My message today is on Eliminating Negative Thoughts! Each of us faces feelings of doubt, anxiety, and insecurity. We might hear voices in our heads saying, “You won’t recover. You will never overcome your addiction. You will never achieve your dreams.” These are merely thoughts that seem innocent, yet in reality, they are very harmful. The Bible says “Take every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
As long as you hold on to these negative feelings, they will restrict your life. So, it is essential to confine those negative thoughts! The scripture above says “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” Do not allow them to roam free in your mind. While they may appear innocent, you must recognise them for what they are: they are contagious, they can upset your attitude, harm your self-esteem, and obscure your vision.
If you allow negative thoughts to linger and replay in your mind, it is as if you are permitting them to shape your reality and your beliefs. Many individuals are held back because their thoughts are unhealthy. Research indicates that approximately 47% of adults spend time focusing on unpleasant experiences from the past or worrying about possible future challenges.
Almost half of our thoughts are occupied by negativity. We question why joy and peace are absent, and why we feel trapped. The reason is this negativity. You might say, “Well, pastor, I doubt I will ever recover,” which reflects a negative mindset. You might also think, “I’ have made too many errors and God could not possibly favour me now.” That kind of thinking distorts your perspective. Thoughts like, “I’m not good-looking, I lack a pleasing personality” should be eliminated.
Have your thoughts become tainted? Are there aspects of your life where you believe you lack talent, come from a bad background, or think you could never live in an upscale neighbourhood? All of that is negativity. You were meant to live joyfully, healthily, and to strive for greater things. The good part is: you can eliminate this negativity. It may have restricted you before, but it doesn’t have to continue.
Begin to confine those thoughts. Stop fixating on all the discouragement, negativity, and harm. Start replacing them with thoughts filled with hope, faith, and success. Do yourself a favour and dismiss that thought immediately. It may appear innocent, just a bit disheartening. Yet, thoughts can be infectious, affecting your future. That is why the Bible instructs us to protect our minds.
In Numbers 13, Moses appointed twelve men to explore the Promised Land, but when ten of them returned, they reported to Moses, saying, “We don’t stand a chance. The people are enormous. We felt like grasshoppers in our eyes, and they likely saw us the same way.” They didn’t mention that anyone called them grasshoppers or insulted them. Instead, they stated their own perception made them feel small. Ultimately, they never reached the Promised Land.
A mindset clouded by doubt and negativity will keep you away from your purpose. God sees you as a masterpiece. You might say, “This giant is too big, Pastor. The illness is too severe. The addiction is too overpowering.” You’re nurturing the wrong thoughts. Stop entertaining doubt. No more inviting fear; cast away that grasshopper mindset, and you will reach your Promised Land.
You may not be able to prevent negative thoughts from arising, but you certainly can stop them from taking root. When negative thoughts arise, the adversary seeks a host; he needs a person who will embrace that thought, give it attention, and make it feel at home. He introduces feelings of fear, concern, and doubt, observing: Will you accept it? Will you become its host?
Gideon faced a similar struggle in the scripture. He was hiding in the wine press, frightened by the enemy forces surrounding his city. An angel appeared and declared (Judges 6:12, 14), “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you. You are meant to rescue the people of Israel from the Midianites.” Gideon was perplexed, thinking, “Who is this angel referring to? I am not a mighty hero; I feel frightened and intimidated.”
Gideon perceived himself as constrained when, in truth, he was a mighty hero. A different translation describes him as “A man of fearless courage.” He needed to follow the steps I’m suggesting, to eliminate the negativity. He had to shut out the thoughts that told him who he wasn’t and begin to recognise who God said he was.
He transformed his way of thinking, which allowed him to guide the Israelites in overcoming much larger armies and become a celebrated figure of faith. This achievement would not have been possible if no one had pointed out that his mindset was flawed. Just like Gideon, we have all been faced with falsehoods that try to prevent the great hero within us from emerging.
OVERCOMING THE FALSEHOOD!
I read about a young boy who grew up with a single mother in the hills of Tennessee; USA, a long time ago. In this small town, children born to single mothers were often viewed negatively, almost like they were less than others. When he was three, neighbours would not let him play with their kids. They would mutter comments like, “What is he doing in our town?” and they would question who his father was, treating him with shame and disrespect.
Every Saturday, he and his mother would go to the local store, and people would always make hurtful comments loud enough for them to hear, asking, “There they are again. Have you found out who his father is?” This young boy grew up feeling like he had no value. He faced teasing and believed there was something wrong with him.
At the age of twelve, a new pastor arrived in town to lead the local church. He was a young, talented, and enthusiastic minister, and everyone was eager to meet him. This twelve-year-old boy had never attended church before. One Sunday, he chose to see this new pastor that everyone was talking about. He arrived late and quietly slipped in through the back so he wouldn’t be seen.
While listening that day, he experienced a sense of love and acceptance he had never known, feeling valuable and wanted. As he left, the minister stood at the door to greet everyone. Spotting the boy, who was unknown to him and alone, the minister warmly welcomed him and asked, “Young man, whose child are you?” The room fell silent, and you could have heard a pin drop. That was the very question everyone had been wanting to ask.
Unsure of how to respond, the boy, accustomed to being labelled an outcast and the boy without a father, lowered his head and remained silent. The minister sensed something was troubling him, even though he was unaware of the details. He drew the boy close and said, “Oh, I know who your father is. I can see the resemblance, you are a child of Almighty God.” On that day, a stronghold in the boy’s life was removed.
The negativity that had clouded his future and harmed his self-worth started to fade. He began to recognise his own value, capabilities, and worthiness. Thirty years later, that same boy became the governor of Tennessee. If you asked him, Ben Hooper would tell you that his true election happened the day that the pastor revealed to him who his father was.
I wonder if there are harmful thoughts in your mind caused by what others have said or your past experiences, lies planted by the enemy. You may not have known differently; you have been nurturing your discomfort, inviting insecurity, and carrying guilt, thinking this is how things will always be. No, today is your moment for liberation. That negativity is on the verge of disappearing. You can overcome the falsehood!
The things that have been harming your joy, your outlook, and your creativity are being dismantled right now. Healing, completeness, freedom, and triumph are on their way. Now it’s time for you to take action: stop nurturing negativity, stop focusing on falsehoods that claim you are at a loss, your best days are behind you”. Reject that mindset and begin to nurture your belief in who God says you are.
You are important. You have worth. You will succeed”. If you embrace this, I decree and declare: every incorrect mindset will be shattered. Barriers will fall apart. Limiting thoughts will fade away. All that negativity will disappear. Just like Gideon, you will rise up, achieve your aspirations, and become the strong hero you were meant to be, in Jesus’ name.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift His countenance upon you, And give you peace”
