Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.
E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk
Note to the reader:
If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you simply stating where in the world you are based; I do not need any other information. However, you are welcome to communicate with me. This is merely so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God that all over the globe, the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God.
Thank you.
Herman Abrahams,
Cape Town, South Africa.
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THE POWER OF YOUR MIND
Reprogramming Your Mental Computer
(Primary reference: YOUR BEST LIFE NOW - Joel Osteen).
INTRODUCTION
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A. Illustration 1
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A little boy went out to the backyard to play with a baseball bat and a ball. He said to himself, "I am the best hitter in the world."
Then he threw the ball up in the air and took a swing at it, but he missed.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he picked up the ball and tossed it in the air again, saying as he swung the bat, "I’m the best hitter in all the world." He swung and missed. Strike two.
He tossed the ball up A THIRD TIME, concentrating more intensely, even more determined, saying, "I am the best hitter in all the world!" He swung the bat with all his might. Whiff! Missed again!! Strike three.
The little boy laid down his bat and smiled real big. "What do you know?" he said. "I’m the best pitcher in all the world!" (From YOUR BEST LIFE NOW - Joel Osteen).
Now that’s a good attitude! Sometimes you simply have to choose to see the bright side of situations. When things don’t work out as you planned, rather than complaining, look for something good in your circumstances. Look for lessons in your experience. Fill your mind with good thoughts.
B. Illustration 2
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Many years ago I worked as a chief teller in a commercial bank.
In addition to having the important responsibility of ensuring that we kept enough cash in the branch and to clear surplus cash, I also had to take care of the bank’s stationery store. This involved counting the stock of forms on hand and ordering new supplies. I had to take time off from serving customers on the counter and go to my little store to issue, order and do stationery reconciliations. It seemed that because I was doing, what seemed like one of the lowest jobs in the branch, to the best of my ability, a colleague could not help but say, "This man has got RMA". I asked what is RMA? She said, "Right Mental Attitude."
We all need to keep a positive mental attitude, in spite of our circumstances.
1. YOUR MIND IS SIMILAR TO A COMPUTER.
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What you program into it dictates how it will function. How foolish it would be to complain, "I hate this computer! It never gives me the right answer; it never does what I want it to do." Think about it: You can have the most powerful computer in the world, but if you program it with the wrong software or with misinformation, it will never function as the manufacturer intended.
Beyond that, we now have a myriad of computer viruses lurking in cyberspace, waiting for an opportunity to destroy your hard drive and the information stored in your computer. Such viruses can get into a perfectly good computer and contaminate the software. Before long the computer will develop a sluggishness; it will malfunction. You may not be able to get to the programs you need or retrieve important documents.
All too often, you unwittingly pass along the virus to a friend, family member, or business associate, exacerbating the problem by contaminating their systems with the same virus that infected yours. Usually these problems occur not because the computer is defective, but because somebody has reprogrammed the software or contaminated good, valuable programs or information within.
1.1 Similarly, too often we allow negative thoughts, words, and
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other devious viruses to access our minds, subtly changing our software,
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or corrupting our information and values. We were created in the image of God. Before we were ever formed, He programmed us to live abundant lives, to be happy, healthy, and whole. But when our thinking becomes contaminated, it is no longer in line with God’s Word. We make serious mistakes and wrong choices. We go through life with low self-esteem, worries, fears, feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Making matters worse, we pass on our negative attitudes to others.
When you recognize these things happening, you must reprogram your mental computer. You must change your thinking. Understand, you are not defective. God made you, and He has programmed you for victory But until you get your thinking in line with your owner’s manual, God’s Word, you will never operate to your full potential. YOU WILL BE LEFT DEFEATED & FRUSTRATED – LIKE THIS MAN HERE …
VIDEO – ’BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE’ (See Google Videos or Youtube.com for a 25 second video of a man getting upset with his computer and smashing it with his keyboard).
God made you, and He has programmed you for victory.
2. IT’S A THINKING PROBLEM.
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Proverbs 23:7 Solomon wrote, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
A. Your Emotions
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Sometimes believers are inclined to say that things are just not working out for them; they are just not happy and they struggle to enjoy life as Jesus intended it to be.
You might say, "I just can’t seem to get past these bad emotions.”
I cant control my emotions.
I’m heartbroken, I’m hurt, I’m lonely.
Could it perhaps be dear friend, that you need to change your thinking?
B. Forget About …
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How you messed up.
Forget about the mistakes you’ve made.
Forget about what others have done to you.
Forget about what others have said to you.
C. Your Emotions Are Fine.
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Your emotions are working just fine. They are working just the way God intended them to. Our emotions simply respond to what we’re thinking about. They are neither positive or negative. They merely allow us to feel what we’re thinking.
If you go around thinking sad thoughts all the time, you’re going to feel sad.
If you go around thinking angry thoughts, you’re going to be angry.
But if you go around thinking happy thoughts, thoughts of victory, you’re going to be happy. You’re going to be victorious.
Choose to think on good things.
Phil. 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
D. God Has A Great Future In Store For You.
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You cannot go around all day long thinking about the people who have hurt you and all the mistakes you’ve made, and expect to live any kind of happy, positive life. You’ve got to let go of the past and start dwelling on the fact that God has a great future in store for you. He has a new beginning for you. Start dwelling on the fact that God has promised He will turn this situation around and use it to your advantage. [Believe that he will give you double for your trouble].
3. YOU HAVE TO RE-PROGRAM YOUR MENTAL COMPUTER.
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... And when you do, your emotions will follow.
The Bible says,
Dt 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
A. It’s a Moment By Moment Exercise - CHOOSE DAILY.
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This is not a once-and-for-all matter. It’s a choice we have to make on a moment-by-moment basis. We must choose to dwell on the positive, choose to dwell on the good. The negative is always going to be around us. We have to choose to dwell on what’s right, rather than on what’s wrong. Choose to think the right thoughts.
B. Guard The Doorway Of Your Mind
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You cannot prevent negative thoughts from knocking at your door, but you can control whether or not you’re going to open the door and allow them to come in. If you will stand guard over that doorway and keep your mind focused on the good things of God, the Bible says that "God will keep you in perfect peace."
Isa 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
KJV 3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
C. Peace In The Midst Of The Storm
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You can have peace in the midst of your storms if you’ll simply learn to choose the right thoughts. That means in the tough times of life, instead of dwelling on your problems, you must decide that you will dwell on your God.
Dwell on the fact that Almighty God is on your side.
Dwell on the fact that He’s promised to fight your battles for you.
Dwell on the fact that no weapon formed against you can prosper.
If you start thinking these kinds of thoughts, you will be filled with faith and confidence, no matter what comes against you in life.
Stay in an attitude of faith, stay filled with hope.
Understand, this is an ongoing battle.
D. We All Face Negative Thoughts / Discouragement.
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We never get to a place where we don’t have to deal with negative, destructive thoughts. So the sooner we learn how to guard our minds and control our thought lives, the better off we will be.
No matter how many years we have trusted in God, or how positively we live, we all will occasionally be susceptible to discouragement. That’s part of the price we pay for living in a sinful world. As much as I attempt to keep my attitude positive, I am not immune from such attacks.
4. STAND STILL / STAND FIRM
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A passage of Scripture in which the people of Judah were facing a formidable foe, an impossible situation - God said to them:
2Ch 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ ”
Amplified Bible (AMP)
17You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.
“Stand firm” / “stand still” –
That means to stay calm, to stay at peace. Don’t get all frustrated. Don’t try to figure it out in your own reasoning. Instead, stand still. Be confident. Keep a good attitude. God says, "I’ll fight your battles for you."
5. GOD WORKS WHERE THERE’S AN ATTITUDE OF FAITH.
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A.
When we’re always worried, upset, or depressed, all we’re really doing is delaying God in bringing the victory God works where there’s an attitude of faith. Jesus said,
"If you believe, all things are possible," (Mark 9:23)
And the opposite of that is true as well... if you don’t believe then nothing is possible.
If you don’t believe, if you’re negative, fretting, worried, or upset, then supernatural changes will not be possible for you.
B.
When you are going through a tough time in your life, even if you don’t feel like keeping a positive attitude—which, at times, you probably won’t—you should do it anyway, knowing that when you allow yourself to lapse into a negative attitude then God cannot work in that situation.
Mark 6:4-5 (New International Version) ’4Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." 5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.’
The people in Nazareth did not believe in Jesus; there was no belief, no faith, therefore Jesus could not perform any miracles there.
C.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
If you’ll keep your trust in God, He’ll fight your battles for you.
If you’ll stand still, you’ll see the deliverance of the Lord…It doesn’t matter what you’re going through, or how big your opponents are.
Keep an attitude of faith.
Stay calm.
Stay at peace.
Stay in that positive frame of mind.
And don’t try to do it all your own way.
Let God do it His way.
You may be going through great difficulties, and you’re tempted to think, I’m never going to get out of this. This is never going to change. I’m never going to win in this situation.
No, the Bible says, "Don’t get weary and faint in your mind."
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Heb 12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
CONCLUSION
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Phil. 2:5 KJV “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Col. 3:1-2 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Look up to your Lord and Master; keep your eyes fixed on Him. Fill your mind with what He says about you.
Remember, you must first win the battle in your mind.
Stand strong.
When negative thoughts come, reject them and replace them with God’s thoughts.
When you’re in that attitude of faith, you are opening the door for God to work in your situation.
You may not see anything happening with your natural eyes, but don’t let that discourage you.
In the unseen realm, in the spiritual world, God is at work.
He is changing things in your favor.
And if you’ll just do your part and keep believing, in due season, at the right time, God will bring you out with the victory. ***
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