Controlling Our Thoughts: Philippians 4:8, Part 3

As we wrap up our study of Philippians 4:8, we hope you have been encouraged that the battle in our minds against sinful thoughts has already been won through Christ! He has provided all we need through His Word, and if we choose to take our thoughts captive and work hard to think biblically we can live in freedom from enslaving sins and thoughts.

Today, we will finish off with defining the “grid” of Philippians 4:8 and learning some practical questions we can ask ourselves from Elyse Fitzpatrick’s book, Love to Eat, Hate to Eat. Let’s review Philippians 4:8, and then get started!

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8

We’ve already examined the first few words and definitions here, so let’s dive into the rest.

Pure
Definition: clean. Ask yourself, “Is this thought something that I would be ashamed about if others knew I entertained it? Does it live up to God’s standards of purity and holiness?”

Lovely
Definition: winsome. Ask yourself, “Is this thought something that would draw others to Christ? Is it sweet or bitter, beautiful or ugly?”

Good Repute
Definition: attractive. Ask yourself, “Is this thought a faith-filled assessment of the situation, or does it send my heart trembling in fear away from the Lord?”

Moral Excellence
Definition: virtue. Ask yourself, “Is this thought overflowing with the excellencies of Christ? Does it acknowledge His great love, mercy, grace, and holiness?”

Praise-worthy
Definition: admirable. Ask yourself, “Is this thought something that would cause others to praise God if they heard it? Does it cause my heart to be filled with thanks and worship?”

Isn’t it such a blessing that the Word of God is so practical? With this verse and these questions, we can evaluate the things we think about, and fight against thoughts that do not line up with God’s standards. May we seek to dig into His Word and work hard to apply it to every area of our lives – including our thought lives – each and every day.

Bethany Dunn
Bethany heard about Vision of Hope while attending Word of Life Bible Institute in Florida. When she began praying about what God wanted her to do after graduating, He kept bringing Vision of Hope to her mind. Knowing that there was an internship available, Bethany applied, was accepted, and began her internship with VOH in July, 2012. Since then she has been amazed at the opportunities God has given her to learn more about His Word and how it applies to everyday life. Bethany now serves on staff at Vision of Hope.