Are Negative Thought’s Your Enemy
I went to the adult Sunday school class sewveral years ago. Our Sunday school teacher was away for a few weeks, so we had another teacher. On the first Sunday she asked us to write out a prayer request and take it to the Lord in prayer all week.
The following Saturday night my computer crashed. I was angry. I wrote out two whole pages of why I was angry. My younger brother Ron had died in the spring. My two grandchildren had died within twelve months of each other. Their mother my stepdaughter Roberta was on dialysis three times a week. Her two children were taken out of the home, and put into foster care. There were so many things in my life going against me; my girlfriend out west had died in her sleep at age fifty. I had lost a breast to cancer. My favorite aunt had just died. My mother was sick. My car just blew the transmission. Etc., etc., etc.
By the time I was finished writing I had two whole pages with both sides covered in long hand. I was in a state of oppression or depression. I was no fun to be around. I had an appointment with my Doctor for Monday to see about getting some kind of drug to help me.
I went to the adult Sunday school class the next morning and our teacher taught us the lesson that folowes this writing about Jehoshaphat from second Kings 20. I found it so exciting to read about how God had come through to help his people win an impossible battle. I went up to my room after I had lunch and read the story about Jehoshaphat and God’s people over and over again.
I phoned a friend and read the list that I had written, about how angry I was, about all the things that had happened to me in my life.
When I was through reading the list, I heard a whisper. What is your enemy? Give it to me.
The thought came to me that my enemy was my negative thought life. I had been dwelling on it over and over and it was keeping me in a state of depression. I told my friend about it and prayed asking God to destroy my negative thought life. Immediately the depression left.
I went to church that night and I was completely set free.
I went to the doctor the next day and did not need any medication.
The words keep going through my mind of a hymn that we used to sing at church. I think it goes, “Think of the beautiful think of the truth, sunshine, and beauty are all around you.”
Whenever I spend time thinking of the negative things in my past I get depressed. I have to take all my negative thoughts to God and claim them as my enemy. When I do this God is quick to come into my heart and mind and remove the negative thoughts and replace them with calming beautiful thoughts from my past. This story has been written so that I could share how God has blessed me.
I cannot say that I do not have trouble with negative thoughts. I find if I am around negative people that I become negative. Soon it is the poor me’s, starting all over again. It is hard to go to the Lord over and over and admitting my faults but when I do, He is quick to forgive me and remove my enemy, negative thoughts from me.
Ethel
© Ethel Hiday Wicksey
http://ethelswritings.yolasite.com/
Jehoshaphat
From 2 Chronicles 20
The Judean army was outnumbered by the, Mobites, Ammonites and Meunites. Two days before some messengers had come and told Jehoshaphat that a vast army from Edom was marching toward Jerusalem, from beyond the Dead Sea. They were about thirty-five miles southeast of Jerusalem, near En-Gedi.
Jehoshaphat was frightened and prayed to the Lord for guidance. Then he gave orders for a fast to be observed throughout the country. From every city of Judah, the people hurried to Jerusalem to ask the Lord for guidance. The people of Jerusalem gathered in the new courtyard of the Temple
It had been a hard week. Jehoshaphat had spent the night in the Temple praying to God.
The city of Jerusalem was full of God’s chosen people from all the tribes of Judah. They had come to pray and fast for deliverance. The Temple of the Lord, and the surrounding area had been filled with worshipers who had spent the night on their face before God asking Him to save the people from certain death.
King Jehoshaphat went and stood before the people and started to pray aloud, "O Lord God of our ancestors, you rule in heaven over all the nations of the world. You are powerful and mighty, and no one can oppose you. You are our God. When your people Israel moved into this land, you drove out the people who were living here and gave the land to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, to be theirs forever. They have lived here and have built a temple to honour you, knowing that if any disaster struck them to punish them—a war, an epidemic, or a famine—then they could come and stand in front of this Temple where you are worshiped. They could pray to you in their trouble, and you would hear them and rescue them. "Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and Edom have attacked us. When our ancestors came out of Egypt, you did not allow them to enter those lands, so our ancestors went around them and did not destroy them. This is how they repay us—they come to drive us out of the land that you gave us. You are our God! Punish them, for we are helpless in the face of this large army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but we look to you for help."
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children, were standing there at the Temple.
Jehoshaphat looked over the vast multitude that had come to the Temple of the Lord to pray He looked down at the new courtyard into the faces of his trusted leaders. How many if any would survive the forthcoming battle. The enemy was fast approaching.
The spirit of the Lord came upon a Levite who was present in the crowd. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah.
Jahaziel said, "Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the Lord says, that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you. Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the Lord give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the Lord will be with you!
Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low, with his face touching the ground, and all the people bowed with him and worshiped the Lord. The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the Lord, the God of Israel.
Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words:
"People of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the Lord your God and you will stand your ground. Believe what his prophets tell you, and you will succeed."
After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army, singing: "Praise the Lord! His love is eternal!"
When they began to sing, the Lord threw the invading armies into a panic. The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army, and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting.
When the Judean army reached a tower that was in the desert, they looked toward the enemy and saw that they were all lying on the ground dead. Not one had escaped.
Jehoshaphat and his troops moved in to take the loot, and they found many cattle, supplies, clothing, and other valuable objects. They spent three days gathering the loot, but there was so much that they could not take everything.
On the fourth day, they assembled in Beracah Valley and praised the Lord for all he had done. That is why the valley is called "Beracah."
Jehoshaphat led his troops back to Jerusalem in triumph, because the Lord had defeated their enemies. When they reached the city, they marched to the Temple to the music of harps and trumpets.
Every nation that heard how the Lord had defeated Israel's enemies was terrified,
Jehoshaphat ruled in peace, and God gave him security on every side.
Ethel
© Ethel Hiday Wicksey
