How do Christians control unwanted thoughts, oftentimes self-seeking, self-condemning, erroneous, fearful, accusatory, sinful and evil thoughts?

First, we need to determine where our thoughts are coming from; are they from our self, the enemy, or from the Lord?

These unwanted thoughts are symptomatic of the fallen human condition, and yes, even Christians may be affected.

Any victory I’ve gained over sin has come through learning, gaining wisdom, understanding, knowledge, in fear of the Lord, all of which comes to us by “the Spirit” and “the Word of God” … teaching me the meaning a far-reaching all-inclusive blessing of the cross.  Note these attributes of “the Spirit of Christ.”

“the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (Messiah), the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;” Isaiah 11:2.

Noting our ‘thoughts’ is a step in a God-ordained process called ‘sanctification’… one aimed at making us righteous in our thinking and living. God creates the desire in us for holiness in the face of this problem of an unruly mind in order to make us all the hungrier for understanding and to come to genuine righteous living.

First, we as believer’s no longer have a life of our own. Since “I am crucified with Christ…  Christ liveth in me…” Gal. 2:20a, the source of our thoughts is not us, but always of either “the mind of the flesh” or His Spirit.

We ought to know that we are to be “casting down” every thought that is contrary to “the knowledge (that is) of God.”

“Casting down imaginations (evil thoughts), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ⁶ And having in a readiness to revenge (to deal with) all disobedience, when your obedience (attentive hearkening) is fulfilled.” 2 Cor. 10:5-6

But, just how is this “casting down” to be accomplished in our lives?

The fact is that the Christian’s life does not operate on the basis of ignorance. Paul, as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) commends us to properly “Study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tim. 2:15). We are to DIVIDE Bible Truth from other Bible Truth. Paul says the things pertaining to Israel’s program do not apply to “the church, the body of Christ” today. We have a different gospel and program called “grace” based on new information that Paul received from the ascended Lord Jesus in multiple revelations, information he called “the revelation of the mystery (secret plan of God), which was kept secret since the world began” Rom. 16:25

The purpose of Paul’s thirteen epistles to “the body of Christ” is to explain the truth and basis of ‘the riches of our salvation’ … being found in the Single Object of Our Faith… the Cross-work of Jesus. We study to learn of these truths that renew us and then empower us to then minister them by “the Spirit” … unto others.

“Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament [relating to our inheritance as His offspring]; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. ⁷But if the ministration of death (by the Law), written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: ⁸ How shall not the ministration of ‘the spirit’ be rather (more) glorious?” 2 Cor. 3:6-8

Some say, as I once did, ‘I don’t hear the ‘voice’ of the Holy Spirit’ as others do. I had personally read the many Bible accounts of the Spirit talking to people, but at that time I was hearing nothing. Then I heard someone say, “Didn’t you know that prayer was two-way communication – you can hear Him, just “ask.”

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power [of His Spirit] that worketh in us,” (Eph. 3:20).

Jesus said, “He that is of God heareth God’s words…” Jn. 8:47a. So, I took to prayer, confessing that I could not hear Him and I asked for help, to hear and to understand His word.

Jesus also spoke of some who had claimed to be workers for him, calling them ‘workers of iniquity,’ telling them to depart from Him, saying “I never knew you.” Having no relationship with the Lord, they worked the works of religion, not per His direction. But we, as genuine believers were not only created by Him, we have been “regenerated” by the deposit His “Spirit of life” into our spirit. So, there’s no way that He doesn’t know us intimately… as His own. But, in another sense of the word “know,” such as a man knows his wife and she knows him, having intimate knowledge of each other. We were made for God and to have such personal knowledge of Him … by the Spirit.

One note of caution, not all voices we hear may be of the Lord, but today we have a plumbline ... the written “word of truth” for our “dispensation of the grace of God.” God will not add to the Bible’s or Paul’s words, so if it is contrary to the revealed truth of His word – we must consider it due to something we ate or of Satan.

Many years ago, I was led of the Lord without knowing it to begin speaking with the Lord in the course of reasoning out some doctrine that I was studying, trying to solidify it in my mind, when something from within (the Holy Spirt) brought a scripture to mind that showed me my error in thinking. It wasn’t audible and I understood that it was not of me either… it was of Him. It was what I’ve come to call ‘the sense of His Spirit within me.’ This then began a new way of learning and living whereby I’ve learned to interact with His Spirit within me.

Now I am led of Him to read certain scriptures that enlightened my understanding about this interaction with God’s Holy Spirit, such as; “… it is God which Worketh In You both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (cf. Phili. 2:13). It is reassuring to know that “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:6)

I learned all this mainly from Paul, “the Apostle to the Gentiles” as written in his thirteen epistles (Romans – Philemon). These are written specifically to and for the members of the Gentile “body of Christ.”

I keep saying “without knowing it” because it wasn’t until sometime later that I finally understood what it means that we are His servants who are constantly being ‘led by the Lord to do His will’… so long as we agree with it. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the [grown] sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

I say “as we agree with it” because sometimes we foolishly do not agree with His will, but that is a different story for another study.