Thoughts are so powerful, they shape our lives. In essence, we really are the sum of all of our thoughts. What we think on forms our identity.
Our natural mind when not renewed spiritually can take on a perspective that can take us down a negative, fearful path. Sometimes, we forget how practical God’s word is and how just one scripture can challenge us and transform our mindset.
Let’s look at a scripture together.
Philippians 4:8-9
Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
This is ideally our plan of action when we are on our game spiritually.
Our head is in the right place. Our thoughts follow whatever we decide to be intentional about. When we are setting our minds on good things, things above and not the things of the natural mind or the fleshly mind we will have more peace.
When the bible talks to us about walking in the spirit instead of walking in the flesh it is a way to remind us that walking in the flesh is a way of thinking. It’s our thinking that leads us to walk through life the way we do.
Let’s turn this scripture around a little.
What if we wrote out this scripture in the way a natural and fleshly mindset thinks. The devil’s objective is to get us stuck in a pattern of thinking and bring us into bondage. It is easy to get our minds stuck in a rut simply by the way we think.
v8) ( human nature version) Whatever things are untrue and lies, whatever things are mean spirited and vulgar, whatever things are unjust, whatever things are impure, whatever things are unlovely, whatever things are negative and a negative report, if you don’t care and if there is anything that could irritate you or upset you then think on them.
v9) ( human nature version) And these things which you’ve learned and received and heard and saw, these, when you do them, will rob you of God’s peace. Everything you filter through this way of thinking will have a stench and cause everyone to run the other way because a negative mindset will take you down and you will become a negative toxic person.
Wow! That’s powerful.
Remember, You have to live with you.
You Have The Power to Choose
Choose your thoughts so they don’t choose you and take you down.
The adversary is so subtle that many times we are just cruising along in ruts of the mind and begin to think on things that may trouble us in a subtle way and then, before you know it we have parked on those thoughts.
Ruling over your thoughts, helps you to rule over your life. Invading thoughts that threaten to put a damper on your attitude or your day will always dangle in the forefront of your mind to tempt you into a negative mindset. But God. His word says to choose life, choose whom we will serve.
We can choose to serve as overcoming and rising above attitudes, circumstances and being negative by reading His word, knowing and trusting His word. Then we will be victorious and reign over our lives. We will not be victims of a negative view of life but positive because you’ve chosen a higher way of thinking.
I love the practicality of scripture. God knew his word would give us practical things for successful living.
Let’s look at a few scriptures and chat about them.
2 Corinthians 10:5
Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
If scripture tells us to “cast down” an argument then we are empowered to do that. I picture those thoughts like a kite stretched way out on a string.. that kite gets our attention because it’s high and it’s waving in the wind for our attention. Thoughts are the same way, they are lifted up “out there” wanting our attention.
To cast them down is to reel them in like the kite on that string, replace that kite( those thoughts) with God’s word over your life. We aren’t victims to our thoughts or negative things that pop in our head. We can choose our thoughts based upon the reality of what God says about us. Let’s bring our thoughts captive so that we aren’t brought into captivity.
Romans 12:2
and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Renewing our minds is the process of eliminating negative fleshly thinking with the truth of God’s opinion about us. It is to know the depth of his love. The removal of condemnation and even a hint of shame. The replacing of a thinking that is “ natural” with a thinking that is “supernatural”.
Throughout our lives ladies we’ve been searching for the super in the natural. We’ve searched for it in Prince Charming, in our work, in our friendships, in our kids. We hunger for the supernatural. Jesus, wants to kiss your natural with his super to show you a different way of life.
This is what we long for isn’t it?
Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth.
For me this means to raise your level of thinking, think higher, from God’s perspective and heart. From his word get a healthy sense of self and identity.
This doesn’t mean to think religiously, or to think so heavenly minded that you are not thinking practically.
Be Practical
Don’t float around in a mystical zone.
It can come across odd to others. There is a beautiful you inside that doesn’t need to be covered up with mystical religious activity. Just be real and if you happen to be gifted prophetically just share in simple words what God has spoken to you.
People will be touched and not freaked out by overly mystical spirituality.
1Peter 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The loins in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia is described as…
“the center of procreative power, the portion of the body which is girded about, and is considered as specially needful of covering, even under primitive conditions of life and where painful disease most effectually unfits a man for work and warfare.”
I know, maybe more graphic description than you were hoping for but it certainly shows how vital it is too be proactive about guarding the thoughts of our minds.
Basically, the loins of your mind ( your private thoughts) would need a girdle. Tighten up our thinking girls! To think clearly and soberly, resting in our thoughts by depending on God’s grace to reveal Jesus to us as we think about what we are thinking about.
Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
What we think on and meditate on always surfaces in our speech.
Our thoughts and beliefs shape our hearts and our mouths tell the story. Other people then experience the fruit of our words. Is it sweet or bitter?
Think of a person whose words have touched your life or made you laugh.
I’ve had many different ones, but here are a few of mine.
Maya Angelou, Miles Munroe, Brennan Manning, Max Lucado Mother Teresa, Chandler Bing…
Yes, Chandler from Friends. You know He is hysterical.
Adele. Frank Sinatra. Ella Fitzgerald. My facebook friends and family ( you know who you are)!
Words are powerful.
Beautiful.Sometimes hurtful and painful, and everyone of them started with a thought.
Unrestrained thoughts that are un-kept can do damage, hurting yourself mostly and others quite often too. But restrained, trained thoughts that are healthy and reflect the way God sees us brings health to our lives and to others also.
I wish I could say I have the restrained, trained thoughts always. I want too. I pray too, I wish too, but some days, well…. you know those days. So on those days especially, I throw myself into the lap of Jesus, yearning to grow and develop faster than I am and I rest.
I rest in his word.
I rest in his grace and he meets me there loving me just the same.
He’s never mad, he doesn’t criticize me or berate me.
He loves me and whispers his fatherly acceptance and delight in me.
This is what we are all longing for… His touch.
Leave me a comment if your thoughts have brought you out of negativity.
Maybe, like me you have had the tendency for them to box you in at times.
I really want to know.
No judgment here, just my lady friends learning from other lady friends.