“Where the mind goes, the man follows.”
It is absolutely amazing how quickly our thoughts can change our moods.
Negative thinking of any kind quickly steals our joy and enthusiasm.
God has given us the fruit of self-control for a reason.
We do not have to follow our thoughts but we can be intentional “in our thinking!”
In what way(s) can your mind work against you?
Of these 4 emotional challenges which one would you consider your biggest challenge: fear, anxiety, impatience, over-reacting?
God makes it clear in His Word that thinking is directly connected to quality of life.
We do not have to meditate on everything that pops into our minds; we actually have the power to choose what we want to think about.
Learning to “think great thoughts” ON PURPOSE is the key to a great life!
To really have a great life, one has to have purpose, love, joy, peace, right standing with God, great friends, and a wonderful attitude!
A lot of people the “world” would deem having a great life, are actually miserable people. Attractiveness, athletic success, wealth, fame, popularity…do not automatically constitute a great life. Most of these people can still be quite miserable if they have not trained their minds to think on good things.
Colossians 3
1IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek [the rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.
To set your mind means to make up your mind firmly!
To set your mind is to determine decisively what you will think, what you will believe, and what you will or will not do- to set it in such a way that you cannot be easily swayed or persuaded otherwise.
Concrete is a powerful material. You can actually move wet concrete with relative ease- but only when it’s wet. Once concrete becomes dry- forget it!
Once you set your mind according to the truth of God’s principles for a good life, you need to keep it set and not allow outside forces to reshape your thinking.
Romans 4:18-21 (CEV)
18God promised Abraham a lot of descendants. And when it all seemed hopeless, Abraham still had faith in God and became the ancestor of many nations. 19Abraham's faith never became weak, not even when he was nearly a hundred years old. He knew that he was almost dead and that his wife Sarah could not have children. 20But Abraham never doubted or questioned God's promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God. 21Abraham was certain that God could do what he had promised
One BIG reason to set your mind and keep it set is that there’s really not much hope of being able to resist temptation if you don’t make up your mind ahead of time concerning what you will do if you are tempted.
When a person goes on a diet, they must apply this principle of “setting their mind and keeping it set.” In order to be successful.
You can easily commit to a diet after a big Sunday dinner but the real test of your “ setting you mind” comes on Monday afternoon when you are feeling hungry.
People who have their minds set will stick with their decision in order to get the result they want!
This same principle can be applied to many areas:
Exercise, getting out of debt, staying pure till marriage, finishing college, applying yourself to learn something like how to play an instrument, etc…
Some people cannot be victorious in Christ because they can’t “Make up their mind!”
They start living for God, then they quit because they lack that “made up mind”
To set one’s mind takes the effort of thinking right thoughts over and over and over- till it sets!
Nothing in this Christian life will hinder us as badly as a bad attitude or mind set!
It’s our carnal nature to think negatively, but if we are gonna walk in the spirit with a “set” mind we have to re-train our thoughts. With practice, you will train your mind to reject thoughts that make you feel uncomfortable.
Keeping a right mind set is a whole lot easier than re-setting a mind-set!
Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. That’s a mind set!
Isaiah wrote: Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. (Is 50:8) a flint was a very hard stone
A positive mind-set gives you power over your circumstances instead of allowing your circumstances to have power over you:
THIS WILL WORK OUT!
GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN ME IN THIS TEST!
I’M GONNA GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS!
I WILL STAY ON MY KNEES AND WAIT FOR THE ANSWER!
THERE’S NO TURNING AROUND…THAT’S NOT AN OPTION!
Paul said, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
David said, I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes
Joshua said, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to king, Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank
David wrote, The Lord is on my side; I will NOT fear What can man do to me?
Timothy wrote: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind!
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