Series Theme Verse: Proverbs 4:20-23 [NCV]
Today’s Text: “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2) [NLT]
Why Should You Manage Your Mind?
• Because your thoughts control your life.
“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” (Proverbs 4:23) [TEV]
• Because your mind is the battleground for sin.
“I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there’s something else deep within me that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin within me. In my mind I want to be God’s servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.” (Romans 7:22-23) [LB]
• Because it’s the key to peace and happiness.
“If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6) [NLT]
DAILY Choices You Must Make To Manage Your Mind:
→ You must feed your mind with truth. “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4) [NLT]
When should you feed your mind with God’s truth? All the time!
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day..” (Psalm 119:97) [ESV]
→ You must free yourself from destructive thoughts.
The THREE ENEMIES that battle against you are…
1. …your old nature.
“… I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” (Romans 7:23) [ESV]
2. … Satan.
“Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11) [ESV]
3. …The world’s values.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16) [ESV]
How to Fight And Win The Battle Against You:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ …” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) [ESV]
→ You must focus your mind on the right things.
• Think about Jesus.
“Keep your mind on Jesus Christ …” (2 Timothy 2:8) [CEV]
• Think about others.
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4) [ESV]
• Think about eternity.
“ Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2) (ESV)