Day 5 of 75 days in Faith
Disarming preconceived notions through prayer and the word of God
Scripture:
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; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled2 Corinthians 10:4-6
On this 5th day of 75 days in Faith, we will discuss a topic that can sometimes cause us to harbor resentment, bitterness, judgment, and unforgiveness.
In 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 The Apostle Paul was writing a letter to the church of Corinth to strengthen their (unity as a body of Christ). Paul knew that reconciling their differences would bring the church closer together; and give nonbelievers in that area a chance to receive salvation.
The Apostle Paul had the responsibility of leading the church while also dealing with THE THORN in his flesh… simply put, he was going through something while still having the responsibility that God had given him with the church at Corinth.
God said in His word that He wouldn’t remove the thorn, but every time Paul struggled with it He would extend His Grace to him.
Like the Apostle Paul, we too have responsibilities that we must take care of regardless of the thorn in our side.
In Pauls writings, he wrote also about casting down IMAGINATIONS, and bringing all THOUGHTS captive…
We must remember, that the Bible says that the enemy (satan) is the accuser of the brethren; so the importance of Paul’s writings were key in minimizing all hearsay, and gossip in the church.
All the murmuring, rumors, and gossip was causing the church to become divided, so God placed the Apostles focus on the churches preconceived notions intentionally…
For a moment let’s look at the definition of
“ Preconceived Notions “
…an opinion or judgment that is formed without sufficient evidence or firsthand information.
Daily, we are faced with the choice of making decisions based off of (preconceived notions), or facts…
How many times have we acted emotionally based on limited information, or not knowing the whole story?
In hindsight, we’ve all had situations where we wish we’d waited until we knew all the details before speaking or forming an opinion.
And today’s devotional is not to bring shame, but to open our minds to the fact that there’s always more to a story than we can see; and as much as we would like to think so, we’re not always right.
Ways to combat preconceived notions:
- Gather all the facts before determining whether someone is right or wrong
- Ask the Holy Spirit to give you clarity
- Try to see it from the other persons point of view
- Prayer, and scripture reading
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today with hearts open to Your truth and minds ready to be renewed by Your Word.
Thank You for the wisdom in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, reminding us that the weapons of our warfare are not of this world but are mighty through You. We acknowledge that our battles are not against flesh and blood but against the thoughts and imaginations that exalt themselves against Your knowledge.
Lord, we ask for Your help in casting down the preconceived notions that cloud our judgment. We confess that, too often, we make decisions or form opinions based on limited understanding or emotional reactions. Forgive us, and help us to slow down and seek Your clarity in every situation.
Give us the strength to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, so that our hearts and minds are in alignment with Your will.
In Jesus' mighty name, we pray.
Amen.