March 1st, 1961                                                  "The Thoughts of God"                                           Late Mr. N. Daniel

II Corinthians 10:3-5

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." St. Paul is talking about very deep things. He is going to the foundation of human personality. We do not know what is at the foundation of our personality. Here St. Paul speaks of casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Man’s imagination is very powerful. He builds castles in the mind which Satan makes to appear very real.

These castles stand against the eternal plans of God. Such a man has no time for God. He aims at worldly distinction by denying himself the Word of life. Gen.6:5, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." God saw that there was something very wrong at the very foundation of human personality. One day the imagination will press their claim and explode and destroy your personality.

Absalom’s thoughts were like that. He thought he would soon be the king. He would kill his father and imprison his brothers. But he did not know that soon he would hang on a tree with arrows piercing through his heart. Unless, through our meditations and prayer, we pull down these imaginations and fill ourselves with the thoughts of God, we are in danger. Jacob relied on his own imaginations. He sowed the seeds of trouble in his own family. Abraham’s imaginations were under the control of God. God Told him, "Ishmael is not your son. I will give you your own son." He was imagining that Eliezer would succeed him. But God said, "No, look at the stars, so will your children be." Temptation was hammering at Joseph’s door even though he was raised above all the servants in his house and made steward. This temptress woman would have made him very comfortable in Egypt. But he tore up that imagination. Many start their spiritual life well. But they yield to worldly ambitions and they lose touch with God. Moses did not yield to such imaginations. The question of how to deliver the people of Israel must have engaged his mind. He went to God day after day for a revelation of his plans. A servant of God must be very careful about his imaginations.

St. Paul had a war within him but his weapons were not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. You must say, "I must marry so and so because I promised her in my unconverted days." Will you carry out what you determined in you madness? Satan knows God’s plans to a certain extent. So before you can enter into those plans he wants to put in his thoughts. Satan wants to destroy your usefulness that way. Demas followed St. Paul for sometime. Later he loved the world and departed from St. Paul. St. Paul says our weapons are not carnal. Daniel prayed and prayed till his own plans and thoughts were destroyed and God’s plans entered into his mind.

Germany’s plans in the First World War were overthrown in spite of their scientific preparations. A vital crop of potatoes on which the army was dependent failed. Germany’s hope was crushed. Men of science have their own imaginations based on their knowledge of scientific facts and philosophy. But that imagination can fail. Be careful. Are you established in the thoughts of God?