Hello! Welcome back to Godly Guides, and today we’ll discuss how to renew your mind! Thoughts hold much power in our lives because they affect how we act, what we talk about, and our overall relationship with God! So, I wanted to create this guide to go more in-depth about how vital our thought life is and that we cannot take it lightly as believers.
Be in the Word of God
The Word of God is where we can find everything we need to be successful in our thought life! Instead of letting our minds run rampant, here is what the Bible says what we should think about. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” So, these are the thoughts we should have in our daily life. Meditating on this will prevent thoughts that don’t glorify God to enter our minds. I want you throughout your day to put your thoughts to the test. Is it true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue, or praiseworthy? If the answer is no, then I want you to rebuke those thoughts. If it doesn’t bring you joy or peace, know that thought is not from the Lord. I’ve had to do this so often because, honestly, the devil will bring plenty of thoughts to you throughout the day. So, it is your job to determine who your thoughts are coming from and cast them down, which brings me to my next point.
Cast Down Imaginations/Know Your Authority (Don’t Dwell on ungodly thoughts)
Once you figure out who your thoughts are coming from and if you determine it is from satan, you must cast them down. As I said before, a huge indicator that your thoughts are not from God is when they don’t bring you peace or joy but rather fear, anxiety, sadness, etc. II Corinthians 10:5 says we must cast “down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” What is every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God? It is everything that doesn’t align with the Word of God. This is why we must read our Bible daily to know what is and isn’t the Word of God. This comes in handy when we’re deciding what to dwell on. So, when you recognize a thought that comes to you that isn’t of God, say, “I cast down this thought in the name of Jesus.” And what I do most of the time is I start thanking God for all the good things in my life, recite the things I’m looking forward to, and overall try to dwell on the goodness of God. The enemy will do anything to divert your attention from God but know you have the authority to rebuke him!
Luke 10:19 says, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Here Jesus is telling the disciples that they have the authority to rebuke all the power of the enemy, and that same authority belongs to us! This authority isn’t only for demons and demonic manifestations but also for when ungodly thoughts enter our minds. For instance, if you’re having thoughts about sinning, you have the authority to rebuke and cast down those thoughts! James 4:7 says, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Another piece of advice is to start reciting scriptures when a thought comes to you that is not from God. That is one way we can submit to God; as a result, the devil and his thoughts will leave you! So, know that you have authority given to you by Jesus and that you don’t have to be victim to anything the enemy throws at you!
Be Spiritually Minded
Quite similar to my first point of being in the Word of God, be spiritually minded. Renewing our minds is so much easier when we dwell on things of the Spirit and God rather than carnal, earthly things. Being in the Word of God clearly helps you remain spiritually minded, but things like prayer, worship, and listening to Godly music also help! All those things focus our attention on God! Romans 8:6-7 says, “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Let’s break this down a little bit. It is important to be spiritually minded because it brings us peace first of all, but also, it forces us to focus on eternity, and eternal life, rather than this temporary one. When your mind is focused on the eternal, it forces you to act differently, to accept certain situations differently, and mainly, for your entire thought process to be different! I know personally that looking at situations I’m in from an eternal, spiritual perspective makes healing so much easier. That’s why the verses say “life and peace” Being spiritually minded helps you focus on eternal life and brings you peace in every situation. If we focus on this temporary life, which is being “carnally minded,” we will only experience death. Death to our spirits, peace, and eternal life.
A key thing to spiritual growth and renewing your mind is focusing on the things of God and not on this earth! Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Focus on your divine purpose, the people it’ll bring to Jesus, and everything you do to work towards that! I know, trust me, I know, it can be difficult not to think about what we’re going through, but it is a must! We must focus on God because that is the only way our situation will improve! Seek first the Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you! That doesn’t just mean material things, but peace, joy, true happiness, and contentment! Put God first in your mind, and your life will improve drastically! God wants us to be who He created us to be and to be that, we must renew our minds by focusing our attention on our Creator and His Will!
Listen to the Word of God (watching what you watch and hear)
Your thoughts are usually a combination of what you consume. So, what are you reading, watching, and listening to? I doubt your mind is filled with Godly thoughts if your routine barely involves God. I know that during periods in my life where I’m spending inadequate time with God, I tend to focus more on my situation rather than Jesus, and as a result, my faith decreases. To renew your mind, you must involve God in your daily consumption. So, what does that look like? Well, for me, it looks like listening to a sermon when I get ready in the morning, listening to gospel music as I drive to work or school, reading my Bible and praying before bed, and thanking God when I take a shower. Now, everyone’s routine is different, but God appreciates any time spent with Him, so open that Bible, look up that sermon, and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. The more you do that, the more you’ll dwell on these things, and the sooner you’re on your way to renewing your mind and growing your relationship with God!
Watch Your Conversations / Words
Finally, watch what you talk about because the more you talk about a certain thing, the more you think about it. And if it’s not any of the attributes from Phillippians 4:7, it is not worth talking or thinking about. Luke 6:45 says, “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Your mouth will reveal your thought life; that is why in the previous point, I said it’s essential to spend time with God so that He can take up your thought life. And as He takes up your thought life, the more He’ll be in your conversations! This is pivotal when it comes to renewing the mind because now we are changing how we talk just because we changed how we were thinking! Another piece of advice, if you can’t say something peaceful, that brings life to a situation, is joyful, or aligns with God, don’t say it.
Our mouths can get us in so much trouble, and it starts with our thought life, so be careful about what you choose to dwell on! Because it is always your choice! Are you going to focus on God or carnal things? A good way to think is, does this situation matter spiritually? What does God’s Word say about situations like this? Will dwelling on this bring me peace or joy? Will this cause me to say something I’ll regret? These are good questions to ask when it comes to renewing our minds. These questions will prevent you from dwelling on what God told us not to and help us focus on our purpose and Him! So, I hope this helped, and God bless!
Leave a comment