I am going to address the different sources of negative thoughts, how to stop them, and I will also offer real life examples and how to specifically address each situation.

There are two sources of negative thoughts. They are either from us or from demons. First, I am going to address the negative thoughts when they are from us.

Self

When I worked as a family therapist one of the biggest complaints I heard from my clients was the negative self-talk they experienced on a consistent basis. The thoughts were full of self-hatred, self-loathing, and very negative in nature.

Sometimes the thoughts we allow in our minds are things we would never consider saying about someone else, but yet we readily tear ourselves to shreds with our thoughts. With every mistake or even perceived mistake we are ready to belittle ourselves. It can be called inner dialogue, negative self-talk, or just simply negative thoughts.

Addressing Negative Self-Talk

When the voice is ours we must refuse to continue the pattern. We do that by replacing the negative thoughts with positive ones and with the truth found in the Word of God. For example, when we mess up and we start to think, “I cannot do anything right, I am so stupid”, immediately replace it with “It was just a mistake and mistakes do not make me stupid.

I am a child of God and I can do all things through Jesus who gives me strength.” I know I make this sound really simple. It is simple in theory, but hard in application because it must be done every single time you have negative thoughts. We cannot create new patterns if we are still allowing old ones to surface so you must address the negative thoughts every single time. Prayer, mediating on the Word of God, memorizing scriptures, listening to praise and worship, reading the Bible, occupying your mind, and distracting yourself from the negativity can all be very helpful as you are learning new ways of thinking. Your mind is your territory and you really do have the power to control what is allowed to stay and what isn’t.

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

Demons

If you are doing all the above and it is not changing it is more than likely demons. If you are trying to change and it won’t it is because it is not you. Demons often sound like our own thoughts and it can be very hard to know the difference between us and them. A way to tell the difference is if you can make it stop. You can change your behaviors. You can replace the negative self-talk, but if it will not change it is because you are dealing with demons.  

Addressing Demonic Voices

James 4:7 So submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee

Step One: Submission

Submission to God means we submit to His plan, will, and purpose. We submit our lives, family, plans, future, past, present, wants, desires, relationships…everything to Him. It is a daily choice and it is a lifestyle.

Once we have fully submitted to Him we can then resist the devil. Resisting is an action word—it includes doing. To resist we must verbally command the demons to leave and be silent in the name of Jesus. Do not let the voices linger even for one split second. As soon as you hear the first syllable command it to be silent and leave in the name of Jesus. Replace the lies they are whispering with the truth found in God’s Word. Speak the Word, write it out, and memorize it to use! Find warfare scriptures to speak and say them to the enemy. Lace up your combat boots and go to war against the enemy. Your mind is yours and the enemy does not belong. Also, pray and ask God to help you in the fight against the enemy. Verbally put on the full armor of God every single day. Be authoritative against the enemy and do not take no for an answer.  

Luke 10:19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.

Mark 16:17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues;

Come out of agreements with all the lies the enemy has spoken over your life. You come out of agreement with them by first recognizing them. Ask God to show you every single lie that you have believed as truth. As He shows them to you repent for believing a lie, ask God to break agreement with the lie, you verbally renounce/break agreement with it, speak the truth over your life, and then verbally command all demons connected to the lies to go in the name of Jesus. Refuse to speak or dwell on the lies ever again.  

Examples of Lies: God does not love you, you have messed up to much, no one loves you, life will never change, it will never get better, it would be better if you were not here, you will never be in a healthy relationship, you are ugly, you are always going to be sick, you are broken, you will never heal from your past, people are not safe, people hate you, etc.

It is also important to close all doors to the demons. If the doors to your life are not closed to them you can wear yourself out commanding them to leave and they will just come right back over and over because having open doors is like leaving the front door to your house open and a welcome mat laying out for intruders. You close doors by removing all items from your home that could be inviting demons to stay. Any games, movies, toys, books, jewelry, décor with themes or origins in witchcraft, paganism, false religions, and the occult are huge open doors to demons. Even if you look at the items as harmless entertainment demons do not see it that way. They see it as an open invitation to your home and to torment you. Other ways to close doors are repentance for all sin/patterns of sin. Keep in mind that true repentance includes having a change of heart, mind, and direction. It goes beyond simply feeling sorry. It requires us to change the behavior and break the pattern of sin in our lives.

If you have done all the above and the intrusive thoughts are not leaving deliverance (casting out demons in the name of Jesus) may be needed.

Fix your mind on the following Scriptures:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,

Link to Teaching Video: https://youtu.be/YMa5-JB20Zk?si=UKwDUf413c3Id4YX

Blessings,

Nichole Henson, MSW

Fullness of Joy Ministry