Imagination

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

glf

Active member
Mar 18, 2023
265
116
43
70
#1
2 Cor 10: 4, 5 KJV "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Sometimes, I'll use the scripture in a positive rather than in a negative. For example, in the above scripture it refers to guarding our imaginations, but I'll use it in a positive manor by beginning prayer time by looking up and imagining I'm fling to the Lord thru the 3rd heaven. In an instant, exiting the Earth's atmosphere and just as quickly the stars of space are all behind me and then I'm approaching a giant pearl that becomes the middle gate on a side at the bottom of New Jerusalem, a 1500 mile cube that could be called the city of light. I picture that every road is golden and leads to the throne room. All the buildings are also made from gold that turns transparent when looking toward the Father on his great white throne no matter where we are in heaven. I picture the doors of the throne room extending the entire height of the city with the Father as a pure bright white light overshadowed and surrounded by an emerald rainbow. Jesus is to his left as I face them and a river flows from the midst of the throne. I imagine the throne room to be large enough to hold the angelic host along with the entire OT and NT faithful. I can't imagine getting enough of the Father fulfilling Zeph 3:17 and joying over us all with singing. Jesus come quickly! Amen
 

glf

Active member
Mar 18, 2023
265
116
43
70
#2
Pr 6:2 KJV "Thou art snared by the words of thy mouth, thou art taken by the words of thy mouth."

Another example of using a negative scripture positively can be done by snaring ourselves from speaking the Lord's word.
A word of caution: This doesn't work for understanding doctrines!
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
8,312
3,618
113
#3
I prefer to read the scriptures as they are, not what I want them to be.
 

Karlon

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2023
2,603
1,173
113
#4
Ito R.A.: indeed. the best way to read the scriptures is to pray to Jesus to help you understand, put your self in a calm relaxed mood with a smile & read away. we always have John 16:13, 2nd timothy 2:7 & 2:15, to assist.
 
L

Liverpool

Guest
#6
2 Cor 10: 4, 5 KJV "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Sometimes, I'll use the scripture in a positive rather than in a negative. For example, in the above scripture it refers to guarding our imaginations, but I'll use it in a positive manor by beginning prayer time by looking up and imagining I'm fling to the Lord thru the 3rd heaven. In an instant, exiting the Earth's atmosphere and just as quickly the stars of space are all behind me and then I'm approaching a giant pearl that becomes the middle gate on a side at the bottom of New Jerusalem, a 1500 mile cube that could be called the city of light. I picture that every road is golden and leads to the throne room. All the buildings are also made from gold that turns transparent when looking toward the Father on his great white throne no matter where we are in heaven. I picture the doors of the throne room extending the entire height of the city with the Father as a pure bright white light overshadowed and surrounded by an emerald rainbow. Jesus is to his left as I face them and a river flows from the midst of the throne. I imagine the throne room to be large enough to hold the angelic host along with the entire OT and NT faithful. I can't imagine getting enough of the Father fulfilling Zeph 3:17 and joying over us all with singing. Jesus come quickly! Amen
I like this
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,472
13,785
113
#7
A word of caution: when using a 400-year-old translation, don’t assume that key words mean today what they meant at the time the translation was developed.
 

Karlon

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2023
2,603
1,173
113
#8
remember everyone that the O.T. was written in the language of Hebrew & the N.T., the language of Greek. Plus, John 14:26 & John 16:13, & 2nd Timothy 2:7, 15 are comforters & teaches in learning.
 
L

Liverpool

Guest
#9
2 Cor 10: 4, 5 KJV "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Sometimes, I'll use the scripture in a positive rather than in a negative. For example, in the above scripture it refers to guarding our imaginations, but I'll use it in a positive manor by beginning prayer time by looking up and imagining I'm fling to the Lord thru the 3rd heaven. In an instant, exiting the Earth's atmosphere and just as quickly the stars of space are all behind me and then I'm approaching a giant pearl that becomes the middle gate on a side at the bottom of New Jerusalem, a 1500 mile cube that could be called the city of light. I picture that every road is golden and leads to the throne room. All the buildings are also made from gold that turns transparent when looking toward the Father on his great white throne no matter where we are in heaven. I picture the doors of the throne room extending the entire height of the city with the Father as a pure bright white light overshadowed and surrounded by an emerald rainbow. Jesus is to his left as I face them and a river flows from the midst of the throne. I imagine the throne room to be large enough to hold the angelic host along with the entire OT and NT faithful. I can't imagine getting enough of the Father fulfilling Zeph 3:17 and joying over us all with singing. Jesus come quickly! Amen
Reminds me of the song “I can only imagine” by MercyMe
 

glf

Active member
Mar 18, 2023
265
116
43
70
#10
2 Cor 10: 4, 5 KJV "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Sometimes, I'll use the scripture in a positive rather than in a negative. For example, in the above scripture it refers to guarding our imaginations, but I'll use it in a positive manor by beginning prayer time by looking up and imagining I'm fling to the Lord thru the 3rd heaven. In an instant, exiting the Earth's atmosphere and just as quickly the stars of space are all behind me and then I'm approaching a giant pearl that becomes the middle gate on a side at the bottom of New Jerusalem, a 1500 mile cube that could be called the city of light. I picture that every road is golden and leads to the throne room. All the buildings are also made from gold that turns transparent when looking toward the Father on his great white throne no matter where we are in heaven. I picture the doors of the throne room extending the entire height of the city with the Father as a pure bright white light overshadowed and surrounded by an emerald rainbow. Jesus is to his left as I face them and a river flows from the midst of the throne. I imagine the throne room to be large enough to hold the angelic host along with the entire OT and NT faithful. I can't imagine getting enough of the Father fulfilling Zeph 3:17 and joying over us all with singing. Jesus come quickly! Amen

Thank you for the warnings. Sadly, it's seemingly all to easy and more and more common now-a-days for believers to go off on a tangent as they hurry to understand doctrines and spiritual truths. Scripture warns us all that if any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing as he ought to know. After all it's not he that commendeth himself that is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. The mind set upon the flesh is death, but the mind set upon the Spirit is life and peace. Praise the Lord in the name of Jesus, our God and King! From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Lord name is to be praised!

So, in my defense, : ) This is a two second mental exercise that I might sometimes do before devotions that was the result of striving to set my affections on things above.

Hallowed Father, full of love and life, increase our desire for your word and make it to be the power of your might to our hearts and minds, transforming us into the image of Jesus by purging our consciences from dead works and anoint us with joy unspeakable and full of glory in the Holy Spirit. Make us more sensitive and obedient to the Spirit that we may minister to the lost or those in need in Jesus' name.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,143
5,720
113
#11
2 Cor 10: 4, 5 KJV "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Sometimes, I'll use the scripture in a positive rather than in a negative. For example, in the above scripture it refers to guarding our imaginations, but I'll use it in a positive manor by beginning prayer time by looking up and imagining I'm fling to the Lord thru the 3rd heaven. In an instant, exiting the Earth's atmosphere and just as quickly the stars of space are all behind me and then I'm approaching a giant pearl that becomes the middle gate on a side at the bottom of New Jerusalem, a 1500 mile cube that could be called the city of light. I picture that every road is golden and leads to the throne room. All the buildings are also made from gold that turns transparent when looking toward the Father on his great white throne no matter where we are in heaven. I picture the doors of the throne room extending the entire height of the city with the Father as a pure bright white light overshadowed and surrounded by an emerald rainbow. Jesus is to his left as I face them and a river flows from the midst of the throne. I imagine the throne room to be large enough to hold the angelic host along with the entire OT and NT faithful. I can't imagine getting enough of the Father fulfilling Zeph 3:17 and joying over us all with singing. Jesus come quickly! Amen
God created this

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.

And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬


But Very early on mans mind and heart became corrupt with the knowledge of good and evil corrupting thier imagination and desires

“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:5-6, 11-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is mans issue and why Gods word can save us.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‬ ‭

“The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none that doeth good.

The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there were any that did understand, And seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: There is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭14:1-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It’s our problem in our hearts and minds our imagination

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭7:21-23‬ ‭

the way to overcome that issue is believing the gospel

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭

When we start accepting the things Jesus taught us he’s able to change our mind and heart how we think and what we desire and imagine and hope for our conscience becomes sharpened and we become more vigilant and we become informed of truth and it changes who and how we are as we persevere

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,429
6,707
113
#12
remember everyone that the O.T. was written in the language of Hebrew & the N.T., the language of Greek. Plus, John 14:26 & John 16:13, & 2nd Timothy 2:7, 15 are comforters & teaches in learning.[/
Ezra and the first half of the Book of Daniel are originally in Aramaic I believe.
 

soberxp

Senior Member
May 3, 2018
2,511
482
83
#13
2 Cor 10: 4, 5 KJV "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
Amen
Mark
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#16
1 Corinthians 8:2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
There is more context to this statement. The OP used it out of context. Read chapter 7 and 8 all together and you find this is not about knowing scripture and doctrine.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#17
1 Corinthians 8:2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
The OP is promoting mysticism, imagining all that out of body stuff. Nowhere in scripture is any such thing promoted.
How about some reality. Like the ole boy who pounded his chest and said have mercy on me a wretched sinner.
 

soberxp

Senior Member
May 3, 2018
2,511
482
83
#18
The OP is promoting mysticism, imagining all that out of body stuff. Nowhere in scripture is any such thing promoted.
How about some reality. Like the ole boy who pounded his chest and said have mercy on me a wretched sinner.
He could just be a way of saying something about the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. He probably thinks this description is imagination.
 
L

Locoponydirtman

Guest
#19
He could just be a way of saying something about the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. He probably thinks this description is imagination.
The weapons of our warfare are described in the text of scripture; nothing about imagining that you are having out of body space odyssey into the realms of Heaven which we can not even imagine. Also over and against study of doctrine and spiritual truth and scrilture.
 

soberxp

Senior Member
May 3, 2018
2,511
482
83
#20
The weapons of our warfare are described in the text of scripture; nothing about imagining that you are having out of body space odyssey into the realms of Heaven which we can not even imagine. Also over and against study of doctrine and spiritual truth and scrilture.
The Bible says that the kingdom of heaven is not seen by human eyes, we have all seen gold, whether it is pictures or real objects, so the kingdom of heaven is God's profound knowledge and wisdom, which we have not seen in this world,And this knowledge and wisdom constitutes the kingdom of heaven.

I'm glad we'll get a chance to see him one day