Booklet # 2: Dealing with Destructive Thoughts

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Each of us have the experience where all of a sudden we realize we are a little down ... Very often the cause for this is taking in some form of destructive thought.  These fearful thoughts often come through TV shows, books, memories, or by something said by another person.  Since they trouble us we don't want to think about them, so too often we "sweep them under the rug" to get them out of our minds only to have a depressed feeling surface later.

In the Bible we have scriptures telling us how to deal with troubling thoughts.  And if we will deal with these in a spiritual way immediately, we will not suffer as we do when we try to ignore these thoughts which trouble us.  But it takes a diligence to deal with destructive thoughts.


Part 1:  Taking Thoughts Captive

We have to do what Paul instructed in the following scripture:

Phil. 4:6 ... Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

The first step is to turn to God with the trouble area and pray.  Let your requests in the matter be made known unto God.  What would you like God to do in your behalf?

Phil. 4:7 ... 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

When we fail to deal in a spiritual way with negative thoughts, we may end up "forsaking our own mercy."  Job. 2:8 ... They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Example:  Recently I wrote something as a teaching example.  It was something that happened with another person.  Although I have no reason to think this person would ever read anything I would write, still there was a fearful thought.  "What if he sees this.  He might be angry that I wrote this."  (Although I did not use his name, he would know it was what he did.)

Immediately I began praying.  I asked God not to let this hurt this man in any way.  It was not written to hurt anyone but rather to give the church an example of how things can go wrong if you follow the wrong spirit which I'm persuaded this man had done in this case.

James 4:7 ... Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

We submit ourselves to God in prayer as we take the problem to God.

If we are reminded of a scripture after prayer, we "stand" on that scripture, building our faith on that scripture, thereby resisting the devil with the word God has given us in the matter after we pray.  And we have the promise that the devil will flee from us.

Often after prayer when we are reminded of a scripture to help us, we can just sit and think about that scripture and what it is saying to us.  Thus we "fill our house" with that scripture by thinking on that scripture.

Devils will not want to move into our house when it is being kept filled with the word of God.

Mt. 12 ...  43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there:and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Many of the destructive thoughts that come to us are from spirits of the devil.  And those spirits will bring thoughts which are opposite to God, thus the thoughts are "anti" Christ, opposite to the Word of God.

Paul explains:  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)  5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  II Cor. 10

When something troubles people of the world they use fleshly ways to deal with the trouble.  Some clean out closets.  Some go shopping.  Some pick up phone and share their troubles with another person. These people "war after the flesh".

But our weapons are "mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds."  Brick by brick, as we pray over the situation, and as we focus on scripture given us by the Holy Spirit, we remove that wall that has been built over the years by this type of problem.

"Casting down imaginations" ...  Haven't we often been troubled over nothing?  Sometimes these imaginations can eat up our lives and cause us to be in a type of paralyses.  But we have a secure weapon if we will use it.  When we belong to God we have access to the power of God which never fails.  All we have to do is turn to God in prayer and pour out our hearts to God in prayer.    And Paul says when we do this, the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  We place our faith in what God gives us on the matter at hand, what God calls to our mind after we pray.

Sometimes I can even feel the weight lift from my shoulders after I pray when I have been troubled over something.

And there are many "high sounding thoughts" that come exalting themselves against the knowledge we have of God.  These are "anti-Christ" ... opposite to the word of God.  Nevertheless these are troubling thoughts and must be dealt with through prayer.

Our first way of escape is to STOP ... AND PRAY ...as soon as we realize we are troubled or feeling a little "down".

Sometimes we remember to pray over the "big" things ... but ignore the "little" things ...

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.  
Song of Solomon 2:15

It is important to take those little things that trouble us to God also.

in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Phil. 4:6

When we fall asleep and let the troubles pile up without prayer, we put ourselves in danger.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith,  I Peter 5

One of the aspects of "pure religion" in the sight of God is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world.

James 1:27 ...Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit (judge) the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

This is all a part of taking thoughts captive to bring them into obedience of God.


Part 2:  Examples of Dealing with Destructive Thoughts

A woman from my high school sent me a birthday card.  In that card, she wrote and told me about her children and her grandchildren and all their plans for holiday and she told me about her husband.  (I have no children of my flesh, nor grandchildren, nor husband.)

Even before I could feel depressed, the Holy Spirit said to me:  "You are dead and your life is hid in Christ." 

I shouted:  "That's right!"  (I was so excited and thrilled with this information.) 

Col. 3 ... 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

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Sometimes destructive thoughts can even be silly and humorous they are so absurd.  This happened to a church friend many years ago.  She was a magnificent singer.  People like her protected their voices at all times.  One day she was in her car at stop sign and the thought came, "Wouldn't a cigarette taste good right now?"  She sat there for a few seconds "entertaining" that thought and then came alive and literally screamed, "NO ... a cigarette wouldn't taste good right now."  (She had never smoked a cigarette in her entire life.)

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Most destructive thoughts are far more serious and bring fear or dread.

Dread is a very important matter which must be dealt with each time it surfaces.

To dread means:  uneasiness in face of something ahead

It is so very important to commit the issue to God in prayer when we dread something that lies ahead.  Sometimes we are going in a wrong way and God will lead us to make changes to completely remove the planned event.  We have to be willing to change.  Even when we have given our word to someone, if we dread that which lies ahead, we might need to get out of the situation.  Two scriptural examples are as follows.


Prov. 6 ... My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.  4Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Mt. 14 ... At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,  2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.  3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. 4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.  7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. 9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. 10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 

Herod didn't want to behead John the Baptist but "for the oath's sake" he did behead John the Baptist.  How much better had he just backed down from his oath, from his own word, and refused to do this evil.

There are times it is better to cancel the dreaded meeting or event when possible.

Only through asking God, can we be assured in what we should do in such cases

Here is an example I had many years ago of "dread" ...

I had closed my business in Dallas because I was persuaded I was to go into the ministry.  But I had no where to go.  For six-months I lived off the money from the sale of the business merchandise.  I stayed at my apartment and read Bible during this time.

A job opened at Christ for the Nations school in Dallas.  I prayed, of course, and seriously considered the job.  It was Dean of Women at the college.  But I found I just didn't want to go there.  (dread) 
At one point the thought came, "You just don't want to be that far away from Neiman-Marcus (a department store)"  That was so silly.  I hardly ever went to Neimans and rarely purchased anything there.  I knew the devil was trying to get me to take that job.  I declined the job and continued staying at home with no prospects for employment but I did have money from my business and had no lack.

About a month later, God awoke me in the night with what I believe to have been the loud voice of an angel with the words:  Hartford, Seattle, KWJS ... This caused me to go on radio and within a week of hearing this word I was broadcasting exhortations on radio station KWJS.  Within the year, I was on radio from east coast to west coast of USA.  This was the plan of God for me and not Christ for the Nations where the dread was.

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Here is a wonderful example of working through dread by turning to God.  This is a report from Pam Padgett, in our church group and a teacher to body of Christ.

Pam says ...    Many years ago when I first started going to college, God showed Himself strong on my behalf. My older sister had been at college two years when I started attending the same school.  She dated a man who was a member of a fraternity, and had become a member of the fraternity's "women's auxiliary", assisting with fraternity social functions.  She was very excited for me to join the social circles she was in, and especially wanted me to meet members of the fraternity.

The first week of school my sister invited me to go to a student bar where many of the fraternity guys gathered on Thursday nights.  I went, but found what was going on there to be so bad (lewdness, drunkenness, etc.) that I was unable to stay and I walked back to the dormitory.

A week or so later my sister asked if I'd go to an outdoor luau with one of the freshmen "pledges" at the fraternity.  The luau site was about 20 miles away near a river, and there would be a campfire.  The setting was very appealing to me, plus I was excited about having a date, and I agreed to go.

Then, a few days before the luau, my sister told me that arrangements had been made for one of the other fraternity guys to take me to the luau because my date would be spending the day at the luau site building a hut for us ... a young man I had never even met was building a hut "for us"! 

Suddenly the reality of this luau became very clear to me.  This was not going to be people sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows.  The lewdness and drunkenness I had seen at the student bar was probably mild compared to what would be going on at this luau ... and I wouldn't be able to walk home.

I told my sister that I couldn't go along with this and did not want to go, but she kept insisting that it was too late for me to back out, that it was too late for this guy to find another date. 

I turned very strongly to God, asking Him to somehow get me out of this situation.  There seemed no way out.  At one point I asked God to let me have appendicitis, preferring to be in a hospital having surgery than to go to this luau.

The morning of the luau I woke up and checked to see if I might have any pain that would indicate appendicitis, and was disappointed that I felt fine.  I kept praying for God to somehow work this out.  Time was really running out!  When I looked outside, it was raining a little, but not much. However, the rain became heavier and heavier as the day went on.

Around 2 pm I received a call from the fraternity guy who planned to take me to the luau site.  He told me how sorry he was to have to tell me this, but the luau had to be cancelled.  The luau site had been totally flooded, washing away all the huts that had been built, which would include the hut my date had built for us.    He told me how long the luau had been held at this same site (many years) and, although there had been rain at times in the past, nothing like this had ever happened before, flooding and causing the luau to be cancelled.

I rejoiced, knowing that God had delivered me.

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Comments by Joan Boney

Recently, I was watching the Ken Burns TV series on The Civil War (1860-65 in USA).   As I watched the mistreatment of slaves I was so upset and found myself being pulled deeper into this conflict until I was reminded of the following scriptures which set me in the way of God and removed me from the "good" (and bad) of this world.

Jn. 18:36 ... Jesus said ...  My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 

I Cor. 7 ... Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. 21Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. 

By these two scriptures, I knew that I was not to involve myself in the strife and worldly disputes of things like The Civil War.  ...even when those things are unfair and terrible, for the kingdom of God is not of this world.  We, like those who have gone before us, look for a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (II Peter 3).  We will never be able to make this present world righteousness no matter what we do.  

And John said:  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness  I Jn. 5:19  

 And Paul said this world would not get better but worse. II Tim. 3 ... But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

II Peter 3 ... Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 

So by this, I freed myself from my own emotions and preferences and from the campaigns of worldly men who think they do good.


Part 3:  Common Destructive Thoughts

The most common destructive thought is over money.

You may even see your own income decrease while expenses increase.  This can be very fearful.  What should you do?   

-Try to ignore the thought and think of something else?  No ... 
-Take the view that God will take care of you, no matter what?  No, there may be some action you need to take in your life...

The only safe way to deal with this matter is to turn to God asking HIM if there is some action you should take or will it be alright.  After prayer we wait until we are persuaded by God and then "rest" in what we hear from HIM.

I caution you to be willing after prayer to wait patiently and not to try to force the issue which could end up with your imagining the solution rather than hearing from the Spirit of God.

Many times over the past 30+ years I have had fearful thoughts come over money.  Each time we must pray and be willing to make changes if needed.  But it must be God who shows us what to do.

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Another troubling problem comes when something happens to your house and you have no idea what you should do about it.  Usually we don't know who to get to fix the problem.

This happened to me this past year.  My roof suffered hail damage and the insurance company was going to pay to replace the roof but who should I get to fix the roof.  I didn't know what to do so I prayed.  Shortly after committing this to God I heard one word (in form of thought) ... "contractor", the man who built my house.  I called him and he sent two roofing companies to speak with me.  I was troubled with one company but I liked the other company so I went with them though their price was higher. I feel the replacement roof is a better roof than the original roof. 

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A few days ago something troublesome happened and I failed to pray ...

My water bill failed to arrive in mail.  I knew if I didn't pay on time there would be a penalty.  I tried to call the water company but to get through the switchboard I had to give my 14 digit customer number which I did not have because I did not have a bill showing that number.

Then I tried to reach water company by Internet but again I couldn't get through unless I presented my customer number which I did not have.  There was an emergency number and I called that and reached the mayor's office of the city of Lubbock.  I was shocked.  But I explained the problem and the woman listening seemed very kind.

Later I found a way to file a complaint with water company by Internet.  I had no complaint but I did tell my problem by email.  A reply said they would be in touch with me in 2 business days.

And I even wrote a letter to water company telling my problem and asking someone to call me and I sent it US mail.

That same afternoon I went to mail box and there was my water bill.  I was so embarrassed.

The next day I received phone calls from mayor's office and water company.  I apologized greatly to both.  The lady at water company said they have changed their billing program and this caused delay in normal billing so she really understood my concern.

Looking back, I can't remember praying at all about this although at one point the thought did come that the bill would arrive in the mail  (Holy Spirit trying to show me what would happen.  Jn. 16:13)

We often frustrate ourselves needlessly by failing to pray.

(Now I have my 14 digit customer number in a notebook in case of future problem.)

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Jesus said ... These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.   Jn. 16:33

As we live on this earth we will have trouble.  That Jesus said would happen.  But HE has overcome and we overcome through HIM as we pray and pay attention to that spoken to us by God.

God has answers to everything!

Mt. 10:26 ... Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

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A universal common problem concerns other people ... family members, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, employers, co- workers ...

There is a person who has caused me great grief over and over for 30+ years.  I have prayed many times over her.  I have counseled her to no avail.  Nothing seemed to work.  But I have kept turning to God about her.  I had 4 dreams showing me she was getting worse and worse.  I did keep praying.  Then I received a dream where there was a pier where boats dock.  We were standing together at the end of that pier.  I felt that was showing me at the end she will be okay.  I rejoiced.  And since that time I have not been troubled at all about her.  When we hear from the Spirit of God we anchor our thoughts on that which we heard from God and we just keep refocusing on that word.  We now have the basis for faith in the matter at hand for we have heard from God.

I have two troublesome cousins.  In both cases, I believe God has shown me just to leave them alone.  (I have prayed often over them.) Fortunately for me they do not live near the city where I live.  One called recently.  I just did not answer the phone.  She didn't ask me to return her call and I didn't return her call for I know I can't communicate with her at this time in a profitable way. There are times I want to send her writings but then God reminds me of things which show me that will not work so I do not send them to her.  At this point, I just feel to stay still where both cousins are concerned.

The only thing we can do where anyone is concerned is to pray, continually casting our care on God ... and to wait, doing nothing until you are fully persuaded God has shown you to do something or having faith when you believe you have been shown something by God after prayer, resting in that which you believe to be from God.  Nothing else will work.

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Then there are medical concerns and the many thoughts that come to us as a result.  Each of these must be dealt with through prayer  Asking God if there is any change you can make to help the situation.  Sometimes is it necessary to change doctors.  Whatever issue we deal with requires prayer over each issue each time it surfaces and waiting until persuaded by God to do something.

I have an eye disease (glaucoma) and have been going to a specialist for several years.  At a recent appointment he said, "The pressure is very good.  What I am concerned about is your loss of vision.  Make another appointment in 5 months."  And with that he left the room.  I was terrified.  I talked with God:  What should I do.  Can I go to another doctor who explains things to me?  How could I even find another doctor?  Immediately I was reminded of the man who fills the lenses prescriptions.  I called and asked if there was a specialist on this side of town and found another doctor and he said my vision problem is cataracts and when they are "ripe" he can operate and I do not have any serious eye disease although I do have glaucoma which they control through daily eye drops. 

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In this world, as we go through this life, we will have trouble ... but Jesus said to be of good cheer.  HE has overcome this world.  And as we pray and turn to God with each issue, we have a mighty advocate.

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Pam Padgett (Bible teacher)  had the thought:  "You're getting too preachy."  So she acted on that thought and began watering down her teaching until it became powerless.  I talked to her about the change.  Then she told me of the thought that she was getting too "preachy".  But she failed to take that thought to God to see if it was from Him.

Later that night I was reminded of the following scripture:

I Cor. 1:21 ... For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

After this, Pam had following experience:  She awoke one morning with a terrible fear that she could not do the work of God.  She cried out to God for help and the following was brought to her mind.

Isaiah 41:10 ... Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

The devil brought the negative thought to Pam and the devil brought the fear to Pam.  This is what the devil does.  Anti-Christ means opposite to Christ ... opposite to the will of God.  And the devil especially wanted to stop Pam from doing the work of God.

God brought the truth to Pam when she turned to HIM.

But also note that when she opened the door on the first thought by failing to turn to God, the devil then brought the fear and quickly moved into Pam's "house" with more destructive thoughts.

We have to deal with these thoughts otherwise we open more doors for devils to attack us with thoughts that would take us opposite to the way of God.

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Destructive thoughts can come directly to our minds or they can come through people.  

Recently a man railed out at me over the writing I've done on the Lord's supper being the handling of the word of God rather than eating crackers and drinking grape juice as many churches do.

I turned to God after the rebuke from this man.  I asked God, "What about this?"
 
Immediately, I felt I heard from God as follows:  "Think of your life during the past 30 years."  

God has given me many messages and put me on Internet to deliver these messages.

I haven't partaken of crackers and grape juice in a church gathering for more than 30 years.  As soon as God taught me the message that the Lord's supper is not crackers/grape juice, I quit partaking of such.

I deal constantly with scripture and the word from God and act upon it and am constantly supported by God and instructed by the Spirit of God in ways of God.

I continually judge myself and correct myself.  And this is exactly what we read in I Cor. 11.  When we correctly partake of the "Lord's supper", we will judge ourselves by the Word of God through the Spirit of God.  We do not judge ourselves with crackers/grape juice.  There is no power at all in crackers/grape juice.  This is not the Lord's supper.  The Lord's supper is the Word of God.

These Internet writing we do are a big table of food set by God.  This is the Lord's supper.  We can fill our plates daily and eat at HIS table daily at will through these writings.  Thus I was completely assured by that which I believe to be the Spirit of God on the issue at hand.

Also when I was praying about this message I had given and about the man railing out against me over the message, I had the following scripture brought to my mind.

I Peter 4:19 ... Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.


And that is what I did in this.

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Another example of a destructive thought and what God gave me when I prayed:

In mid-April I had written several writings on Internet the same day and the thought came that I was writing too much.  I turned to God with this thought, asking Him for HIS view.  Immediately I was reminded of the following instruction from the Bible.   

Heb. 10:25 ... exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

The closer we get to the return of Jesus the worse things of this world will get.  Jesus said because iniquity would abound the love of many would wax cold.  Mt. 24 

So as the iniquity of the world increases we need even more exhortations, not less.

This answer from God is solid and gives an anchor for faith in the matter.

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One of the most common fears concerns money.

I have had many financial concerns during the past years.  Each time the fear comes, I turn to God.  I ask God if there is anything I need to do.  Do I need to cut back in my spending in any area?  Most often God will give me a scripture after I pray and by that I know what to do.  But each time the fear comes concerning money I pray again.

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Recently I was writing an exhortation for the church and the thought came:  "It won't do any good to write these things."  

Immediately another thought came that was true:  "By the foolishness of preaching it pleased God to save them that believe."  1 Cor. 1

The devil sent the first thought to stop the work of God.


The Holy spirit spoke the second thought to show the truth from God and the will of God.

Paul says we must bring every thought to the obedience of Christ (obedience of the Word).  This is the essence of the subject of Taking Thoughts Captive.