Thoughts under fire

Understanding what Peter doubted and why Peter doubted was huge in showing me the answers to some things I was working through at the time that I read this passage of scriptures (see my previous post). But still, a question remained. Why was Peter overcome with this doubt? The timing of it, especially, stood out to me as odd. I mean, only a moment after being so sure, he doubted so significantly that he sank - so significantly that Jesus was saddened and questioned him about it. How could doubt like that come against a man so quickly?

Well, my experience has been that when I ask God a specific question, He gives me a specific answer. And His answer was this: When Peter stepped out of the boat, he immediately stepped into a spiritual battle - an attack on the strength of his faith - a faith that would allow him to perform a miracle equal to what Jesus was performing.

The Bible tells us that we do, in fact, have an enemy - Satan - who is very real and wants very much to destroy us, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The Bible also tells us that we are, in fact, in a war, but it is a spiritual war rather than a physical war. This is what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 10:

• verses 3-4: For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

Verse 3 tells us we are not fighting a physical battle. Verse 4 tells us that our weapons are not physical, but they are weapons of God and are powerful enough to destroy the strongholds put in place by the enemy.

• verse 5: casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

Verse 5 tells us that those strongholds come in the form of imaginations, thoughts, and proud and lofty ideas that contradict the true knowledge of God. In order to defeat these thoughts, we must bring them into obedience to Jesus. In other words, our thoughts must be in line with what Jesus teaches and what He says is true. Whenever we find our minds being attacked with anything other than what God says is true, we must refuse to accept it and replace it with His truth from His Word.

Our thoughts are as much a part of our spiritual walk, our spiritual growth and maturity, and our success in following Jesus as our hearts are.The thing that sealed my understanding of this was Matthew 22:37. When Jesus was asked, 'What is the most important commandment for us to keep,' this was His very simple, straight-forward response.

• And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). (Matthew 22:37)

I wanted to share with you this lesson that I learned because I know how real doubts are and how difficult they can be, at times, to stand against. We are all impacted by incorrect thoughts. They are a very real method of battle employed by a very real enemy. Our mind is where many of our battles are fought and won or lost. If our minds are not in proper relationship to God, then, just as with Peter, our faith will fail to sustain us in trials. Peter was attacked and defeated in his mind, but just think of what he could have done had his thoughts not brought him down!