Today! 21day devotional by: H.R. Lister
Day: 7
“What are YOU thinking?”
Proverbs 23:7 “As a man THINKS in his heart, so is he…”
We are the sumtotal of the thoughts we’ve entertained and acted on…
-Everything you’ve ever done started with a thought…. Every motive, attitude, mood, action and reaction came from a thought that was pursued until manifestation.
The word translated “THINKS” here in Proverbs 23:7 is the Hebrew word: “Sha’ar” meaning: (to reason out, calculate, reckon, estimate, Literally to “act as a gate-keeper”)
a gate-keeper to where? (YOUR HEART)
So why is it so important to keep wrong thoughts out of your heart?
Once you’ve embraced a thought in your heart, it becomes a BELIEF.
Once you believe something in your heart, the Bible says: “Out of the abundance of the heart, the MOUTH SPEAKS.”
Jesus taught: “whatever you believe in your heart and speak with your mouth, YOU HAVE!
Your thought life is your first line of defense- (YOUR GATEKEEPER)
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of STRONGHOLDS…”
We all have STRONGHOLDS, thought processes that cause us to do what we do, say what we say and re-act the way we re-act… They cause us to fear, become unsettled, and shy away from obeying the Word of God.
This word Stronghold in the scripture is defined as: (The argument and reasonings by which a disputant endeavors to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent.)
(YEAH, BUT)
Whatever you make excuses for is YOUR STRONGHOLD!
Your (YEAH, BUT) needs to be pulled down and replaced with: (AMEN, SO BE IT!)
Learning to confront and combat every thought with God’s Word is how you win the battle in your mind.
Can you imagine living life with no fear, no anxiety, no unsettledness, no stress, no anger… Just peace, joyfulness, walking in authority and control of your life???
YOU CAN! The fight is in your mind and it’s already been won in Christ Jesus!
Satan’s primary attack is in our minds and with our thoughts…
Most Christians don’t even realize this and they take very little thought to guarding their minds.
Most people (including christians) act as if what they feed themselves mentally has no effect on them.
What goes into our eyes and ears is fuel for our thoughts.
Music, TV, Movies, pictures, books, gossip, social media
There is no way for you to feed yourself ungodly material day in and day out and not have a major battle in your thought life.
*Hatred, unforgiveness, addiction, perversion, arguments, adultery, divorce, abuse (physical, mental, verbal, emotional, sexual), laziness, glutony, dishonor…
All of these negative traits are traits of the FALLEN man and can still be strong-holds in your mind, even after salvation…
Romans 1:28 “they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them up to a depraved mind…”
Once you receive salvation, you’ve been freed and can walk away from those strongholds and sin but you’re not immune from old thoughts coming back to talk you into old sins and lifestyles.
Ephesians 4:22-32 (NIV) “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, TO PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23) to be made new IN THE ATTITUDES of YOUR MINDS 24) and to PUT ON THE NEW SELF, created to be LIKE GOD in true RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS.
God empowered you with FREE RIGHTEOUSNESS, to be able to live RIGHTEOUSLY!
No one can take away your righteousness but you have to yield to the righteous nature now in you via the Holy Spirit, the NEW MAN…
Verse 25 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26) in your anger do not sin: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27) and do not give the devil a foothold. 28) Anyone who has been stealing, must steal no longer, but must work doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of Redemption. 31) GET RID OF ALL BITTERNESS, RAGE and ANGER, BRAWLING and SLANDER, along with every form of malice. 32) BE KIND and COMPASSIONATE to one another FORGIVING EACH OTHER, just as in Christ, GOD FORGAVE YOU…”
YOU HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN THE REMOVING OF STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR LIFE!!
You have to be on the offensive, take the fight to your wrong thoughts with the Word of God!
You’ve got to devour your Bible like you devour TV, Music, and social media now.
You’ve got to give your spirit ammunition and stop supplying the enemy!
Psalm 91, is a great place to start!
Renew your mind with the Word!
Supply your thought life with the Word of God and be free from mental torment!
With the Word and the Holy Spirit, you can win the Battle over your mind!