I want to help you understand the vital need to renew your mind—not just at the beginning of your walk with God but continually. One minister explained this diligence by saying, “You need to renew your mind every day like you need to comb your hair daily.” Because we are confronted by the ideas, fears, doubts, and ungodly concepts of the world in our daily interactions, we must cleanse our minds and establish biblical boundaries in our minds consistently.
But what goal do you have where this is concerned? Our main objective should be to have a sound mind, a spiritually disciplined mind. This reveals more than just not thinking wrong thoughts. It delves deeper into establishing God’s definitions and precepts into our thought processes. The mind that is governed by the Word of God will guard us against many unnecessary attacks from the enemy.
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Sadly, some Christians are fighting avoidable battles and dealing with difficulties because the enemy found an entry point through their undisciplined thoughts. If they had practiced casting down imaginations and taking wrong thoughts captive, the door would have been shut to the adversary. They would have been able to spend their spiritual energy on productive things instead of battling the fear or depression caused by worry or doubt.
I am speaking to you from my own experience because I have made the mistake of allowing thoughts of worry. I reasoned and made excuses, saying, “I have to deal with this situation. I have to figure out how to fix this problem.” While we do have things that require our attention, we never have to worry or fret about anything to fix it. We need the spiritual energy of faith to change the situation, but faith can’t operate if we are undisciplined in our minds.
One night, I found myself unable to sleep. I was trying to fall asleep, but every time I closed my eyes, my mind would begin to think on the details of my problem. It seemed like even when I tried to turn my thoughts away from that situation and think about something else, my mind switched itself back to the worry. After an hour or more of this battle, I realized my mind had gained a carnal momentum. In other words, I had given my thoughts over to the thoughts of the enemy until they were dominating my mind.
I knew that Jesus set the standard of how to overcome thoughts of the enemy. Jesus opened His mouth and spoke God’s Word. So, that is exactly what I did. Since I knew Psalm 91by heart, I turned my mind to that chapter and spoke it out, verse by verse. My mind couldn’t return to the problem because it was otherwise occupied. For me to say the verse, my mind had to think about what I was saying. It took almost an hour to quiet my mind, bringing it into subjection to the Word of God. I repented to the Lord for allowing my mind to get in that condition and resolved to maintain the discipline of my thoughts in the future.
Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
This verse connects God’s ability to hold us in a condition of peace to what we are doing with our minds. If we discipline our thoughts to be directed to the light of God’s Word, He will maintain our wholeness and well-being. But when God’s people open their minds to wrong thoughts, they are letting down their defenses and granting access to the enemy.
The responsibility is ours to renew the mind and keep it renewed. The New Testament instruction is to “gird up the loins of your mind” (1 Peter 1:13). Put a restraint on your mind and don’t allow the news, an evil report, or the opinions of others to guide your thoughts. Scrolling through social media or flipping through channels can be dangerous to your faith because the adversary can use those unprotected moments to advertise deadly thought processes.
Philippians 4:8 NKJV
8 Finally, brethren, 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.
This list will help you identify thoughts that are acceptable and those that aren’t allowed. We can learn to set up safeguards and protect the plan of God for our lives by being diligent in this area.
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