THINK! MINDS & THOUGHTS.
*Think, and the God of peace will be with you.
**Think, and you will have abundant life and peace and prosperity.
***Think, and God will reveal His Truths to you.
****Think, and God will give you understanding in everything.
*****Think, and you will be as you are.
In our last article, we discussed psychology and the soul. This time, let’s take a brief look at what the Bible says about the mind and thoughts.
*Philippians 4:8, says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Verse 9. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
**Romans 8:5 tells us, “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Verse 6. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on and peace.”
***Philippians 3:15 , says, “Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”
****2 Timothy 2:7 tells us to, “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
*****Proverbs 23:7, says, “… For as a man thinks within himself, so he is.”
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT OR RELEVANT?
First, no person, with a sound mind, can think one thing and do another. You cannot say “today I pray to have success”, or “today I will pray to have friends”, or “today I will serve God”, then act in a contrary manner and expect to receive what you desire nor to achieve what you claim.
Secondly, and most importantly, Matthew 4:17, says, “Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This is the greatest pronouncement and call to readiness for all Christians: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
This is one of the greatest pronouncements and calls to readiness for all Christians: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repent, in the Biblical sense, literally means,
“To change one’s mind; – reversing how you think – to change one’s mind for the better” and it comes from two root words which mean, “Hereafter, have this understanding or perception”.
Repenting is the act of changing your mind which means your mindset, your values, and your worldview is changed. Some would say you then live by new standards. But it is much greater than just living by new standards.
Again I say, a person of sound mind cannot simultaneously think one thing and do another, repentance results in a complete change of mind and direction of one’s life.
Another way of saying this is, “As a man or woman thinks, so are they”.
This is not a metaphor. It is not hyperbole. It is the literal call from God through His Son, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
BOTH A COMMAND AND A PROPHETIC WORD
Interestingly, Jesus, the Son of God, in fact God Himself, said these very words which is recorded in Matthew 4:17. Remembering, this is both a Command and a prophetic Word from God.
Jesus said this is what we are to do – Repent – in order to become His disciple and to follow Him, and, this is what will happen is we repent.
The disciples echoed and repeated these very words as they continued to do the Works of God, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now at hand”.
Jesus says for each of us to Repent as an act of our will and that Repentance will allow the Holy Spirit to come into our bodies, our minds and regenerate our spirits. We will become One with Him.
Our fleshly desires begin to fade, and our new desires emanate from the Holy Spirit of God. It is not us producing Spiritual Fruit, it is from The Holy Spirit, and it should pour out of us, liberally.
We begin to desire the Things of God. We are made new, and we can now walk with certainty, with purpose and power in our New Life.
MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Once we Repent, our new desires move us to a new way of living, new actions, which are the direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance means it is no longer you, or I who lives, but it is Christ, literally, living in us.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”
If you are living in the sin of doubt or fear, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
If you are living under the oppression of poverty, sickness, lack or want, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Rise up. Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness, help all who are ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; heal them all. Matthew 4:24
Go and tell others this exceedingly Good News, and let us all, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Let’s stop thinking as the world thinks and see things from a heavenly perspective (Colossians 3:2), let’s have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), and begin to really live!
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
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