Intrusive Thoughts Are Intrusive!

A very common occurrence is the report of people dealing with the invasion of unwanted thoughts on a daily basis. The thoughts range from inappropriate thoughts to thoughts that gender fear in us. All of it can be addressed and overcome through the practical application of both a proper understanding of the cause, and the way to deal with them. So in today's answer we are going to look at 3 things to answer this intrusive dilemma:

The Cause: The source and cause of intrusive thoughts.
The Cure: Biblical response to how we are to manage our thoughts.
The Truth: Answering common misconceptions surrounding Satan and Spiritual Forces.

1. The Cause Of Our Intrusive Thoughts

The Bible Is Our Source Of Truth

When looking at the cause of why we have intrusive thoughts it’s important to look to the gambit of wisdom available to us. However, that being said, the Bible is, as it should be, the primary source to understanding the nature and core of humankind being that God himself designed us, and the universe we live in. His word, and His understanding, is the ultimate basis for all things. Starting from the Bible as the basis for how we look into the cause of mental disturbances such as intrusive thoughts is crucial. We need to make the Bible primary for properly framing the battle of the mind, and understanding it. Secondarily, looking at conventional knowledge as a means to understand something can be helpful so long as its kept within a biblical framework. Unfortunately not all man has to offer in the way of a cure is even close to being ultimately helpful as it denounces the true cause of our suffering and delineates the “cure” into complex approaches that don’t often produce conclusive results. Or in other words, conventional psychology can suck, and it doesn't always work.

We Are In A Fallen & Broken World

It’s also vitally important to understand that everything that exists today is a result of degeneration. Contrary to what evolutionists will have you believe, we are not in a state of evolution from a lesser functional place to a higher functional place, but rather science proves that we are degrading from a higher functional state to a lesser state. As the fall of man brought sin into the world, and sin brought death, everything has slowly been decaying [James 1:15].

From our genetics, to the food we eat, everything is slowly experiencing entropy. This is the 2nd law of thermodynamics that all things go from a complex state of existing to a lesser and lesser functional state of existing. Part of the reason we even have to contend with anxiety, depression and intrusive thoughts, is because of the very fact that we are living in a broken and fallen world. Add to this ongoing sin, that creates trauma and brokenness in families and peoples lives, and well, you have a mess. A mess the brain has to try and keep up with and solve, which it was never intended to. God however in his foresight made our brains adequately capable of sorting through things with something called sleep. You should try it, it helps more then you know. In fact, almost all cases of psychological disturbance share one common factor across the board, the lack of sleep. This has been proven through many different medical studies examining neurological disorders, mental illnesses, and other psychological issues which are consistently tied to a lack of sleep categorized as insomnia.

Sleep has been shown to be one of the most important things we can do along with eating healthy!

Is It Spiritual Warfare?

The cause of our anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts is a combination of living in a real world with tons of outside influence as well as what we do with our thought life. Things like not getting enough sleep and the degradation of all things with the presence of sin also contributes. It may come as a surprise to some, but you have the ability to pilot your thought life. An ability the Lord has given you [2 Timothy 1:7].

What you believe about yourself is in fact your choice. The mind works much like we expect it to, and it has been scientifically proven that whatever you think about, becomes like a trodden path of which you have walked, and the connections in your brain towards that particular thing become easier to access and more prominent. For a mathlete this is their ability to access the logical parts of their brain associated with math. These people are often stringent, and lack creativity, and likewise those who are creative, often struggle with math and are more easily swayed as they consider and envelope multiple possibilities.

There is always a battle when you have a creative and an analytical thinker, as one will often see things from a very narrow perspective, and the other from sometimes too many perspectives making it hard to find a quick and accurate answer. The two functions of creative thinking, and analytical thinking are on two separate sides of the hemisphere of your brain and so how these intrusive or unwanted thoughts effect people depend upon this very fact! This is why Truth is so important, as the spiritual battle described in the Bible is literally a battle for truth not territory.

The Truth Of Spiritual Warfare

Some very misguided Christians sometimes will command things in Jesus name, which is at best foolish, and at worst blasphemy to try and command God and his power. But in reality spiritual warfare is a battle over truth, and its the truth that we are not wizards, that is crucial to the battle! It’s about using the Bible, the Word of God [John 14:6, John 1:1-3] which is the source of all truth and wisdom [Proverbs 9:10] that we have the ability to overcome strongholds of lies and deceit in our lives. Including the things that lead us to having anxiety, depression and intrusive thoughts.

“Decide who you are in Christ, and trust in His promises. ”

— VGG

Sin As The Cause Of Our Struggle Against Intrusive Thoughts

Another part of the cause for why we experience these thoughts is due to our very real sin. If we are sinning and watching pornography, we are actively sinning, and it is no wonder as sin brings forth death [James 1:13-16] we experience invasive thoughts. The very real cause of some of our intrusive thoughts is sin in our lives corrupting us, and causing us to be submerged in death. Oftentimes it is the sin we are engaged in that we are blind to that makes these intrusive thoughts come to life. I can recount myself having very inappropriate and disturbing sexual thoughts, when I was actively watching pornography at a young age. I myself even had thoughts that were intrusive at a young age, that scared me to the core. Thoughts that made me question reality, and during this I clung to God's Word as the source of Truth, and with God’s help, I was able to pull myself out of the snare of the enemy [2 Timothy 2:25-26]. After many years of realizing that the thoughts were not the problem, but the way I felt about them, I began to overcome how they affected my ability to function. The closer I drew to God, the more my mind changed, the more my thoughts changed, and the more I overcame.

The brain is a powerful tool, and how you pilot it is up to you. You can cave into the pressure, or you can decide who you want to be, and fight to overcome. Decide who you are in Christ, and trust in his promises.

2. The Cure To Our Intrusive Thoughts

What Does The Bible Say?

Our brains are a jumbled mess of thoughts and ideas, and these thoughts and ideas come rummaging through our brains, corrupting our daily thoughts and intruding upon them. Well there are some practical verses that you can use to understand our battle.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood. [Ephesians 6:12]
These powers are overcome by casting down of every thought that exalts itself the knowledge of God. [2 Corinthians 10:5]
We are commanded to think about what is pure. [Philippians 4:8 ]
We are to guard our hearts as Out of the heart comes the issues of life. [Proverbs 4:23]

The above scriptures give us an active framework of how we are to pilot our thoughts to be in alignment with scripture, and through our alignment with scripture we can thus be set free from the lies that have led us to be in bondage.

“Humility is not about thinking less about yourself, or thinking about yourself less, it’s about putting your mind on the needs of others.”

— VGG

How To Do Spiritual Warfare?

The battle of the mind is a battle of truth, what you believe will directly affect your life and your thoughts. Part of it is sin, and part of it is what you put into yourself as the Bible says it is not what we put in that defiles a man but what comes out of us [Matthew 15:11]. Remember this, that we live in a broken and fallen world, and although we may struggle with a gambit of things, there are practical ways of handling things too. Real life practices you can employ. Such as what the Bible says thinking on things that are Pure and Holy, and to rid yourself of sin, and take every thought captive into obedience to Christ.

Lastly remember that although you struggle with this, know that this will take time to overcome, so don’t beat yourself up. Part of the intrusive thoughts losing power over you, is simply not caring about them or focusing on them, if you focus on anything it becomes front and center in your mind.

Be Practical And Inwardly Examine Yourself

Consider that although these thoughts are undesirable, the reason you face them is because you are not piloting your mind, and are instead focused on the intrusive thoughts to the point that it almost becomes a case of self worship. Where instead of you being like a narcissist where you are focused on how great you are, you are focused instead on yourself and your own suffering. It seems to be a coincidence that those who struggle the most with these sorts of things, are often the most conscientious of themselves. The ones who often know every name for every “problem” they have, are also the ones who struggle with it the most. The neuroticism and hyper conscientiousness is another example of how you are not taking your thoughts captive to the obedience to Christ. The Bible commands us to do that, and self focus is the opposite of humility. Humility is not about thinking less about yourself, or thinking about yourself less, its about putting your mind on the needs of others. They report that one of the most helpful “cures” to anxiety and depression is getting out of your house and serving the needs of others. By serving others it is impossible for you to be focused so much on yourself, and here is a prime example of how the unseen sin of selfishness and pride veiled in vulnerability manifests these sorts of things. When I say this, I say this as someone who has struggled with this for many years, and the cause is the same across the board. Take every thought captive to Jesus Christ!

3. The Truth Of Intrusive Thoughts

Some Sneaky Heresies

During my study into this topic to see how others of the faith (Got Questions, Ray Comfort) have responded to this question I stumbled upon a pretty wicked heresy that has popped up. Often backed up by this verse:

2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

The teaching then follows that Satan is causing the intrusive thoughts, because he can ”blind” the people of the world/ them which believe not. This is of course ridiculous!

Why Satan Cannot Read Your Mind

God is the one whom gives people over to deception who loved not the truth. The Bible does not ascribe this ability also to Satan. [Romans 1:26-32, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11]
God is the only one who can look inward into us, into our hearts and minds. [1 Kings 8:39]
No instances of Holy angels ever had this ability to read minds, these were those sent of God let alone those fallen ones which presumably have no God like power or authorities aside from whatever they posses as a creature, this of course include that serpent of old.
The Bible supplies the Method of Satan ability to blind, and it’s not a magical ability but rather the very same thing we have discussed above. Satan is the god of this world (meaning age or era) and through that he distracts, deceives, and “blinds” men. NOT through having access to our minds, and forcibly blinding us, but rather through the means of not loving the truth who then GOD, gives over unto what? A strong delusion!

Accounting The Things Of God To Satan

To say Satan has the power described in 1 Kings 8:39 “for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men” is to ascribe to the evil one, the attributes of our immutable Father which as at best a big mistake, and at worst pure blasphemy.

Word Of Faith Influence

This line of thinking comes straight from Word of Faith doctrines of devils [1 Timothy 4:1] Where we have to fight battles with demons in our heads or worse in real life, with casting hedges of protections and other forms of spiritual mysticism of the Gnostic’s found in the “church” today. A really good book on this from Jim Osman can be found here.

These doctrines along with the Doctrine of Satan having access to our minds is found nowhere in scripture, and the heretical position taken with 2 Corinthians 4:4 to say he (Satan) has access to our minds. I cant say this enough but that this again goes directly against other clear parts of scripture such as. 1 Kings 8:39 which says God alone has access to our inward parts, a good article on this is found here.

In Closing Summary

Our thoughts are a result of many things, all of which can be piloted and taken captive in obedience to Christ. Keep in mind this will take repetition, and time. If you believe you can never overcome you have bound yourself in imaginary chains, that will hold you in bondage until you realize the Truth that we are not only commanded to take thoughts captive but to also trust in the promises of the Word of God and to Renew our minds [Romans 12:2]. Keep God in the center of your life, study his word, and employ his commands. And in time you will overcome and be brought into a stronger place in God. [2 Timothy 1:7]

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

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