What’s On Your Mind?
It Will Make A Difference In The Situation!
Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it (our heart)are the issuesof life. (parenthesis added by author)
This tells us plainly that it is our responsibility to protect what goes in and out of our hearts because the heart is where the issues of life that we have come from. The Hebrew word for Heart in this scripture actually means the soul which is the mind, will and emotions. You could say that we are to stand guard over our mind, our will and our emotions with everything that is within us. With all diligence, keep it protected.
A perfect analogy of this is watching a program on a DVD. The television represents you, the DVD player represents the mind and the DVD represents what is going in the mind. What you put in your heart comes out in your life just like what you put in the DVD player comes out on the television screen.
This is why it is important to protect what goes in your mind because what goes in — comes out. Luke 6:45 tells us that what is in our heart in abundance comes out our mouth. We have to be careful what we put in there.
How do we protect our soul (mind, will and emotions)? We protect it by guarding the gates to our soul which are the eyes, ears, mouth, and thoughts. We are to be careful what we see, hear, speak and think (spiritually, physically and mentally speaking). It is important to note that the Bible has a lot to say about being careful what we listen to, that we say, think and how we live our lives.
What is on your mind? The answer is simply “It is what you have allowed yourself to look at, listen to, speak, and think on.” We are to take control and train ourselves to think on things that are pure, honest, good, lovely, good report, whatever is of virtue, whatever is of praise… Why? Because what you think on will make a difference in your attitude, your life, your surroundings, even situations and circumstances that may be coming against you.
No, I am not talking about positive thinking although you will be thinking more positively. I’m not talking “mind over matter” although what you put your mind on can change matter. I’m not talking about ignoring the problem and the facts that you may be experiencing. I am talking about changing the problem.
How? Let’s look at Phil 4:4-9 NKJV. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 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. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
In others words: Keep your joy! Don’t let anything take your joy away! Nothing! Let it be known to all those around you that your God is in control. How do you do this? By the way that you are, by the way that you handle things, your attitude, your words, your lifestyle, your body language. Your life shows that you know your God and His Word in that situation!
Don’t worry about anything, take it all to God in prayer with thanksgiving knowing that He hears you. By speaking His Word you are establishing His Word to work on the situation for you. The peace of God will envelope around you like a force field and guard your heart and your mind through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One and His Anointing).
You must fix your mind on things that are pure, honest, good, lovely, of good report, whatever is of virtue and whatever is of praise. Make yourself think on these things! Remember that what you think on goes into your heart. Guard your heart for out of the abundance of your heart your mouth speaks. So in essence your thinking affects your speaking. Your speaking affects your life.
Don’t allow anything to come and take control of your mind and take you from this peace that God and His Word offers. This takes training. But you can do it. Phil 4:13 says You can do all things through Christ (the Anointed One and His anointing) who gives you strength. He empowers you.
If you lack wisdom in a situation, ask God for Wisdom and He will give it to you. James 1:5 says If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. NKJV
Hosea 4:6 says “My people perish for a lack of knowledge.” So get knowledge and get understanding. Get in God’s Word and fill your mind up with it. Joshua 1:8 says to meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. In other words think on it, meditate on it, speak it, pray it, listen to it, look at it, keep it before you. As you can see it is a life style. God’s Word will make a difference in your life.
Scriptures for additional study:
Joshua 1:8; Psalms 19: 14; Psalms 51:10; Psalms 119:11,32-34; Proverbs 4:20-27; Proverbs 18:20-21; Proverbs 23:7; Luke 6:43-49; Philippians 4:4-9,13; 1 Timothy 4:13; James 1:5
Prayer: Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. I will put Your Word in my heart so that I might not sin against You. I will run in the paths of Your Word for You have set my heart free. Teach me, O Lord to follow Your Word and I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding and I will keep Your Word and obey it with all my heart. Amen.
©Jennifer DeLoach 02/01/2006