Is your thought-life what it should be, a place where you think freely with a Godly, positive outlook, a mindset that is trained and follows your direction and not the other way around? Or, is your thought-life out of control? Maybe your thoughts are not directed in a Godly fashion – you struggle to keep your mind in the right avenues and your thoughts lead you… sometimes down dangerous paths. In fact, it may be that it doesn’t even occur to you that your thoughts are out of control of the Holy Spirit and his guidance.
The Apostle Paul alerts us to the “carnal” or unhealthy mindset, and the opposite – the mind directed by God’s Spirit: “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you..” (See Romans 8:5-9)
So, if the Spirit of God is living in you, He provides power and direction for your thought-life. Therefore Paul writes, this time to the Philippian believers,
Philippians 4:8,9:
“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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Aha! Here is the rub! Although we live with the spirit of God dwelling within us, we seldom allow Him to move and direct our thoughts. Instead, our fleshly thoughts move and direct us – and the result is death, according to Paul. Death in our thinking, our joy, our hope, our faith – and death towards others as we offer them no Spirit-led life through the thoughts we think. Remember, thoughts become attitudes, attitudes become habits, habits become actions, and actions become a lifestyle.
What is the solution? Training our minds the way Paul expressed – thinking on the right things as he explained in Philippians 4:8. Psychology as well as common-sense back this up. When our thoughts are positive, we move in a positive direction. We have less stress, less sickness and disease, and we feel more fulfilled. We also create a better atmosphere and climate where we live and where we work. Just consider for a moment those who have impacted you in the greatest positive ways. They are encouragers whose positive mindset ignited hope, joy, gladness and direction in your life. It seems that is what God wants to accomplish through each one of us. So, we must train ourselves to think on the things Paul outlined – whatever is true, whatever is honest, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, if it is admirable, if it is excellent, if it is worthy of praise, think on such things.
Now that you know what the Lord wants your mind filled with, saturated with, satisfied with, practice!
The next post is the next step – guarding and building your thought-life and mindset. God bless you as you practice!