How do we let God control our mind or how do we renew our mind or get control of our thoughts?
A renewed mind is in agreement with God and has life and peace, however an unrenewed mind is in opposition against God and has no life or peace. By renewing our minds to the word of God it will bring about right choices . That is the reason that it is so important to bring our minds into subjection to the will of God.
Eph 4:23″And be *renewed in the spirit of your mind;” KJV
* renewed mind means to renovate or reform, new, youthful or something that is fresh, young again Eph 4:23 “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” NLT
What is involved in the renewing of the spirit of our mind? We are made up of a spirit, soul and body, when we became born again our spirits were made a new creation in our spirit, we now have a responsibility to do something with our minds.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are a spirit, we live in a body, and we have a soul. Our soul is the mind. A new concept or change needs to take place in our minds after we are born again, to really allow Jesus to be Lord of our lives. Our mind is our will, it is our thought process, our feeling and understanding. Renewing our minds is an ongoing process, not something that can be done in a short period of time, but will grow progressively with time.
Col 3:10 “And have put on the new man, which is *renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” KJV
Col 3:10 “And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it.” AMP
This scripture shows how and what we need to do regarding our minds, God is not going to do anything with our minds, He is not going to do anything with our thoughts, because He gave us the power of choosing or choices, making right or wrong decisions is ours. Paul is teaching that the responsibility that we have is with our bodies, making them as a sacrifice unto God being a reasonable service, not only with our bodies but with our minds. This spirit man on the inside of us, must be allowed to become a powerful tool in the kingdom of God, this is done by the renewing of our minds. This is the way we are spirit ruled and not flesh ruled.
Rom 12:1-2 “I *beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not *conformed to this world: but be ye *transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” KJV
*beseech means to call aside or make an appeal to certain facts, carries more authority than just to ask someone, get a little bossy, get forceful
*transformed means inward to outward, it is a process of time, will take will power to carry out, no past excuses, God isn’t doing anything, we do it with our mind, it is our choice, unrenewed mind means thinking without God
* conformed means not thinking like the world does
It is possible for believers minds to be formed and think like this world, it is their choice. Change only comes for a believer by the renewing of their mind. If we aren’t renewing our minds we will become just like everyone else around us, doing and talking like others. The only way to have Jesus work fully in our lives, is through renewing our minds to God’s word.
Col 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” KJV
Jesus tells us that we were in the kingdom of darkness before we become born again and we usually bring a lot of bad experiences from the past. Without a solid renewing of the mind, we will never be victorious as a christian.
Rom 8:6-7 “For to be *carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” KJV
* carnal mind means to walking after our senses, to be sense ruled, opposite of following after the spirit of God and a renewed mind
If you held a tennis ball in your hand and squeezed it, the shape of the ball would conform to the shape of your hand. But as you released the pressure, the ball would immediately restore back to its original shape. That is how many believers act toward the Word of God: Whenever they read a book, listen to a tape, or hear a sermon, they say, “Amen,” and agree with what is being said and may even agree that they need to make a change in their lives. However, when they leave that meeting or put down that book, the pressure is off, and they go back to life the way it was. No difference is made.
Now, if you held a ball of Play-Doh in that same hand and squeezed, the ball would take on the shape of your hand. But this time as you released the pressure, you’d find that the ball had been transformed into the shape of your hand, and it would hold that shape. In much the same way, spending time in the presence of the Lord allows the Spirit of God to transform you into a new person. So choose to go beyond seeing what needs to be changed. Become as clay (or Play-Doh) in the hands of the Great Potter.
If you merely conform to the Word preached, taught, or read, all you are doing is reacting to pressure. This indicates that you need to develop a closer relationship with the Father, because the truth of God’s Word in the hands of someone without an intimate relationship with Him can be a dangerous weapon. If you have knowledge about God without a relationship with Him, it will cause you to mishandle the Word causing damage to yourself and those around you.
However, if you come to know God and have an intimate relationship with Him by spending time in His Presence, then whenever you hear the Word of God, it will become alive to you and make a lasting impression on you. Then, the Word of God will transform you.
1. Take no thought. Don’t take a fleeting thought of the devil and let it be established by saying it. Instead think on good things, put the kingdom central in your thinking.
Thoughts that are annoying do not go away by themselves, we have to stop and take control of them. Jesus is teaching in Matthew chapters 5,6, and 7 what is known as the Sermon on the Mt., He is dealing with what are considered to be basic truths, but unless we are willing to become doers of the word, hearing is insufficient. We must hear and do. Thoughts are going to come but until we begin to speak about them and take the “bait” the enemy has put before us, they won’t become ours. Don’t take the devils “bait” by saying or worrying about the thoughts that may come. Don’t talk or think about the negative things from your past or that of your families.
Matt 6:31-34 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” KJV
v. 33 seek the Kingdom first, don’t take the devils bait, God will take care of you v. 34 take no thought for tomorrow
There can be deception in the heart of man. We have been given the authority to be the door keeper to our mind. We have the power to open or shut the door, we determine who to let in.
Pro 23:7 “For as he *thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” KJV
* thinketh means a door keeper, keeping something open Our bodies have 5 sense gates that are very powerful, they can either work for our good or work against us spiritually.
We have been given other weapons or abilities in which to do our warfare with. We live in the real world and when we get born again we have strongholds which we have to deal with in our mind. Keep our minds on Jesus and our thoughts will be in peace. Start surrounding ourselves with the armor of God, imagination is the power to frame pictures in our minds, imaginations are things that have not happened yet, but we sometimes build on them, until they appear to be real.
What is involved in renewing our minds? We have learned about the words that we speak and the thoughts that we have, but how do we renew our minds? What we think on will determine what we believe and what we believe will determine what we talk and what we talk will determine what we act on.
2. Heed what you hear. Make an effort to hear the Word and attend to it.
Luke chapter 8 tells us to take heed how we hear and Mark chapter 4 tells us to take heed what we hear. Jesus teaches that it is important what we hear and how we hear.
M’r:4:24: And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
Hearing ears are important to us regarding the word of God. We will hear and take heed to the words of God that we hear.
James 1:21 “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with *meekness the *engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” KJV
Laying aside things that are not of God, making the engrafted word a part of us it will save us.
* meekness means it is not being weak, is strong, coachable, controllable and teachable, strength in control
* engrafted means learning to graft one thing to another, ex: plants being grated together, let the word of God become a past of us
Making the choice to believe God can only be done if we have a renewed mind.
Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, *attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.” AMP
*attend means to be completely devoted to.
You must get to the point that you cannot get enough of them. When this happens, then it’s no longer a chore or a religious duty to read the Word. It becomes a desire, a craving. God wants you and I to become completely devoted to His Word. This kind of commitment to the Word of God, obviously, will drastically change your way of thinking. Focus on God’s Word “Let them not depart from your sight.” You have to remain focused on what God’s Word says about you and your circumstances. Satan will try everything he can think of to get you to lose focus on God’s promises for your life, but don’t. Stay focused by staying in His Word.
Ro:10:6-17 6: But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7: Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15: And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16: But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Faith comes as we hear God’s word, renewing of the mind comes as we hear God’s word. Renewing of the mind brings faith. As we renew our mind by attending to God’s word, we build our faith. And faith brings salvation. Salvation not only includes being saved from sin, but being healed, made whole, set free, redeemed.
3. Meditate the Word
Jos:1:8: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Reading the Word and hearing it preached is not sufficient, we must meditate” on some portion of it, going over it again and again in our minds. That is what deepens the impression, fastens the truth in our memory and sets us to work. Meditation is for the special purpose “that we may observe to do according to all that is written therein” and it is to be our constant duty “day and night.” If we are really desirous of pleasing our blessed Lord, and glorifying Him, then we will take pains to see to it that we familiarize ourselves with His Word and habitually ponder its holy precepts
Psa. 119:15, 97 I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways . O how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day.
What does it mean to meditate on Scripture? It’s more than simply reading the Bible. It means to take what you read and think about it, rolling it around in your mind; to ponder what God’s message is to you; to have a deep love and affection for God’s words. This devotion is manifested by a constant attention to His words. We need times of quiet when we can muse and reflect on what God is saying, and we should also learn to meditate during the daily activities of life.
Proverb:2:1-9 1: My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2: So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3: Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4: If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5: Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6: For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7: He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8: He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9: Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
In order to keep something in the center of your heart, you have to meditate upon it. Meditation did not come from some Eastern religion. Meditation came from God. Meditation is nothing more than thinking and pondering on God’s Word. It’s maintaining God’s Word in your thought life.
Ph’p:4:8-9 8: Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9: Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.KJV
Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].” AMP
Meditating on the Word of God means that you are filling your mind with the Word when you wake up; you guard what comes into your mind throughout the day; and you go to bed thinking what the Word says. It’s time to begin treating God’s Word as though it were something very valuable and precious. Start today by attending to, focusing on, and meditating His Word!
Goode Christian: learning how to be a good Christian in today's world. 