Imagination: Friend Or Foe?
Is the imagination a good thing or bad? Throughout Scripture, God speaks negatively about wicked imaginations and the imagination of men’s evil hearts. However, does this mean that all imagination is bad?
The word imagination is related to the word image. it refers to a mental picture, or a visual image we see in our mind’s eye, or as the Bible says, in our hearts.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; II Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
God tells us to reject all imaginations and thoughts that are contrary to God and His Word. This is very important to our walk with God, but it does not mean that all imagination is bad. Getting an image in our hearts is actually helpful to activating our faith for something. Developing an image of what we want helps us to believe for it. As a matter of fact, God stated as much when He disrupted the work of mankind at the Tower of Babel.
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Genesis 11:6 (KJV)
It is true that imagination can be an evil, wicked thing when we give into the temptation of the devil and imagine bad things. Evil imagination is the basis of lust, pornography, theft, violence, and every wicked deed. However, when using our faith to believe for something from God, we need to have an image of what we want to receive. If you are believing to lose weight, get an image of yourself being thin and fit. If you are believing to come up off your bed of sickness, imagine yourself getting up and doing everything you can’t do now. If you are believing God for finances, get a picture in your mind of you doing good things with the money you desire. If you are believing for a house, start visualizing what you want that house to look like and what will be in it. If it helps, put up photos and illustrations of what you want.
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. Philippians 4:8, Amplified Bible, AMP)
No matter what you are believing for, your imagination can help you believe for it. A good imagination is key to a successful faith life.
