Change your thinking

Col 3:2 Set your mind (purpose to think) on things above, not on things on the earth.

The continuing battle for your and my soul deciding our fate now and forever, is between:

EVIL (which has three sources) and *GOOD (which has one source)

The world – ruled the Bible says by Satan * God, for only God is good

My human nature – nothing good lives in it

Satan and his demons – all wicked spirits

And God says to you and me:

IF YOU CHOOSE (and keep on choosing) GOOD - YOU WILL LIVE (now and forever)

HOW DO WE CHOOSE?

Evil seeks to control us with its thoughts * God seeks to free us with His thoughts

Evil is any thought opposing God’s will * Good is any thought conforming to God’s will

As we think on good or evil thoughts so we believe, as we believe so we are, good or evil

The wicked won’t forsake their thoughts * The righteous think on God’s thoughts

The battle for our eternal soul is fought out and won or lost in our thought life

Prov 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart (in his spirit), so is he… NKJV

What or whose thoughts have you been thinking? Your thoughts are the food that you feed your spirit, and your spirit is who you really are – what have you been feeding on?

Prov 15:14-15 The heart (or spirit) of him who has understanding seeks (the spiritual

food of the) knowledge (of God, by thinking on God’s words), But the (spiritual) mouth of fools feeds on foolishness (thoughts not from God).

…He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast (on God’s words).

Are you and I fools? Or do you and I have understanding? Will we let God:

Ps 103:5(God) Who satisfies your mouth (of your spirit) with good things (His thoughts, in words), so that your youth (spirit) is renewed like the eagle's.

Col 3:9-10..You have put off the old man (flesh with thoughts not from God ruling your will) and have put on the new man (spirit with God’s thoughts ruling) who is renewed daily in knowledge (God’s words) imparting the image of Christ.

Jesus asks “Why do you still take wrong thoughts which harm you, into your thought life?”

Luke 12:25-26 (Jesus) And which of you by taking thought can add an inch to his

height or a day to his life? If you then are not able to do that thing which is least, why do you take thought for the rest?

Matt 16:23…You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God,

But (are mindful – your thoughts are occupied with) the things of men.

Luke 12:31But rather seek the kingdom of God (which is in the Holy Spirit and within

your heart) and all these things (you unwisely think about) shall be added unto you.

Rom 8:5-7For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires (thoughts) set their minds on…those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires (thoughts) of the Spirit set their minds on…those things which gratify the…Spirit.

6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death, death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter. But the mind of the Spirit is life and soul peace both now and forever.

7 That is because the mind of the flesh with its carnal thoughts and purposes is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's rule; indeed it cannot. AMP

God needs to rule in our thought life– not occasionally but continually– in order to save us

Ps 1:2But his delight (the one blessed by God) is in the law (word) of the LORD, And in His law (word) he meditates (thinks and feeds on) day and night.

Prov 3:6 In all your ways (thoughts) acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths

1 Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing (having continual communication with God in the Spirit)

Prov 15:15He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast (thinking on God’s words)

Isa 26:3You will keep him in perfect peace (with a complete salvation), whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. (can you and I do that?)

Most Christians, like the unsaved, have little control over what they think – but they could

Some of the thought patterns that take control of the unsaved and Christians alike include

Taking an offense thoughtTaking a compulsive or addictive thought

Taking an un-forgiveness thoughtTaking a complaining thought

Taking an anger thoughtTaking a judgmental thought

Taking a worry or fear thoughtTaking an idolizing thought

Taking a pride thoughtTaking a sex/romance fantasy thought

Taking a self-pity thoughtTaking an image consciousness thought

Taking a depressing thought Taking a doubt about God thought

Taking a jealous or envy thoughtTaking a false teaching about God thought

All of these thoughts are spiritual poison. When any such thought arises we initially have

the choice whether to think on it and begin to feed on it, or not. If we end up believing the

thought, which will be evidenced if we act or speak in line with the thought, the poison has gone into our hearts, into our spirits. The thought is now part of us and we are captive to it. To become free again, that thought, possibly now accompanied by other harmful thoughts, will have to be purged from our hearts, meaning we must un-believe it.

The only effective heart cleansing agent known to man is the living word of God. That is, one of God’s thoughts expressed in His words related to the subject of the unclean thought that we have taken, words that He brings to us when we seek Him. As we then believe His words and un-believe the lie, which will be evidenced if we act or speak in line with God’s truth, our hearts are now clean and our will is free again to say no to the lie.

John 15:3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. KJV

1 Pe 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit

We need much help to change our thinking – first we must change our thinking about that

God’s objective, because it is necessary for our salvation, is to reign in our thought life:

2 Co 10:5 (skilled at) bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

We do not instinctively know how to do this. Most of us have for years, as unbelievers and as Christians, lived with the minimum of discipline in our thought lives. This must change, both for our current and our eternal welfare. It will not change overnight. We all have to be taught and trained how to think consistently on God’s thoughts and how not to be compelled to think on the thoughts of this world, on our self-centered thoughts and on thoughts from devils. If we want to constantly have peace of mind, live in God’s presence and make our calling and election sure, it is vital we humble ourselves and learn how.

God’s model in the book of Acts for changing our thinking is for us to meet with other believers who are filled with God’s Spirit, every day of the week. God’s program to transform me into a disciple, into a saint, into a bride prepared for her Bridegroom, is total immersion in the things of God. Half measures will avail me nothing. Such anointed meetings of the Church, where God’s words are being preached and shared by all with the unction of His Spirit, are the single best means to re-form my thinking. Since, sadly, it is rare in the modern Church for such meetings to take place seven days a week, the next best thing is for anointed teaching to come to me, daily, first in the form of CD’s and later, as I grow in my spirit with God’s words, also in the form of inspired writings.

The constant daily exposure of my thought life and through it my heart, in this way, to the truth of God is the only thing that will keep me from becoming infected again with the lies of my three enemies. If Jesus is my Shepherd and I am His sheep He will lead me to feed and ruminate day and night in the green pastures of His word. Any separation from Him, by my will or neglect, will cause me to think on thoughts that will lead to my destruction.

Phil 4:8 …If there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take

AMP account of these things, fix your minds on them. - Change your thinking!