Does not God’s Word teach us twice? “There is a way that seemeth right, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)? Why has it taken us so long to realize that the use of the simple imagination of a person can lead into sinful conduct?
Does not God’s Word teach us to ‘renew our minds’ (Romans 12:1-3)? Paul wrote of the “good, acceptable and perfect will of God.” The effort to do this renewal can be a major one. To read just a little of the counseling material regarding helping someone to overcome any addiction or obsession quickly causes one to see the effort required. However, with the Lord’s help, anyone can be blessed in the aftermath of wrong imaginations and conduct (Matthew 11:28-30). By being ‘yoked up’ with the Lord, we have renewed strength to overcome and will to endure.
To conquer imagination requires us to have extra help. Leaving the Lord out did not help King Saul in his obsession against young David (1 Samuel). Betraying the Lord did not help Judas Iscariot in his addiction to money. Simon quickly realized what ‘gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity’ meant and asked for prayer as he was told to ‘repent and pray for forgiveness’ (Acts 8:22). Perhaps a reader of this article is in Simon’s state; let the Lord into your mind to do His will, please. Today, the Lord speaks to us through the Word of God, specifically, the New Testament.
