Taking Control Of Your Mind

2 Cor 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 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. There is a battle that is raging although you may not even be aware that it is taking place. The battle is truth versus falsehood. The battle is for your mind. Satan is after your mind because if he can get your mind, then he can get your life. Sow a thought, sow an action. Sow an action, sow a destiny. Thoughts determine your destiny. But God hasn't called us to that bondage. No, the Bible says that Jesus came to set the captives free. Jesus came to set at liberty those that are oppressed of the enemy. Our minds are so key. That's what separates us from the animals. If our minds are in the hands of Satan, then we are going to receive what Satan says. Our mind is meant to be the guiding force of our lives. That's why our minds need our attention so seriously. We need to think the thoughts that God wants us to think. We will draw to ourselves what we constantly meditate on. Negative thoughts lead to negative feelings, and that leads to negative people. So our thinking determines what we are going to bring into our lives. The results of wrong thoughts Wrong Emotions For example, if you have ever had anybody wrong you? If your focus is on what they did to you instead of love and forgiveness, then hate and anger fill your heart. If you are walking around all hateful and angry, guess what?-- you are going to repel people. Because no one wants to be around that kind of person. If you meditate on depressing thoughts. You will live a depressing life. We feel like what we think about. We think discouraging thoughts, we will be discouraged. Etc etc Emotional Problems. Sometimes people say "Pray for me I have emotional problems." Most of the time, most people--their emotions are working just fine. "My emotions are messed up." No, your emotions are working just fine. You are thinking bad things and therefore your emotions are coming into play. "Pastor I'm so depressed." "What are you thinking about." "I'm thinking how I'm about to die and about my funeral." That's not an emotional problem. Your emotions are working just fine. It's a thinking problem. Emotional problems may exist if you think of God's goodness and are still depressed. There would be a problem if you were thinking good thoughts and you were still depressed. But most people have a thought problem, not an emotional problem. We are anxious because we are thinking anxious thoughts. We are depressed because we are thinking depressing thoughts. Garbage in, garbage out. So we need to think differently. It all starts with our minds. But if we focus on God's truth. If we focus on God's word. We will have faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. The Joy of the Lord is your strength. How do we get joy? By believing what God's word says about us. If you want the right emotions, we need to start thinking the right thoughts. Wrong Attitude If you think. "I'll never amount much to anything. Nothing ever works out for me. I always get a raw deal", are you going to have a highly motivated attitude? You will not marshal all your resources to win if you are dwelling on failure. And if your resources are not marshaled, what are your chances for success? Not much. And then when you don't succeed, you say, "see I told you so." Negativity becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. John Maxwell tells a great story about 2 shoe salesman that go to this island in the South Pacific and learn that none of the people there even wear shoes. They both dash into two phone booths to call their overseas office. The first says. "Book me on the next flight. Nobody wears shoes over here." The second salesmen says "send be 50 cases of shoes. Nobody even has shoes over here!" You see we can see the same things, but how we think about those things affects our attitude. Look, we all get knocked down from time to time by life and can have periods of mourning or depression, but we don't have to stay there forever. That is why praise is so important. But isn't' all that praise just psyching yourself up? No and Yes. Of course praise is more than that, but praise is "psyching up" if by "psyche" you mean the mind. We are reminding ourselves of the goodness of God, of our adoption by God of the favor of God, of the promises of God. Sickness Another thing that wrong thoughts produce is sickness. If you constantly say. "I 'll always be sick", then you will be. You are setting yourself up to receive what you expect. If your mind is on scriptures, you will get healed. Prov 4:20-22 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. God said to Moses make a bronze serpent. When the Israelites were dying they were told that anyone who looks at it with a fixed gaze would be healed. Who has believed the report of the Lord? Will you fix your eyes on your healer? Set Your Mind On Things Above Col 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things First thing we need to realize is that we can choose our thoughts. Nobody can make you think about something, although the devil will try. If we focus on what God has done for us and Christ, if you believe on what God is saying--His report, you will have victory. We have control over what we are going to think about and we have to choose to set our minds on things above. We need to focus our faith on God and his greatness. Set your hearts on things above--not just a momentary look, but set your hearts there. Jesus example John 16:33 In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." How do we become of good cheer? You have to focus on the goodness of God instead of focusing on the tribulation. You have to focus on the fact that Jesus has overcome and because we are united with him we are overcomers. I said we are overcomers. See even Jesus was not immune to tribulation. Yes he went through good Friday but then came Resurrection Sunday! Some of us might be in a good Friday mode right now. But praise God, Sunday is coming. You see what was Jesus thinking about while he suffered? Jesus was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. Jesus wasn't thinking tribulation. Jesus wasn't thinking about the nails, the crown of thorns. No he was thinking about His seat in the heavenly places. He was thinking of victory! He was thinking of salvation. He was looking towards the future! But you might be saying "but you don't understand what I am going through." But it's not what you are going through that has you down . It is how you are thinking about it that has you down. You may be going through right now but think about God and his plan. If you think about God's power you will attract strength. Strength to overcome and go through the trials. Jesus said in this life you will have troubles but I have overcome the world. He wasn't saying it was always going to be nice, but that in the midst, we can choose to believe that Jesus is greater than our problems! How do you get control of your mind? You are the gatekeeper You are the ultimate gatekeeper for your mind. Jesus said he stands at the door and knocks. The devil bangs at the door. But only you can determine who you will let in-- who will you entertain? You can't control who is going to knock on the door, but only you have the power to open and let the person in. "Oh your not going to make it financially. Your not going to succeed. Your going to die early." Don't invite him in. There's an expression, "you may not be able to keep the bird from landing on you. But you don't have to let it build a nest on your head." Ask, "Why I am thinking that. That's just the devil talking. But instead I am going to listen to the thoughts of Jesus. Lord show me what your word says in this situation cause I want to think your thoughts." No Denial I am not saying that we should stick our heads in the sand and pretend like things are great when they aren't. The difference is your mind. What are you thinking about? I am not saying you should be like an ostrich and deny reality. All I'm saying is just don't dwell on this reality only! Dwell on the greater one who is within you! Some people are deniers. "I don't want to go the doctor because I don't want too hear the bad news." No, people of faith say "no I want to face the problems-- face the reality-- so I can find out about what God says about it, so I can overcome." I don't know when, but God is going to turn this test into a testimony. Sooner or later he's going to turn this mess into a message. Refuse to give up. Dismiss it immediately Take action against it. As soon as that thought flashes through your mind. Don't let it settle there. Dismiss it . Say this thought is not from God. I rebuke it in the name of Jesus. You may not want to do it out loud at work. But hey. Do what you have to . Don't let it fester in our mind. Don't delay. Deal with it immediately. Replace the thought with the Word immediately Find our what God says about your situations and memorize it . Quote it . Write it on an index card. I've been known to walk around with cards and pull them out throughout the day. Why? Rom 12:1-2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. We have got to renew our minds with truth. We can't lay back and expect this transformation to happen to us just suddenly. No we are going to have to discipline ourselves to toss off the old thoughts and put on the new. Start dwelling on the good things of God. Stop thinking "I can't" Start thinking " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Stop thinking "I'll always be sick." And start thinking. "By His stripes I am healed." Stop thinking "God hates me" Start thinking "I am accepted in the Beloved." This takes effort especially if we have years of bad habits in our thinking. We have to be on guard and we all have different problem areas. I heard a funny story about two farmers, one negative , one positive. When it rained, one would say "wonderful my crop is being refreshed," the other would say" Boy if this doesn't let up my crops will drown. " When it was sunny, one would say " Great my crops are getting nourished", the other would say, "Man if this doesn't let up, my crop will be scorched. They went goose hunting together. The positive farmer had a hunting dog. They went out on a boat. When the positive farmer shot a goose, he sent his dog to fetch it. The dog literally walked on top of the surface of the water, got the goose and brought it back. The negative farmer said. "Dog can't even swim!" What do you think God really thinks about you? Do you know that he loves you and wants you to succeed in every area of life? The devil says you don't have enough. Enough Money, time good looks, talent. God says you can do all things through Christ. God's thoughts will enable you to walk in victory and freedom. Let's store them up. Blessings!