the thought with what God said. Writing down Scripture gives easy and quick access to answers.

2. Thank God for His promises – God doesn’t lie, and He keeps His promises. He has kept his promises since the beginning. Any failures have been on the refusal of humans to follow Him.

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:17-18)

3. Take Time to Study the Word – Doubt creeps in when we are weak and hungry. When we are physically hungry, we are physically weak. The same is true in the soulish realm. When we have neglected our Bible study time, we are weak and vulnerable to temptation.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

4.  Trust God’s Truth  – Revive our hearts with the truth about God and we can be set free. Media and opinions that flow around us can sway our hearts if we don’t adhere to what God said as absolute truth.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

No matter what season we are in, spiritual snakes will continue to harass us. Our ability to resist the forked tongue of unbelief depends upon our appetite for the correct food. Not the food of disobedience like Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, but the food from the tree of life given only by Christ.

What are some of your favorite Scriptures to feed on when temptation to question God’s Word threatens your mind? 

 4 ways to conquer the serpent of doubt in the garden of our minds (click to tweet)

How Do We Take Every Thought Captive?

 

by Barbara Latta

More than once in the Bible we are commanded to watch our thoughts. Why? Because our thoughts produce words which eventually evolve into actions.

Depressing thoughts lead to more depression, angry thoughts can escalate into violence, and assumptions that thrive can lead to misjudgments.

With all the negative, suspicious, vile images, and words that surround us in our lives, how can we take every thought that crosses our minds captive?

What does it mean to take thoughts captive?

3 Keys to Controlling the Tongue

by Barbara Latta

Eyes may be the windows of the soul, but the mouth is the door that releases the soul’s contents.

3 Keys to Controlling the Tongue

Paul’s instruction to us under the influence of the Holy Spirit is, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:6 NKJV).

Most of us grew up hearing taunts spit at us by other children on the playground. The usual response would be “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” While that sounds like a clever retort, nothing could be further from the truth. A wound made by a stick or stone can heal and later is forgotten, but words can stab at our hearts leaving a painful opening in our soul.

Wounded people wound others, and this can cause us to form barriers against relationships and violent responses can be the result. We can apologize for thoughtless comments, but the hurtful words remain behind and can’t be taken back.

Here are 3 keys we can use to control our words:

1. Control Thinking—Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.” Our speech will reflect what has been going on in our minds.
2. Be Prepared—2 Timothy 4:2 tells us to preach the word and be ready in season and out of season. If God is our focus, His words are what we will speak.
3. Practice Discipline—James 4:6 says our tongue can defile our body. Controlling our speech requires discipline, but if restraint is our goal we have completed the first step. It will take practice, but if we will start small by thinking before we open our mouths, we are on the road to successfully keeping our tongue under wraps.

Wars have been started because of words. Peace has been accomplished through the spoken or written word. History has been altered because of rash, impulsive comments and treaties signed when control was exerted.

Roy Williams, University of North Carolina basketball coach, said, “Words start wars and end them, create love and choke it, bring us to laughter and joy and tears. Words cause men and women to willingly risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Our world, as we know it, revolves on the power of words.”

Not only do we need to watch our words to others, we need to speak positively over ourselves. When we put ourselves down we poison our soul and start to doubt God’s power in our lives.

Focusing more on what God says will redirect thinking which will also redirect what comes out of the mouth.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

3 keys tocontrolling the tongue (click to tweet)

Taking Inventory of Life's Goals - Using Fall Harvest to Plan Ahead

by Barbara Latta

Taking inventory of life's goals - using fall harvest
to plan ahead.

Fall is a time of harvesting fruits and vegetables that were planted during the late summer months. Apple trees blush with red-ripened fruit and pansies bloom among pumpkins, cabbages, broccoli. Farmers are cutting hay and binding it into bales to support their animals in the winter season.

The produce filling barns and baskets is a result of planting seeds. Without seeds there would be no abundance and our fall and winter tables would suffer.

As the year comes to a close, we will soon begin holiday preparations and our minds turn to baking cookies, buying gifts and roasting turkey. With all these schedule fillers, our thoughts don’t think about spiritual matters the way we should.

But this is a good time to scrutinize life’s harvest for the past months. If the output is not what we want, the yield can change by starting now to plant new seeds.

Taking inventory can be done by answering these questions about the past year:

Did I reach the goals I made at the beginning of 2017? If not, it’s not too late to start the list over. Setting goals doesn’t have to be done at the start of the year. Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6 NKJV).

Do I like the attitudes I am harboring now? Inspect thoughts and find out where any bad seeds have been planted and root them out. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things (Philippians 4:8).

Introspection now can bloom with
ideas for next year.

Did I influence as many people as I wanted to this year for the kingdom of God? Then he said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

I have to answer all three of these questions with no. I don’t have the harvest I want, but introspection now can bloom with new goals and dreams when I am ready to start a new list.

My harvest now can be fertile ground for next year’s planting if I rip out the bad seeds that have started to grow before they take root.

And above all, if goals have not been met and the fruit of attitudes is not what you want, don’t succumb to guilt. God doesn’t beat us up over failures. He just gives us a new day to start again. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

How do you handle your harvest? Please share your thoughts and plant a seed in another person’s life with your ideas.

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Taking inventory of life's goals (click to tweet)

Using fall harvest to plan ahead for next year (click totweet)