The Power of Biblical Thinking (Godly Thinking)

Philippians 4:8–9 KJV 1900

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Biblical, Godly, Christlike thinking is vital because the way think determines the we act

Proverbs 23:7 KJV 1900

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; But his heart is not with thee.

We live in a world that is constantly bombarding us with messages, images, and worldviews that are incompatible with a biblical worldview and biblical guidelines for godly behavior.

Even Christians can begin to think in secular, rather than biblical, categories if the popular, secular culture begins to inform their values.

Paul reminds us that we must constantly reject those things that do not draw us closer to God and consciously focus on the things that do. We have the ability to choose what we think about.

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV 1900

5 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;

Paul was in jail In fact, when Paul wrote this letter inspired by the Holy Spirit. He was in jail for the cause of Christ.

Paul wrote this letter not correct the Philippian church but to commend them for their support of him while he was with and while he was in chains

Phillipa is a leading city in Macedonia (Modern day Greece).

Paul founded the church after having a vision of a man from Macedonia crying out for help

The term “Macedonian Call” refers to a God-given vision that directed the route Paul took on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:39—18:22).

Paul’s plan was to visit and strengthen the churches he had planted in the Asian province of Galatia during his first journey. After that he hoped to take the gospel to unchurched regions. Paul and his companions, Silas and Timothy, had plans to head directly west, but they were “kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia” (Acts 16:6–8).

The purpose of this sermon is to exhort and believers the need for thinking like citizens of God’s kingdom.

To obtain biblical we must understand and not be slowed down by our ungodly past actions, hurts, pain, and sins.

Paul admonished them to forget and reach , press, after the high calling and to think like kingdom citizens.

Philippians 3:13–14 (KJV 1900)

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We must understand it by the grace, I am not all that, I do not have all the answers, I still got a lot of learning to do… count not my self to apprehended

This one thing means we stay focused _ remember who you are, primary thing Paul did more the one he was a preacher, teacher, tent maker, but he never forgot the main thing.

Forget those things which are behind.

When Paul said he was “forgetting those things which are behind,” he referred to not looking back at past relationships, memories, failures, temptations, or anything that might distract from a single-minded focus on “the upward call of God in Christ.”

The word forgetting in Philippians 3:13 means “dismissing from the mind or paying no attention to.” To “forget” in this way is to stop dwelling on something. To win the race, a runner must dismiss every distraction from his mind. He must not rehash every early misstep or dwell on the mistakes along his course.

----- While playing a team tell players who make mistakes to shake it off; there is a time to reflect and correct later. ( but do not dwell) “Forgetting what is behind” is Paul’s way of saying, “Don’t look back! Stop dwelling on the past. Don’t let anything behind you interfere with your present progress or future efforts.”

Personal growth as a believer was a constant priority in Paul’s life. He strained with every fiber of his being to keep moving forward to win the prize for which God had called him. In 1 Corinthians 9:25, Paul compared an athlete’s crown to the believer’s eternal prize: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Paul kept his eyes trained on the finish line because his whole goal and purpose in life was gaining Christ: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7–8). When must look forward. Tell my story on track team. Coach Horton. I was 115 High school tack running the 800 in practice. I was in the lead and the coach don’t look.

Keep eye forward looking unto Jesus.When it comes to forward motion, our bodies tend to move automatically toward the place where our eyes are directed. A runner who keeps turning back to see what is behind him will lose his race. Understanding this phenomenon, Paul urged believers to stop looking back at the past and stay focused on the future goal. Paul himself was determined to “forget” or “dismiss from his mind” the former way of life when he violently persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it (Galatians 1:13). He quit dwelling on the hindrances and hurdles of persecution, imprisonment, and abandonment in his past (2 Corinthians 4:8–9; Acts 16:22–40; 23:10; 25:1–12; 28:17–31; 2 Timothy 1:15). Instead, he stretched toward what was ahead of him. He looked forward to heaven, the resurrection of his body, and meeting his Savior face-to-face: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20–21). How do things which are behind us hinder our progress in spiritual growth? Holding onto emotions like bitterness and unforgiveness can slow us down and even keep us locked in the past. Rehearsing conflicts and rehashing hurtful episodes will only open old wounds. Peter urged us to be done with these things: “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:1–2, NLT). Guilt and despair over past sins may also keep us chained to the past. But God does not hold our past sins against us, and neither should we (1 John 1:7–9). After God delivered Israel from the oppression of slavery, the people looked back longingly to Egypt, but it got them nowhere (Numbers 11:18). “Forgetting those things which are behind” means throwing aside “every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up” and running “with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2, NLT). The Christian life is lived with our eyes facing forward on Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate priority that makes our lives worth living. Our highest goal is to know Him better, as Paul said: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).

Now that we what we should forget; Now we mediate on How we should

Think on thing thing

true- John 8:32

John 8:32 KJV 1900

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Psalm 119:160 KJV 1900

160 Thy word is true from the beginning: And every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.