What's on Your Mind?

From the minute you awake in the morning until you fall asleep that brain of yours is constantly having thoughts. I am sure you would agree that many of those thoughts don’t do anything to help your life. It is time to think about what you are thinking about!

If you want good outcomes in life, then you should be aware of your thoughts because your thoughts have everything to do with your future. I know for myself there are times that I allow thoughts to come and go into my mind without doing anything about them. Your thoughts are critical to your wellbeing and prosperity in life.  “As a man thinks within himself, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7 ASV) Each of us has our own responsibility over what we think about. This is why it is good to take inventory about your thought-life and if it is benefiting you.  Picture it this way: your life is this large beautiful palace and there are some good people and bad people that represent thoughts and they want into your palace to do you harm or to do you good. There is one entrance to your palace and it is the gateway of your mind. You must be on 24/7 watch to be the gatekeeper so that your life and future are protected. The word of God tells us that our minds must be renewed so it is wise to see what our thoughts are doing for us or against us.

Look at the thoughts that you will not allow entrance through your gate.  2 Cor. 10:5 ASV tells us, “We cast down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” These are thoughts about yourself that God never said. Some people are still carrying judgments that others placed upon their lives and they are still reciting those bad thoughts about themselves. Those thoughts cannot be allowed to dwell in you anymore. There are some Christians that constantly have thoughts about others’ negative and sinful behavior. They believe it is their job to pick out the negative in others just because people are not like them. That becomes a religious spirit and their thoughts are consumed with how everyone else is living. Do you look at people or ideas with a critical view? That comes through your thought life and will hinder your future if you continue to allow it.

Which thoughts should you desire to come through your gate? The Word tells us what we should do in Phil.4:8 ASV, “Finally brothers, whatsoever things are honorable, 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.” Bible teacher Bill Johnson says, “We will reflect the nature of the world we are most aware of.” If you stay in this place of thinking on the good that Paul teaches, you will begin developing the nature of God. You will bring solutions to problems and not magnify the problems. By imitating the culture that you want in your life, you will carry transformation everywhere you go. Your love and communication will be filled with redemptive hope.  “Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in His eyes.” (Rom.12:2 TPT) Having a heavenly culture requires cultivating what God says in His word, then the communion you have with the Lord and the people you surround yourself with. Those are all good things that you want to give entrance into your life.

Isa. 26:3 NLT gives us a promise, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you.” In this stress-filled world we live in, don’t become like everyone else. Stand out and be more! It starts with your thoughts.