Thoughts of The Mind (2)

Is Your Mind Controlling you or you controlling your Mind.

The human mind is a powerful tool. It’s the source of your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions — which play a massive role in shaping your behavior and decisions.

Many of us struggle with the concept of the mind, how our thoughts and decisions make us who we are, and how to manage them.

Rom 12.2 “2 And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.”

To improve your life and live a life that glorifies God, this Scripture talks about renewing your mind and altering the way you think. As Christians, we have been commanded to live lives reflecting Christ and offer our bodies as sacrifices to the Lord.

We are cautioned not to spend too much time engrossed in the world and instead to fix our thoughts on the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Tim 1.7 “7 For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.”

Prov 4.23 “23 With all vigilance, keep your heart, for from it comes the source of life.”

Vigilance: meaning the action or state of keeping careful watch for possible dangers or difficulties.

We are reminded in this verse that the heart is the repository for knowledge and everything that shapes a person’s life and character.

God has endowed us with the mind, thoughts, emotions, and will that are all encapsulated in our hearts to praise Him and enhance our lives.

repository: meaning A place, building ,or receptacle where things are or may be stored.

encapsulated meaning to express the features of something.

The heart is more treacherous than everything else, and if it is not checked and guarded above all else, it will hurt our lives rather than a positive one. We must put our hearts first and protect them with the utmost care.

How do you guard your heart? You protect it by sowing a seed of God.

The Bible is God’s seed, and when it is sown in your heart, it bears fruit in the form of righteousness. The state of your heart determines the quantity and quality of the crop.

James 1.8 “8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

A person having two minds is said to be double-minded. A mentality that is indecisive, unstable, and cA person with a double sense is dangerous in all they do and has their loyalty split between God and the world.

Being right with the world and God simultaneously is impossible, and it’s not feasible! The only master you may serve is God.

Let us joyously resolve as God’s people that we are not of two minds and thoughts but that we will stand on what He teaches in His Holy Word with singleness of heart and mind and steadfast trust.

2 cor 10.5 “5 and all pride that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Using the power of the Holy Spirit to align our ideas with God’s Word, we should employ God’s Word as a weapon against our sinful thoughts.

Our goal is to align our hearts and mind with Christ and to submit every idea to His rule in submission to Him.

Therefore, let’s make Jesus Christ our primary focus because the more we grab everyone’s imagination in obedience to Christ, the more He will be the center of our thoughts.

Eph 4.22-24 “22 that you take off, according to your former way of life, the old man, who is being destroyed according to deceitful desires, 23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man (in accordance with God), who is created in righteousness and holiness from the truth.”

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The teachings of the Bible renew our minds, and the Holy Bible purifies our minds. God’s inspired writings daily revitalize our senses and help our new life in Christ.

Before He was crucified, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them by the truth, for Your Word is true.”

The Spirit of truth gradually transforms our lives as our thoughts are recreated in Him as a result of being immersed in the Word of truth.

Rom 7.23 “23 but I observe another law in my members, at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that exists in my members.”

But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Good and evil are at war with one another within us, fighting for control of our thoughts, feelings, decisions, and conscience.

It is also a battle against our emotions, ideas, and knowledge of what is right and proper in the eyes of God.

As Christians, we can either live by an internal standard that comes from God or give in to the demands from the outside world that compete with it for control of our lives on earth.

We win this conflict because of the Holy Spirit’s work within, not because of our strength or might.

Col 3.2-5 “2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustful passion, evil desire, and greediness, which is idolatry,”

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

We are urged to focus our thoughts and hearts on the truths of heaven, where Christ holds a throne-like position at God’s right hand.

The fantastic thing is that because of our faith in Christ; we are in Christ and, as a result, are seated with Christ in the celestial realms.

How do we grow the values that come from above when we are on the ground level? It necessitates focused effort. “Set our minds to it,” as they say.

We must read and reflect on Scripture, go to listen to uplifting music, and read things that direct our hearts toward God if we are to fix our minds on the things above.

Jer 29.11 “11 For I know the plans that I am planning concerning you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘plans for prosperity and not for harm, to give to you a future and a hope.”

Even though we may wander far from the Lord, He still wants the best for His children. Giving us a future and hope is part of His plan for His children.

He is aware that the only way we may escape the burden of this world’s slavery is by giving up our reliance on the harmful securities of this world and placing our complete confidence in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Matt 22.37 “37 And he said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’”

Let us submit every thought to Him to maintain a sweet relationship with the God of our salvation.

We will love more when our hearts are fixed on Him in gratitude for His work on the cross of Calvary and the redemptive work He has done in our lives.

Indeed, loving the Lord, our God, with all of our heart, soul, might, and intellect should bring us joy and rejoicing since He loved us first.

Is 26.3 “3 You will protect a firm inclination in peace, in peace because he trusts in you.”

Indeed, God gives those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior peace with God, and He keeps those who trust in Christ covered in His perfect peace by giving us a kind of peace beyond our ability to comprehend.

Because God has promised to keep everyone in ideal harmony who puts their trust in Him and fixes their hearts on Him, let’s make sure that our thoughts are constantly fixed on the Lord Jesus as we surrender every idea to Him.

Lk 21.34 “34 “But take care for yourselves, lest your hearts are weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of daily life, and that day come upon you suddenly”

But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.

We are urged to exercise caution. Christians must live knowing that the Lord might appear at any time. As a result, we must constantly be vigilant because His return is drawing near.

Rom 12.2 “2 And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.”

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are invited to practice personal consecration, in which our bodies serve as a living sacrifice to the Lord, and our lives serve as a reflection of Christ.

We are advised to use caution when choosing the things we feed our minds because our intentions and the truth continually refresh our minds. We are urged to change, purge our minds of worldly things, and emulate Christ.

Prov 3.5 “5 Trust Yahweh with all your heart; do not lean toward your own understanding.”

We are urged to put all our faith in God and not rely on our understanding. Include God in whatever you do so that He can guide you in the correct direction.

You might not always be aware of what is coming. When you have faith in God, you eliminate all opportunities for uncertainty.

1 cor 2.11-16 “11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man that is in him? Thus also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 things which we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Now the spiritual person discerns all things, but he himself is judged by no one. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord; who has advised him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

Paul is bringing up a familiar concept for us. The only person who could conceivably know us as well as we know ourselves is God. And nobody has access to God’s thinking.

You are given the power to comprehend your Father through the Holy Spirit when the Spirit of the Lord dwells within you through the new birth.

As we study His Word and develop into seasoned, disciplined followers of Christ, we start to think, act, and understand in the same way that Jesus did.

Scriptures About The Mind And Heart

Col 3.2 “2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth.”

We are encouraged to focus our thoughts on the things above and not let the things of this world affect us. Instead of putting our faith in our skills, we are to put our faith in Jesus.

Knowing there will be hardships, we must find our sufficiency in Christ. Christ has overcome the world, and as a result, we have a priceless inheritance—a beautiful inheritance that will never spoil or fade away. A treasured legacy reserved in heaven for you.

Prov 17.22 “22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit will dry out bones.”

You ask for God’s wrath and significant health issues if you let jealousy, resentment, desire, or rage rule your life. These wrong ideas will follow you day and night, preventing you from even getting a good night’s sleep.

Make the Lord your source of joy; no matter what happens, you’ll always have a reason to celebrate. Your mind and heart are at ease, so your nights will be calm and enjoyable.

Ps 19.14 “14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your presence, O Yahweh, my rock and my redeemer.”

As one willingly transforms into the likeness of Christ, a heart that dwells on the glory of the Lord and exalts the person of the Lord, Jesus is the one that displays inner grace and beauty.

This is because thoughts conceived in the heart flow out of the mouth.

May we, like David, sanctify our innermost thoughts, prayers, motivations, and words so that everything we say and do may be pleasing and acceptable in the sight of our dear Lord and Saviour.

Conclusion

Human minds have a lot of feelings, which can be either positive or negative depending on where in life we are at the time and the circumstances.

As believers, we should always be fully confident that no matter what challenges we face, even one that is difficult and leads us to consider a bad course for our lives, we will overcome them. You are encouraged as you follow and put these verses into practice.