Too many children of God are not careful enough when it comes to their thought life.  We must remember that we can displease God by wrongful thinking just like we can by wrongful living.  Paul reminds us of the importance of thinking about the proper things.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)
⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.

If there was ever any doubt about the importance of thinking about things that are pleasing to God, this verse removes it.  We can either fill our minds with worldly things that are unhealthy for our souls, or we can fill our minds with things that are pleasing to God. Which will it be?

The devil wants to win the battle for our minds. He knows that if he can somehow influence our thinking, he will be able, to some extent,  to control us. If he can fill our minds with things that are sinful, in the end, he will win our souls.  This is why Satan wants to turn our minds into his strongholds.  Paul wrote about this in his second letter to the church at Corinth.

 2 Corinthians 10:4 (ESV)
⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

Paul was speaking of the strongholds that the devil was able to set up in the minds of some of the saints at Corinth.  These brothers were committing sins and refused to repent.  Paul said to them, “I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practice” (2 Corinthians 12:21).  Why would these saints not repent?  It was because the devil had infiltrated their minds and established strongholds.

It is much easier to keep Satan out of our minds than it is to get rid of him once he has set up roots.  One way we can keep the devil out is by making sure we are thinking about the right things—things that, as Paul said, are just, pure, lovely, and of good report.  We must focus our thoughts on things that are pleasing to God and good for our souls.  The best way to do this is to feed ourselves a healthy diet of the Word of God.  David knew the effectiveness of this practice.

Psalm 119:11 (ESV)
¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Can you see the power of God’s Word?  As long as the Word is stored up in our minds, we can keep the devil out and avoid ongoing sin.

1 John 3:9 (ESV)
⁹  No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

Fill your minds with the Word of God, and you will find yourselves thinking on things that are honest and pure.  No wonder Paul exhorts us to let “the word of Christ dwell” in us.

Be careful about what you allow in your heart.  Practice thinking on things that are noble in the eyes of God.  The salvation of your souls depends on it.   

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.