There Is Power In The Way You Think Part I

Hello my friends. Today I would like to talk to you about the power of your thought life. What we think about is important. Consider the words of the apostle Paul found in Philippians 4:8 (KJV) "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." The apostle understood that the battle so very often does take place in our mind. We simply have to get our thinking straight. It is a matter of life and death. And how we think will affect how we conduct ourselves in this world. In Romans 8:5-7 (NIV) the apostle Paul wrote, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." Where is your mind at? What are you dwelling on in your mind? The answer to this question can be life changing.

So, let's look at the things that God encourages us to think about. First of all, he says that we should think about what's true. Did you know that the devil will try to get you to believe a lie? What kind of lie? That God doesn't love you. That your sins are so terrible that God can't forgive you. That with your past God couldn't possibly use you, to name just a few. He will distort the truth of God's Word so that we will sin. Isn't that what he did with Eve in the garden? We must meditate on what's actually true. Not what the world says is true this week. Where do we find what's really true? We find it in the person of Jesus Christ. In John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." And we find it the Word of God. In John 17:17 (KJV) Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

The second thing we should think about is those things that are honest. The original Greek word used here is often translated honorable. I believe that this is the better translation. But what is honorable? It is that which is in line with the principles of honor. That which is very respectable, very noble, very upright. We are to think on these things. The translation God's Word puts Isaiah 32:8 like this: "But honorable people act honorably and stand firm for what is honorable." When we dwell on what is unethical, immoral, corrupt, shameful, unrighteous, indecent, and contemptible we tend to become angry, frustrated, and discouraged. If we think on these things long enough it may even lead us to do something wrong in response to them. No, God wants us to think on what is honorable.