Your Mind Matters

Intro:

This morning we are beginning a new series of messages that I have entitled Head and Heart. Throughout the month of January we are going to be looking at the topic of the mind.

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” The KJV says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

I can tell you with certainty today that where the mind goes the man follows. With this understanding I have entitled this message today Your Mind Matters.

{Pause and Pray over the message}

One of the prevalent matters in recent years in our nation and around the world is the subject of mental health. Health experts are sounding the alarm as they see a rise in poor mental health. As we look at this let me first define what mental health is.

Mental health consist of a persons emotional, psychological, and social well-being. The health of these areas affect how a person thinks, feels, and acts. Not only that but the mental health of a person impacts how they handle stress, relate to others, and the ability to make choices.

What the world is sensing is that if a persons mind isn’t right their tends to be issues in that persons life that affect a multitude of areas, and this observation is true. While there are great resources offered to people to help with their mental health whats often overlooked is what the Word has to say about it.

Listen, we can advocate for better national policies to congress. We can conduct cultural research, create prevention initiatives and programs. However none of these things will ever truly address the issue.

God as the creator of man has a great deal to say about the subject and my prayer today is that this message will empower you to live healthy in the area of your mind and to enjoy life. Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”

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Submit:

Throughout the old testament the Hebrew writers of scripture did not have a separate word that could be used for a man’s mind. Most often in the old testament the underlying conception of the word mind is that of the heart. Which includes the entire inner man. However to the greek world the mind plays a very important role in the understanding of a man.

The mind refers to mans intellectual process which is the sum total of a man’s mental and moral state of being. This includes the reasoning faculty, feelings, interest, and the will. Translators of the english versions have supplied other words (soul, spirit, or heart).

The Mind of man is impacted by more than Social relationships or physical wellness. We are made in the image of God. We are spirit beings who have the capacity to express emotion, to think, to understand and we form judgements through reasoning or logic.

We also have been given a will that has the capacity to make a moral choice in response to God’s Words. Even more than that we have been given a capacity for faith that allows us to move beyond the natural reasoning of the mind. A faith that enables us to see the invisible and do the impossible. Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Can I tell you this morning that your mind matters. The mind of man will dictate the actions of that man. Matthew 6:22

Matthew 6:22 ““The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.”

The mentality we carry will affect every aspect of our life. I would submit to you that the crisis of mental health in the world today has more to do with the unrenewed mind than anything else. Proverbs 4:23

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”

James the brother of Jesus reveals the heart of man apart from God. James 3:13-16

James 3:13-16 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

Do you see the result of wayward heart/mind?

It is filled with bitterness, envy and self seeking.

The form of wisdom it produces is earthly sensual and demonic.

The result of envy and self seeking is confusion and every evil thing.

The unrenewed mind will not have kingdom knowledge and understanding to navigate life’s peaks and valleys. Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

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Apply:

How does an unrenewed mind affect peoples lives?

The Morality of man affects the mentality of the man. If a person does not learn to submit their mind to the truth of God’s word it will adversely affect their thinking. Wrong mindsets affect the outcome of a persons life.

Let’s say a person has constant negative thinking and generally pessimistic mindset towards life. It will contribute to problems such as social anxiety, depression, stress, and low self esteem.

We must set our mind on higher things. Colossians 3:1-3

Colossians 3:1-3 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

How do we set our mind on things above?

With the word of God.

Here are some examples.

Maybe you have constant fear filled thinking and are consumed by worry. Philippians 4:6-8

Philippians 4:6-8 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Maybe your notice that you complain more than your thankful. Psalm 103:1-3

Psalm 103:1-3 “Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,”

Maybe you wake up each day and loathe what is to come. Psalm 118:24

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Another example of how the unrenewed mind affects people is that the unrenewed mind is usually an unrepentant mind. Romans 8:1-2

Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

If the person in Christ has no condemnation then the opposite is true for those who apart from Christ.

A sin lifestyle will have a compounding negative effect on your mental health because of guilt and shame. The result of sin in our life brings condemnation. It leads to pain and regret. Romans 8:5-7 Ephesians 4:22-24

Romans 8:5-7 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”

God has given us the tools to walk free of these things.

Ephesians 4:22-24 “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

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Closing:

The unrenewed mind is the highway the devil travels on.

This is the place where he wages war against your mind through lies. The lies he speaks are not always straight forward and obvious. Many times they are subtle and are masked in voice that sounds like you.

He attacks your moral.

You’re not pretty, no one likes you, you have made to many mistakes to do anything good with your life. You will never amount to anything.

He attacks your understanding of God.

If God really loves you then why did this happen? Why did he allow that bad experience?

Satan attacks by tempting you to focus on the negative things in life

(nothing ever goes my way, we always get sick, no one seems to care about me). He used this against the Israelites in their journey out of Egypt and what should have been an 11 day journey took them 40 years.

Satan intends to rob you of your joy.

Which reveals that Joy is more important than we might think. Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””

A lack of Joy resulting in grumbling and complaining caused an entire generation to die in the wilderness in the story of the exodus. We must choose to rejoice in the Lord.

To effectively combat the enemy we need to have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16

1 Corinthians 2:16 “For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

The renewed mind is the mind of Christ. It is a mind that is submitted to and filled with the truth of God’s word. The renewed mind will give us access to the wisdom of heaven, it will give us authority through the empowerment of the Spirit, and discernment along with strategy against Satans attacks on our life.

It is possible to change your future by simply renewing your mind with God’s word. You don’t have to go into 2022 with a crisis of mental health f you will renew your mind with the Word of God.

I believe this can be your best year yet. Create a proper foundation in the word, submit to it, and the word will do the work in your life.

Let’s Pray.

1) Salvation