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3 Weapons for Replacing Your Thoughts & Combating Spiritual Distractions

 Last week, we learned about how the enemy can come at you so much with little sideshows and distractions that you start to question and doubt and loose our focus.  Well, this week I have three big weapons to help you do what will be the most effective way to conquer those distractions!




Replace your thoughts with the truth of WHO HE IS, which is what the busy-ness of those sideshows tries to distract us from:  YOU ARE THE CHRIST!!


Now when I say "replace your thoughts", that's really a concept you'll find in the Bible.... the "renewing of your mind" concept!! (but that's full subject for another day)


So how do we turn from the distraction so that we can start again to FOCUS ON THE TRUTH:


God’s already given us 3 weapons to combat distraction:


Weapon #1: THE WORD  

Christ himself used this weapon when Satan came to tempt and distract him from his fasting & praying.  When you have these things coming against you -trying to distract you from your TRUTH, find out what THE WORD says about that situation and start using that weapon.


You might say, "No, devil, IT IS WRITTEN I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread"…."IT IS WRITTEN No weapon formed against me will prosper" … "It is written he will never leave me or forsake me"….  


Find out what the WORD says, Agree with it...build your faith… do battle with your weapon! 


Weapon #2: THE BLOOD

We conquer our enemies by the blood of the lamb - 


Psalm 91:1-7 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.

Ok, truthfully, this is my favorite. Because nothing about this weapon depends on me! I get to use this weapon that my Jesus prepared for me 2000 years ago! The trick is to remember that it really doesn't depend on me....

A friend of mine was out running once in a new neighborhood and was really enjoying her run. Beautiful, sunny day, and she was doing pretty good with focusing on her breathing, her legs were feeling great. Then she noticed down the road this BIG dog watching her...and barking!!! This was when she realized maybe she shouldn't have worn the earbuds - she may have heard the dog barking and not gotten as close as she did.  

So she slowed down a bit, with a wary eye on that big dog, and with each step closer she noticed that that big, hulking dog really wasn't moving much.  He was barking up a storm but he would only get to the very edge of the yard, then move back.  

A few steps further, and she noticed the collar on this giant menace of a dog...and realized the reason that dog wasn't moving past the property line was because the master of that beautiful, loud creature had installed an invisible fence! So while that big threat was barking and making a big fuss, it could never touch her.  

Sideshows are like that.  As long as we keep our focus on the only One who deserves it, those threat and distractions are just like that big old dog - they make a lot of noise, but they can't get to you, because of what Jesus already did on the cross for us. (In other words, as the elders would say, "it can't cross the bloodline!")


Weapon #3: THE NAME

I once heard someone say that when you can't think of anything else to pray, just say the name of Jesus! Jesus - the one-word prayer.  James 2:19 says that name makes even the demons tremble!


Phil 2:10 says "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;"


Friend, that includes the "knee" of distraction.  Distraction must lower itself beneath the name of Jesus!


I've been in places before where the only thing I could say is "Jesus" and I've never felt this before or since, but when I would say JESUS as I was worshiping, it was like a soothing balm or salve just flowing inside me from my mouth all the way down.  I know that makes me sound a little batty....but I could feel the tangible power of the name of Jesus.


His name, His blood, His word...those are all weapons HE prepared for us to use in our valleys of distraction.  


And one more encouragement for you: 


Yes, you may be going to through a dark valley right now, but If we keep our focus on the PRESENCE of the SHEPHERD, the valley is not such a bad place!  


SOMETIMES THE GREATEST REVELATIONS COME ONLY IN THE DARKEST VALLEYS!  


It’s the revelation knowledge of WHO YOUR GOD IS that will cause YOU to take your eyes off your distractions, instead of your distractions causing you to take your eyes off who your God is.
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