THE CONTROL OF YOUR MIND

[mini]

A few weeks ago, my pastor taught a few nights about the power of the mind.  You know, that supposedly grey mushy stuff that supposedly rests between you ears, supposedly in the center of your head.  I asked him to share the notes, and asked for permission to post them where I felt appropriate.  What follows are scriptures he gathered for the series he taught, with added filler by me.

OUR THOUGHTS

To start this off, lets look at a couple key verses:

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Notice it doesn't say "what others think."  It says what you think.

I read about a family who had twin boys whose only resemblance  to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold.   If one said the TV was too loud, the other claimed  the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in  every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom & gloom pessimist.

Just to see what would happen, on the twins'  birthday their father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The  optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.

That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly.

"Why are you crying?" the father asked.

"Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken," answered the pessimist twin.

Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure.  "What are you so happy about?" he asked.

To which his optimist twin replied, "With this much manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"

It's how you think that makes the difference in the situation.

Another verse from Proverbs that is a key to this subject:

Proverbs 27:19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

The NKJV reads it this way: As in water face reflects face, So a man's heart reveals the man.   In other words, your heart reveals you like a mirror.  Maybe if something is raining on your parade, you should check your heart before blaming them.

This subject is perhaps one of the most important in all of Scripture.  OUR THOUGHTS.  The person that we are – is direct result of OUR THOUGHTS.

The slogan of the United Negro College Fund is this: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Most, if not all, would agree with this statement.

The brain is central to human existence and identity.  When were created in the image of God and set apart from all other creation in the fact that we have been created to think profoundly. So, God created us with brain.

"Who could imagine that the three-pound human brain – comprising one hundred billion neurons and that handles ten thousand thoughts daily, regulates over 103,000 heartbeats every twenty-four hours, coordinates over 23,000 breaths a day, and controls over six hundred muscles – would also play such a central role in determining the nature and value of our lives?"  Richard L Mayhue

The total sum of what a person tends to be is more than what he eats physically, but what he digests intellectually.

"Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny" –Charles Reade

We have to realize this: We become intellectually and spiritually what we think!  Again, it is not what others think of us, but it is what we think of ourselves that we become.  If you have a negative or pessimistic outlook in life, you reap those very things.

Romans 8:5 says this: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  You must constantly ask yourself these things:   1) WHAT AM I THINKING?  2)WHAT IS GOING THROUGH MY MIND? and 3) WHAT AM I DWELLING ON?

The Wasted Mind According to Scripture

Because of the Fall in the Garden of Eden – mankind was separated from God in the sense of the communion he once knew before.  Our minds were affected by this separation.

There are 12 different negative NT words that describe the condition of our minds as a result of the Fall.

1.) Debased - Rom 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ESV

2.) Hardened -2 Cor 3:14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.  ESV

3.) Blinded - 2 Cor 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ESV

4.) Futility - Eph 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.  ESV

5.) Darkened - Eph 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. ESV

6.) Hostile -  Col 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ESV

7.) Deluded - Col 2:4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. ESV

8.) Deceived - Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ESV

9.) Sensuous - Col 2:18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,  puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, ESV

10.) Depraved - 1 Tim 6:5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. ESV

11.) Corrupted - 2 Tim 3:8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. ESV

12.) Defiled -Titus 1:15  To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. ESV

We could easily stop here and examine ourselves.  Do any of these words describe you?  Do any of these verses apply to the point and condition that you are in now?  If so, then maybe now is a good time to check your heart!

MANKIND'S MIND BECAME "WASTED" WHEN EVE TRADED THE TRUTH OF GOD FOR SATAN'S LIE!

Truly "A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"  Unfortunately, mankind's mind became "wasted" when Eve traded the truth of God for Satan's lie!

Genesis 2:17 says this:  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.  Pretty plain and simple right?  You eat, you die. Now look at what that old serpant told her:

Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Wait...didn't God tell Adam not to eat of the tree?  Eve would have been told too...how else would she have known that she would die if she ate of it?  Now look at the result in Genesis 3:6:  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

So here, only 3 chapters into the bible, we find the first example in Scripture of a person thinking and reasoning about sin.

   1. Eve saw that it was good for food (nutritional value)
   2. It was pleasant or delightful to her eyes (emotional value)
   3. It would make her wise (intellectual value)

In her deliberation and thinking – Eve thought that the tree was really good!  It met her needs physically, emotionally, and intellectually.  She came to the conclusion that either God was wrong, or God had lied.  Eve had bought into the deceit of Satan and was lured away from God's unfailing truth.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

This same verse in the NIV says that Paul fears that "your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ."  Oh that we would get our minds right!  Before the Fall – the POTENTIAL to sin was there.  After the Fall – man possessed a full-blown INCLINATION to sin.

YOU MUST GUARD YOUR MIND!

WHAT TAKES PLACE AT SALVATION?

First, our only hope is SALVATION through JESUS CHRIST.

Titus 3:4-7

4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We must be washed with regeneration, and we must be renewed by the Holy Ghost.  Remember, we are talking about our mind.  If we have the wrong mindset, and a gloomy, pessimistic or hateful outlook in life, we must get on our knees and pray till God washes our mind and regenerates it, and we must be renewed by the Holy Ghost.

When God redeems us, it is for a reason:  2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  He saved you to give you knowledge of "the glory of God"!  Think about that for a second, you were not given this knowledge to stay in the mullygrubs!

Part of the Armor of God that protects us from Satan's attacks is the HELMET OF SALVATION! Ephesians 6:17 "And take the helmet of salvation..." We have become NEW! – we now possess a knowledge of God that was not there before!  In good old fashioned Porter talk; "Protect yer noggin!"

Still not convinced that you can get a new thinking attitude with a good old prayer meeting?

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

A good old fashioned prayer meeting will clear up your thinking right away!

Carrying this a step futher, if you are in that constant state of mullygrubs right now, ponder these verses:

1 John 5:18-20

18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Think about yourself for a moment.  Is what you think and the purity, spirit and truth of God able to dwell in the same mindset?  Or are your thoughts something that would drive the spirit of God away?
We have become NEW CREATION!  This means we now have a NEW WAY OF THINKING! God is renewing our MINDS...

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephesians 4:22-23

22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

How many times do I have to repeat it, if you are stuck in a negative way of thinking, get on your knees.
2 Corinthians 10:5 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;

Its intersting that this verse is phrased this way.  So many people say "I can't help but think this way" or "This is just the way I am."  That is a LIE!  You have to cast down things, dont let them stand in the way of God.  Not only that, but bring into captivity EVERY thought.  Its you that has to change, not the world.  And the change you need to make is to be more Christ like in your thoughts.

Harry Blamires wrote: "For the secular mind, religion is essentially a matter of theory: for the Christian mind, Christianity is a matter of acts and facts. The acts and facts which are the basis of our faith are recorded in the Bible."

We must constantly be on guard to keep ourselves from returning to the thought patterns that we followed before our salvation!  This is one reason people backslide. Their thoughts have returned to their old way!  Somewhere in their mind they know there is something better – but they once again become entangled in the grip of sin.  This is why people cant seem to shake the depression, is because their mind is turned away from God.

Depression will not last when you turn your eyes from yourself to God.

[mini]

ENLIGHTENED MIND

The Bible says that we need God's help to understand God's Word.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

This is ILLUMINATION!  You have heard phrases like "It just dawned on me!" or "The light just came on!"  That is usually a sign that God's Spirit is illuminating His Word and giving us understanding!

When illumination happens concerning God, our thoughts change, our understanding deepens, and we become more like him.  Psalms 119:18 says this: Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  Illuminate!

Psalms 119:33-34

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

That's illumination.  That's enlightenment.  When you get a hold of Gods word in a way that changes your heart, changes your mind, changes your thinking.  Maybe its just me, but I wonder about people who say they love God, yet their life and mind is so far from God.  God is love, yet you hate.  God wants to build you, yet they destroy.  I want to ask, "You think you have God why?"

God wants us not only to understand, but to obey, so he gives us help through His Spirit.

Luke 24:44-45

44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Ephesians 1:18-19

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

First, our minds are illuminated to give us a greater understanding about God.  But, there are many things that we will never understand until God's spirit reveals it to us.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

Did you catch that verse?  We are not bound by church dogma or led astray by false teachers - the Holy Ghost teaches us.  This is why it is important to compare any teaching you hear with Scripture.  This is also why its important to compare our thoughts with the word of God.  Does it line up with the Book?

We Must Have The Mind of Christ

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

If you just consider these verses, you would ask "How could we ever attain unto this level?"

Look at  Romans 11:33-36:

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Personally, I think we should stand in awe of God's mind!  But if the scripure stopped there, we would be unable to change our mind or to be Christ-like in our thinking.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

How is this possible?  How can we accomplish this?  By doing this:
Philippians 4:8 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.

Quit thinking negatively.  Quit dwelling on the bad, and start thinking on Godly things.

Romans 12:1-2

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Renew your mind!  Go back and read the posts you have made, go back and see if you truly have the mind of God or if you have the mind of this world.  Be Christ like!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

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;

Have you given your heart and mind to him lately?  Have you asked him to wash you, to make you white as snow?  Have you asked God to get a hold of your heart? To search it, to make them like him?

Matthew 22:37

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Are you serving God with only lip service?  Is it something you are doing just out of action, and responsibility?  Or do you love him with your heart, soul and MIND?

Romans 7:25

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Oh that you would serve God with your mind!  Oh that you would pray until your mind was the mind of God.

1 Peter 1:13

13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

Guard your mind!  Control what you think, control what you say!

Rev. Derek Hanson, New Life UPC Checotah, OK
Edited by Jeremy Porter
More editing may come later...JP

[Melody]

such good stuff Brother.

[SippinTea]

Thanks for posting, Mini.

[sunlight]

for later reading