Sermon Central
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Guarding Your Mind
Contributed by Jerry Stepp on Nov 24, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: Protecting ourselves againt the enemy
Guarding Your Mind
* Our thoughts determine our actions, moods, self image and the words we think.
* We can’t think negative thoughts, and think to live a poss. life!
* Messed up thinking results in messed up lives!
* You can’t think thoughts of defeat and failure and expect to live in victory!
* Before your life can change, your thoughts must change your thinking. If your always thinking negative you will always reap negative things!
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
* Many Christians allow themselves to indulge in impure thoughts, truly there is a battle going on inside our minds.
~Lets just think about what we are thinking about. Just take a minute.
~In his determination to defeat God’s purpose, Satan bombards Christian minds with impure thoughts.
~We must be alert and replace those thoughts as soon as they come in, with pure thoughts.
~He knows the power of our thoughts, and he is always working to try to upset our way of thinking. ~He knows if he can control our minds he can control our whole life. WHY ?
~He knows that our life will follow our way of thinking. That’s why we think of negative things, like defeat, worry, lies, etc; he wins.
* Realize that we don’t have to think or dwell on everything that comes in our mind ...
Phil 4:8-9
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. {honest: or,venerable}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.
* 1st we must recognize where it is coming from.
~Here is how we do that: is it your thought? Is it from God? Or is it from the devil? ...
~Here is how you can tell: if it is a negative thought, if it is a discouraging thought, or brings worry fear, or doubt, if it makes you feel week, or is of unbelief, it is no doubt from the devil. And we need to take care of it know
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; {imaginations: or, reasonings}
~Don’t dwell on it…get rid of it now!
* Millions of Christians wrestle with negative thinking, we need NOT be overcome by that, we ARE over comers already!
* If he tells you you’ll never become anything, do to your background, your parents, your lifestyle, culture, or what ever, let me tell you that God is not limited by where family you came from, your education, your social standing, or your race color or creed.
~Our God is Able!
What limits God is our lack of Faith, it’s our wrong thinking again.
* The devil says you don’t have what it takes...
The Lord says you do.
* The devil says you’re not able to...
The Word says you can do all things through Christ my Son who strengthens you.
* The devil says you’ll never get out of debt...
God says your going to lend not borrow.
* The devil says you’ll never get well...
God says by the stripes on my Son you are healed.
* The devil says you’ll never amount to anything...
God says you are more than a conquer.
Philippians 4:7 says...
And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall KEEP your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
*We need to count on Gods thoughts. He will fill you with faith hope and victory.
~What God gives us will keep us and keep us keeping on.
Dueteronmony30:10
If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
*Chose to dwell on the good of the Lord not the bad of the devil... chose to dwell on the positive and right and not the wrong, think on what you have and not what you don’t have.
~You have to choose to stay in the mindset of Faith and victory not doubt and defeat.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
