Taking Control of Your Thought Life (Part II)

Taking Control of Your Thought Life (Part II)

(II Cor 10:3-5 KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 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.

Yesterday we discussed how worry is basically negative meditation and how dangerous negative mediation can be. If unchecked, negative thoughts will create negative images and if meditated on long enough the negative images will create a stronghold that will keep you trapped in your own mind. This leads to depression and low self-esteem.

Once we get to this stage we pose no threat to the enemy or his kingdom, which is why satan does his best to attack us in our mind. But if this process works in the negative, then it must also work in the positive. Let's look at the flip side of this:

1. Reprogrammed Thoughts: The Bible teaches that we should meditate on the Word of God day and night (Jos 1:8; Ps 1:1-3). When I gave my life to Christ I was in my late 40’s It took years to program my mind the way it was, and believe me my thought life was not the best. I learned through Bible Study and worship that if I wanted to grow in Christ my mind had to be renewed (Ro 12:1,2) and that it could only happen through the Word of God.

I read and studied the Word of God and made myself think about it as I went throughout the day. Slowly but surely, I experienced mental transformation. I was deprogrammed and the reprogrammed through God's Word.

The Greek word Paul uses in Romans 12:2 to explain the "renewing" of the mind is actually the word metamorphosis. This is no small change. A caterpillar, for example, comes out as a butterfly on the other side of the metamorphic process. The butterfly is SO different from the caterpillar that you would have a hard time recognizing it as the same insect. Just think about that for a moment a caterpillar has to crawl on the grown to get around and a butterfly sore in the air.

That's what happened to me and that is what I pray will happen to you. I think differently and therefore I AM a different person (Ps 23:7) and this was no subtle change. Once your mind is reprogrammed towards the things of God you are more open to receive, believe, and walk in His Word. Why? Because you don't see things the way they are, you see things the way YOU are. Once you are different, then your entire world will be different! It will be as different as crawling on the grown and soaring through the air. I don’t know about you but I would much rather fly than crawl on the dirty grown.

2. Lead to Reprogrammed Images: Once your thought life is reprogrammed then your image life will be as well. We learned yesterday that your thoughts lead to your images (imagination). God starts to show you things in your mind's eye that you have never seen before. You start to get desires for things you never had desires for. You start seeing yourself successful, peaceful, prosperous, loving, compassionate, kind, etc.

In the world, sales associates are taught that they need to 'see' themselves closing the deal. In Christ, when you meditate on the Word of God, you will 'see' yourself doing things people said you could not do, going placed they said you could not go, and having things they said you could not have. Pure thoughts lead to Righteous Images! This is extremely important because you will rarely receive what you cannot perceive. But once you can SEE it, then it is only a matter of time before it manifests in your life.

For the sake of time I will stop here today. We will pick this up from here tomorrow.

So what does this mean to you? It means that if you have allowed negative mediation to ensnare you in a negative stronghold, there is HOPE and that HOPE is found in God's Word. When you gave your life to Christ your spirit was saved instantly, but your soul - which is comprised of your mind (your thinker), emotions (your feeler), and will (your chooser) - must be saved progressively. As you meditate on God's Word you will begin to see yourself as God sees you and as you do you will begin to release faith for those images to come to pass. Once you start down this road you will find yourself stressing less and enjoying life more!

Father, I thank You for blessing me to see myself the way You see me. I meditate Your Word day and night and as I do, Your Word produces Godly images. As I see those images I declare by faith that I will believe them, and operate in faith in order that they may come to pass in my life. My spirit was saved the instant I gave my life to Christ, but my soul is being saved today and every day as I endure the metamorphic process that will produce an entirely new ME for You. I declare this by faith! In Jesus' name. Amen!

This is Today's Word!