You can tell yourself what to think. This is such a key discipline that it bears elaboration. Proverbs 23:7 tells us in fact, "For as you think in your heart, so are you." As Christian believers we are to actually let the Word of God govern our thought lives and thereby our natural reaction patterns. Our thinking processes are fallen; they need trueing. We have to give up and surrender our own thought lives and choose to operate in God's thoughts i.e. the verses of Holy Writ. We can steer ourselves by constantly speaking truth to our own souls.
A spiritual walk vs. a carnal or fleshly walk is one that is marked by this government of the Word and rule of the Spirit over natural reasonings and even natural wisdom. The Word is actually a gateway to a higher realm - the realm of faith. To fully function in this realm we have to heavily ingest the Scriptures and expend energy to constantly dialog with the indwelling Holy Spirit. Yes, there is a cost to move up into the spiritual but oh what a delicious life results.
Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer - Kansas City in a teaching entitled, "Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit," says we will not walk in the Spirit more than we talk to the Spirit. As we continually check in with the Spirit, asking Him "what are you saying?" and "what are you doing?" He releases small measures of power on our minds and on our hearts; we really will experience an incremental release of the Spirit of the Lord. As well we can say to the Spirit, "thank you," "teach me," "lead me," "anoint me," "strengthen me," etc. This spiritual walk is a walk from the inside out. The secret is to dwell together with the Lord as you walk among men.
An incentive to eat, sleep and breathe of the Spirit and the Word is the promise of I John 1:5, "in Him is no darkness at all." We want our very bodies wholly filled and flooded with God Himself. (Ephesians 3:19). And it is "the Truth that will set us free." (John 8:32). This Truth is usually diametrically opposed to the dark thinking and demonic values of the world. To embrace it is to move in a different spirit from the surrounding culture and even from that of the religious church culture.
Practically we have been given keys to unlock ourselves and others and thereby keep ourselves in the Truth and the available flow of God's life. As per Matthew 16:19 we can bind and loose on earth according to what is already bound or loosed in heaven (the spiritual realm). We can bind the devil and demonic forces from assaulting ourselves and others, and we can bind to actualities such as the mind of Christ, the work of the cross, the power of the blood, the Spirit's leading, the narrow path that leads to life, the grace of God, the full saving knowledge of Jesus, and so forth.
We can loose or break the power and hold of demons over people and ourselves. When I sense even a hint of bondage, I declare, "I loose myself from every bond, shackle, chain or fetter." And when I sense any hold in others, I say, "I loose Mary or John from every yoke of bondage." I add "in Jesus' name" as He is the one who has defeated the devil for us. Our inheritance is to walk free and clear on the inside. We are to experience John 7:38, a free flow of God's Spirit springing forth from within. Many Christians don't seem to know that such a life exists, but it does. Albeit such a walk in the spirit can be challenging to maintain under Western workplace pressures. However, King David, a great king and a general, is an example for us; he maintained such intimacy and anointing. The key of the kingdom to loose can also be utilized to release supply, provision, and supernatural equipping and endowment as we perceive need.
For reference, the best books I have read on the keys to these kingdom realities are Binding & Loosing Exercising Authority Over the Dark Powers by K. Neill Foster with Paul L. King plus Breaking the Power and Shattering Your Strongholds both by Liberty Savard.
In speaking to our souls, Luke 10:19 is a fundamental revelation for us as our enemy will often contest any claiming of spiritual territory. Jesus decreed, "Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you." Fuller Seminary professor and deliverance ministry researcher and pioneer Charles Kraft notes that this power is largely untapped in contemporary believers. In his book Defeating Dark Angels, he states:
We are God's precious children -- princes and princesses in his kingdom....part of our inheritance as his children is incredibly great power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This power within each of God's children is greater than that of the entire satanic kingdom. (p. 87).
As an aside, Kraft's books especially spelled out for me the workings of demons and the ways of deliverance. I particularly recommend Defeating Dark Angels, Deep Wounds Deep Healing, and by Charles Kraft with David DeBord The Rules of Engagement.
In addition to binding and loosing, certain declarations keep one in the blessed rest of God. (Hebrews 4:11). As well the embrace of these truths prevents the giving of ground or place or any foothold to the devil's forces.
When any tendency towards drivenness pressures me, I have learned to say aloud, "I resist all stress and pressure. I have all the time I need to do all that God is calling me to do." The Bible tells us that the Good Shepherd leads. It is Satan and his demons who drive. The bondage of drivenness is definitely a spirit in operation against a soul. It is more than just the product of being a type A personality. Also one thing to watch out for in yourself and others is the tendency to transfer the energies devoted to climbing the world's success ladder to self-promotion and overachievement in ministry undertakings. This is definitely not the way of God's kingdom; here, the way up is the way down i. e. God Himself brings promotion to those who lay down their lives in response to specific assignments from Him. We can ask the Lord to uproot any inclination to compare and compete against one another. 2 Corinthians 10:12 corrects us with these words: "However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely." We are all unique parts of a Body. (I Corinthians 12).
In the area of fear I pronounce, "I loose myself from all care, worry or fear." The promise is that "perfect love casteth out fear." (I John 4:18). To overcome recurrent fear we must thrust our roots down deep into Christ so that we are operating in the realm of the spiritual and eternal and thus in God's peace and rest. I say aloud, "I am not moved by what I see or by how things seem or appear but only by the way the Word depicts reality." Colossians 2:7 instructs, "Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith...." In this position and with strong prayer, we can turn back an enemy attack of fear.
Against pride it is necessary to wage an all out war. As needed we can command ourselves with these words, "Soul humble yourself before the Lord." (1 Peter 5:6) Declaring I Peter 5:5 is most effectual as well. "I clothe (apron) myself, with humility [as the garb of a servant, so that its covering cannot possibly be stripped from me, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another. For God sets Himself against the proud...[He opposes, frustrates and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble." We must take into our beings all that the Word has to say about pride and humility. Gaining freedom from pride can be like peeling back onion layers. We can attain more and more freedom in this area and also increase in humility. Ask the Lord to heal any underlying insecurities that can induce a swing towards prideful swelling. Constantly confess, "I am accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6). We all need heavy investment in humility. Zephaniah 2:3 says we are to "require humility as vital." Development in this grace will pay great dividends in this life and will affect our standing in eternity as well. God's kingdom is definitely an upside down one. In Daniel 4:17 God says, "that the living may know that the Most High [God] rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He will and sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men."
A most helpful practice when preparing to gather with believers or to a certain extent with people of the world is to prepare your heart beforehand. God wants us to be free from chasing after people of prominence. I instruct my will by telling myself to "go down low, serve, wash feet (or minister to people)." We can be intentional and led by the Holy Spirit with our words and interactions. We can sow love and acceptance and reap the same. There is much life in what the Holy Spirit can accomplish through us in the foyer or in the sanctuary after meetings. And as Graham Cooke teaches, when we move in an opposite spirit it confuses the enemy. God Himself will bring us the divine connections we need for the outworking of His plans in our lives.
Recognize that any barrage of negative thoughts toward brothers and sisters in Christ is the accuser of the brethren at work. At the first hint of a judgment forthcoming, clamp down on yourself with Matthew 7:1, "Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves."
When faced with uncertainty, meditate on all the guidance Scriptures in order to build trust in fully faithful God. Frequently repeat, "I lean not to my own understanding. In all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He shall direct my paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we can't see where we are going, we can position ourselves to actually walk towards Jesus in the spiritual realm. He is the Way. (John 14:6) He will then open up the pathway in the material world. We are to operate more fully in the spiritual realm while co-existing in the natural order than we realize. In the Gospels Jesus was walking in two worlds at once. Again the Bible is our gateway to the spiritual realm and its laws. Aim to fully perceive this unseen realm. "Consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are unseen are deathless and everlasting." (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Finally an excellent practice is to train our wills by confessing aloud the "I wills." We can direct ourselves with these and other phrases; "I will obey the Spirit and the Word," "I will love the unlovely," "I will forgive," "I do repent."
There are as many confessions as there are promises and precepts in the Bible. My hope is that these few examples will enable you to walk higher. In the writing of this post the thought occurred that the overarching goal of speaking to our own souls is to become great at allowing the Spirit to communicate and to govern and to become great at denying ourselves and embracing the cross. The so satisfying life of God will then flow unchecked; we will continually experience the river that we sing about. Then will ensue the attainment of true greatness that our Father wants for us - His beloved children becoming like Christ, the Pattern Son.
Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."