We must be word-minded and not sense-minded. Here’s how the devil works against us. He wants us to start thinking about his words. The devil says things like, “Just a little bit of a misnumbering on your tax return is okay.” He starts with little things (Luke 16:10).
A convicted rapist and murderer didn’t wake up one day as a serial killer. He started by reading soft pornography. But after a while, that didn’t take care of his thirst. So he went to a little harder core porn, and then when that no longer satisfied, he began to act out his fantasies. The things of the devil are progressive.
The things of God are also progressive. Once you taste the Word of God, you find your hunger and thirst grows for His Word. You just want more and more and more.
The Battle for Your Thoughts
The battlefield of faith is found in our minds. We need to keep our minds filled with the things of God. That’s why the Bible tells you what to do when you have a thought that’s not right.
Second Corinthians 10:4-5 says you reject it, you cast it down, and you get rid of it so it doesn’t trickle down into your heart. Once it gets into your heart, out of the abundance of the heart you’ll start speaking it. And, what you say is what you get.
Let’s look again at Mark 11:23. Jesus is speaking and He says, “…Whoever says to that mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”
Again, in this one verse, Jesus talks about what you say three times. He knew He needed to emphasize this spiritual principle about entering the spirit realm through words for us to understand it.
You get your prayer to the throne of God by speaking it. There’s no place in the Word of God where it talks about silent prayer. Does that surprise you? God wants us to speak our prayers. Jesus spoke to God. “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me'” (John 11:41).
“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You'” (John 17:1).
We get what we say. There is a great battle taking place over your thought life because nothing happens in the spirit realm until what you think drops down into your heart. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Excerpt permission granted by Larry Ollison Ministries
Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.