One evening, some time ago, I was driving in the car with my mom when she asked me a question I had been deliberately avoiding. She wanted to know, “How can someone get rid of negative thoughts?” I understood exactly why she was asking, especially given the health challenges she was facing at that time. I replied, “Well, Mom, you have to respond to them.”

Let me explain further. When negative thoughts creep into your mind—thoughts of fear, despair, discouragement, or anything else that makes you feel like you have no control—it can be hard to shake them off. You try not to think about them or to entertain them, but somehow, those feelings and questions linger, causing crippling fear. Thoughts like, “Am I going to get better? Will I pass this exam? Will this illness lead to death? Am I ever going to get out of debt? Will I become homeless? Will I ever have my own children? Will I ever find my own husband?”

I can relate to those feelings. However, I’ve come to realize that I can’t just remain silent and let negative thoughts roam freely in my mind. Now, I actively speak back to them. I don’t ignore or downplay these thoughts. Instead, when I encounter a negative thought, I respond in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let me clarify what I mean. I don’t respond to these thoughts out of fear; I respond out of faith because I understand the promises of God for me. I hold on to what God has declared concerning me and my situation. It is written that we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The only thoughts I must allow in my mind are those that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, as stated in Philippians 4:8. When the enemy tries to bring thoughts of failure or death to me, I recognize that these are not in alignment with the truth of God’s Word. The Lord has declared that I will not die but live to proclaim His glory in the land of the living. Therefore, I actively respond to these negative thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.

When fear tries to creep in, I declare that the Lord has not given me a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind. I cannot remain silent and expect these thoughts to simply go away; I must confront them. The Bible is our final authority, and this means that anything not affirmed by the Lord concerning me is not of God.

I refuse to give the enemy the right to let negative thoughts take root in my life. I counter these thoughts by having faith in the name of Jesus. Listen, folks, the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He can achieve this through the thoughts he throws into your mind. He tries to defeat you with thoughts of fear, discouragement, worthlessness, hopelessness, and despair.

The Bible says to “fight the good fight of faith.” You must fight, and you have to fight the right fight. Don’t entertain those negative thoughts; don’t dwell on them. Don’t give them subheadings or chapters in your life. Avoid getting creative about how you think of them. Some people become so accustomed to these thoughts that they replay the same scenes over and over in their minds. They know where they left off last night before going to bed, and they pick up right from there in the morning.

Ask yourself: what does the enemy want for your life? By allowing the enemy to control your thoughts, you let him turn your mind into a video game, where he can keep pushing all the buttons in your life.

It is time to arise and speak out, folks. Fight the fight of faith over your life, and begin to take every thought captive in the name of Jesus. This isn’t about praying for the Lord to take the thoughts away. He’s already instructed you to take them captive. He has given you the answer to this challenge.

No, you don’t need to beg; instead, speak out in faith. The Lord has granted you power over this situation and has commanded you to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. He didn’t say, “Beg me to resist the devil or beg me to take the negative thoughts away.” No, you must speak out and refuse to remain silent.

Go to the Word of God and discover what the Lord has said about you. What are His promises for your life? Take hold of those promises, confess them into your life day after day, and moment by moment. Let them become a part of your daily routine. By doing so, you will hear more of what God has said concerning you and less of the negative thoughts.

Your answer lies in the Bible. It is written that the Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Your fight is not one of reasoning or feeling; it is a fight of faith. Bring those thoughts into obedience each day.

Folks, don’t remain mute or silent. Don’t ignore your thoughts, thinking they will just go away. Instead, respond to them and speak back to them aloud. The Bible says that we have been given a name that is above every other name, and at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9).

Speak out, and do not stay silent.