How Could I Think Such Terrible Thoughts?
In his book, The Great Deceiver, Dr. Copley tells about a woman who was given up as hopeless by her psychologist. She had read every book she knew of about biblical counseling yet she was plagued with terrible thoughts about killing others and killing herself.
He tells about the breakthrough that happened in one of their sessions. Dr. Copley told her to go punch the prayer partner who was sitting in on the counseling session. He told her to punch him in the mouth with all her might.
She glared at him and said, "I won't do that!"
"Do what?" Dr. Copley asked.
"I won't punch him in the mouth." She replied.
Dr. Copley asked, "Have you been thinking about punching him in the mouth? Where did that come from? What an awful, horrible person you must be to think such a thing!" Dr. Copley got up to leave in indignation. She yelled, "Just a minute! You put the thought in my mind, and now you are accusing me of thinking it!
Then it clicked; she understood that those murderous hateful thoughts were not hers. The enemy was planting them in her mind and then pointing out to her how wicked she was for having them there.
From The Great Deceiver p. 43 by Dr. Kenneth Copley
Used by permission
A quick prayer to reject wrong thoughts
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I take charge of my thinking and reject that thought of ______________, I bring all my thinking into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ and choose to believe the truth as revealed in the Scriptures.
If you have any question as to the origin of a thought, ask yourself what effect the thought has on you. Does it edify you or upset you? If the effect is disturbing, it is not from God or from yourself (unless you are living out of the will of God). If it were from God you would know.
How to Renew Your Mind
You must name the fantasies, imaginations, and attitudes that you want to get rid of. To say, "I want to be a better Christian," or, "I want to be more joyful," will not do. Generalities are not good. Specifics are needed.
I assume that you know the sins in your life that won't budge. If you have never done it before, now is the time to identify them. Take a sheet of paper and jot down the thought patterns that have to go. The world, the flesh, and the devil do not surrender without a struggle.
"Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11 Rather than memorize verses at random, take your list of troublesome thought patterns and find verses of Scripture that speak directly to them.
Introduction to Spiritual Warfare Course 1 pp. 56-57
