Mattie Montgomery

Based on John Owen’s writings, specifically Of Temptation and Indwelling Sin, dealing with intrusive thoughts involves recognizing them as the "first actings" of sin and dealing with them immediately through specific spiritual strategies. Owen defines these thoughts as imaginations, figments, or involuntary surprises that arise from the "law of sin" dwelling within the believer. Even if you do not want these thoughts, they are dangerous because they are the first step toward actual sin. Here is Owen's counsel on what to do with intrusive thoughts: 1. Identify the Source and Danger You must first recognize that these thoughts are not harmless. Owen warns that the mind is the "guiding faculty" of the soul, and if sin captures the imagination, it will eventually entangle the affections and the will. Recognize the "First Actings": Intrusive thoughts are often the "first actings" or conceptions of lust. Even if they are involuntary surprises, they spring from a habitual propensity to evil within the heart. Check the Symptoms: Ask if these thoughts are "lodging" in your mind with secret delight. Owen warns that while a thought may start as a surprise, if the mind allows it to stay and finds pleasure in it (even without acting on it), the affections are already entangled. 2. Rise Mightily Against Them Owen advises that you must not negotiate with these thoughts. Stop Them at the Threshold: You must "rise mightily against the first actings" of the distemper. Do not say, "Thus far it shall go, and no farther." If you allow the thought one step, it will take another. Abhor Them: You should meet these thoughts with indignation. If the thought is unclean, consider that it wants to roll you in filth; if it is envious, realize it aims at murder. You must look upon the thought as a mortal enemy seeking your ruin. 3. Replace the Object of Your Mind Since the mind cannot be empty, you must displace sinful thoughts with spiritual ones. Fill the Mind with Spiritual Things: Owen argues that if the affections are filled with heavenly things—God’s beauty, glory, and the love of Christ—there will be no room for sin’s "painted pleasures." Meditate on God: Use meditation to fix your mind on God's majesty and your infinite distance from Him. This keeps the heart humble and less susceptible to the deceit of intrusive thoughts. 4. Apply the Blood of Christ Ultimately, willpower is insufficient. You must bring the thought to the Cross. Act Faith on Christ Crucified: When a sinful thought arises, immediately bring it to the death of Christ. Speak to the thought: "It is Christ that died for such sins as these." This helps kill the power of the thought by contrasting it with the cost of your redemption. Expect Relief: Look to Christ as your High Priest who is able to succor (help) those who are tempted. Expect Him to send the Holy Spirit to break the snare. 5. Do Not Speak False Peace If a thought is distressing, do not simply try to comfort yourself by saying "it’s just a thought" or relying on general promises of mercy without dealing with the root. Load the Conscience with Guilt: If the thought persists, you must load your conscience with the guilt of it. Acknowledge that it grieves the Spirit and wounds Christ. This heaviness is necessary to drive you to the true healing found in the blood of Christ, rather than a superficial peace that leaves the root of the sin intact. In summary, Owen teaches that you should detect the thought early, reject it with indignation, replace it with thoughts of God, and destroy its power by applying the death of Christ to it by faith.

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