IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND
Eph. 4:23
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. An 8 year old boy and his 5 year old sister were riding in the back seat of the car. Their mom was overhearing their conversation.
2. BOY: “There is so much to think about. I just think all the time.” He asked his sister, “Do you think all the time?”
3. GIRL, pausing, “No, I only think about half the time.” Funny, especially if she was blond, but someday she’ll learn that our brains are always working, even when we’re sleeping. Our mental computers are never shut down.
B. MANY HAVE TROUBLING THOUGHTS
Our constant thinking breeds, not only good thoughts, but bad thoughts as well. Examples:
1. A fine Christian businessman confided in his Pastor, “I’ve been having vulgar, disturbing thoughts. I try to control my thinking but nothing seems to work. Can you help me?”
2. A young Christian writer confides that when he gets in certain situations, or hears certain music, they trigger memories from his former ungodly lifestyle which troubles him.
3. WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS?
C. TITLE
1. The title of this message is “It’s all in your mind.”
I. IT’S IMPORTANT WHAT YOU THINK
A. OUR MINDS ARE A BATTLEGROUND
1. Prov. 23:7, “As [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he.” We all have heard the message about eating good food – “You are what you eat.” We should ask ourselves the question, what kinds of information are we exposing ourselves to?
2. If we watch horror shows, we will likely have fears and nightmares. If we look at sexual material, we will develop lust, etc. If we harbor hatred, we will begin to meditate on harming other people.
3. On the other hand, if we limit our thinking to positive subjects, we will can have peace and positive emotions. Paul encouraged this type of thinking, “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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” Phip. 4:8.
4. Someone asked me if it was a sin to be tempted. I responded, “Only if, after the initial thought (from Satan) you choose to keep thinking about it.” An analogy: “You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair.”
5. We have 2 natures at war in us: the old fallen nature (connected to our bodies), and our new nature from Jesus.
6. ILLUS. There was a man in Alaska who had two dogs (one black & one white), which he allowed people to fight and gamble for. Sometimes one would win, sometimes the other, but the owner always seemed to know which would win. A close friend asked him, “How do you know which will win?” He said, “The one which I feed that day is the one that will win.” It’s the same with us; if we feed our lower nature, it will get stronger. If we feed our heavenly nature, it will get stronger. Paul said, “Make no provision for the flesh” Rom. 13:14.
B. CORRECT THOUGHT LIFE = 1ST STEP IN A CHRISTIAN’S PURSUIT OF HOLINESS.
1. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” Rom. 12:2.
2. Eph. 4:23 says, “to be made new in the attitude of your minds and put on the new self, created to be like God....” Col. 3:10 says, “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
3. Critically important is Rom. 8:6, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” We’re supposed to “put off” our old nature and “put on” the new nature of Christ. This can only happen AFTER we have Jesus come into us by His Spirit – only He can change us from the inside out, but we still need to cooperate.
C. IF YOUR THINKING IS FAULTY AT THE BEGINNING, THEN YOUR BEHAVIOR WILL FAIL AT THE END.
1. ILLUS. In many great underground caves are huge stalactites and stalagmites. These immense stone pillars were formed over thousands of years by single drops of water, each leaving a tiny amount of sediment. It’s the same with our tiny thoughts slowly forming our character.
2. SOW..................................REAP
A thought........................an act
An act.............................a habit
A habit...........................a character
A Character....................a destiny
3. The believer’s goal? To capture every thought and make them obedient to Christ. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” 2 Cor. 10:5. How do we establish new patterns of thought?
II. STEPS TO NEW THOUGHT PATTERNS
A. PRAY
1. Ask God to help you control your thoughts.
2. Necessary, but don’t stop here.
B. MEDITATE UPON GOD’S WORD
1. Our minds are like computer memory banks. We’ve entered/recorded a lot of bad past events and bad thoughts. A passing thought today can call up that old events/ thoughts & restart bad patterns.
3. We must create new data memories and replace the old bad data. (Replace our thoughts with God’s thoughts, Isa. 55:8).
4. Saturate your mind with Scripture. Memorize verses of the Bible that help to over-ride your bad thoughts. Ps. 119:11 says, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against God.” The Word assists us in defeating bad thoughts.
C. BLOCK & REPLACE BAD THOUGHTS
1. Quote Scripture or
2. Sing a Christian song to block out the bad thought (keep a Christian radio channel going all the time.)
D. DO WHAT JESUS DID when bad thoughts came to Him.
1. Read Matthew 4:1-11.
2. He quoted the perfectly opposite Scripture.
3. The devil always tempts you at your weakest point so...
a. Determine your areas of vulnerability;
b. Concentrate on scriptures dealing with that area and memorize them;
c. Quote them to the devil and reaffirm your devotion to Christ.
d. Tell the devil he won’t win, renounce him, and restate your choice of Christ, out loud.
4. You CAN BE an overcomer – subdue your lower nature and live as a conquering Child of God. To not live above your lowest self if to be like the lady who was wealthy, but lived as a beggar. Read the story below:
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: The example of Garbage Mary
1. There once was a lady named Garbage Mary. She was dubbed that name by the media when she was picked up by police in a shopping mall in Delray Beach, Florida. She was a filthy mess. So were her car and her two bedroom apartment.
2. Neighbors told of her scrounging through garbage cans in search of food, which she took back to her apartment. Police found the garbage everywhere; in the refrigerator, in the stove, in the cabinets-even in the bathtub.
3. But, they found other things as well. They found Mobil Oil Stock worth more than $400,000. They found documents indicating she owned oil fields in Kansas, stock certificates from prominent firms, and passbooks from eight large bank accounts. Police also discovered that Garbage Mary was the daughter of a well-to-do lawyer and bank director from Illinois, who had died several years earlier.
4. Garbage Mary was a millionaire, but she lived like a pauper. Great wealth was at her fingertips, but she spent her life sifting through garbage and trash. [Jeff Simms]
5. Let’s do what Paul said, “not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” Rom. 12:2.
B. THE CALL
1. First step: Repent of Bad thoughts.
2. Second: Resolve to advance in personal holiness.
3. Prayer for discipline to read and memorize the Bible, to be filled with the Spirit, and grace to walk as Jesus walked.
