How You Think Can Bring Blessings or Curses

There’s so much power in the mind. Did you know that what you think, alone, could bring about blessings or curses?

You know how they say, “No matter how many times you read the Bible, you always learn something new each time”? Well, those are some of the moments I value the most. This time was a revelation of blessings and curses.

The other day as I was reading the first chapter of Luke, I began to take in every word on the page. In doing so, there was a defining moment for me on the power of our thoughts, and how it can dramatically impact our lives.

Zechariah’s Briefing

The semi-first few verses of Luke talks about an angel coming to the priest Zechariah and telling him that he and his wife Elizabeth would conceive a child. The angel told him of how great his child would be, how he would turn the rebellious back to God. He would even be filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth! Sounds great, right?

I’m sure it all sounded quite profound to Zechariah, but he seems more focused on his and Elizabeth’s age at the time. Not to mention the fact that his wife was barren and had never conceived. Therefore, his response to the angel was, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” (Luke 1:18)

The angel’s replication to Zechariah was this, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was He Who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” (Luke 1:19-20)

We’ll come back to this in a moment.

Mary’s Briefing

Let’s fast-forward to Mary: Six months later, the angel Gabriel appeared to teenaged Mary and told her she would conceive the Son of God, His name would be Jesus, and He would have an endless-kingdom (Luke 1:26-33). On the surface, Mary’s response seemed quite similar to Zechariah’s, as she also questioned the possibility, saying, “How can this happen? I am a virgin” (Luke 1:34).

The Difference

Although Zechariah and Mary’s feedback for the angel appeared rather identical in nature, the difference was unbelief. The only way Gabriel would have known this is if he knew the thoughts of both individuals. One believed the report of the Lord from the angel, the other did not. One brought about a blessing, the other a temporary curse.

The Outcome

Because of Zechariah’s unbelief, he was made into a mute! He wasn’t able to speak again until after John was born and after he confirmed his son’s name by writing it on a piece of paper. His lack of belief trickled down to his heart, but it began in the mind. In his thought process. The way he allowed his mind to think caused a curse to be placed on his life. How you think can bring blessings or curses.

Mary, on the other hand, questioned Gabriel out of curiosity, not from doubt. She wondered the miraculous possibility! The receptiveness of her mind toward the work of God was a reflection of her heart. This affected her thought process. Because of her faith, she was considered continually blessed. Remember, how we think can bring blessings or curses.

The devil and his servants do not have the ability to read your mind (that was stripped from them in the fall). This is the reason why satan doesn’t know what to attack until words are spoken. But God and his angels do, in fact, know our thoughts. Our thoughts matter and are taken into consideration when presented before the Lord.

We must be careful about what we allow to enter into our mind, because how we think can about blessing or curses.

“We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:5

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