What Controls Your Thinking?
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Romans 8:5
Are your thoughts set on the world or are they set on the Spirit? Take an inventory today of the approximate time you are in worldly thoughts and the approximate time you are in Godly thoughts.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23). The desires of our hearts are reflected by our thoughts; everything we say and do originates from a thought. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:2-3). Taking control of our thoughts is the first step in realizing and fulfilling this scripture.
Thoughts are controlled by capturing them when they first occur. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). It is important to capture the thought immediately before it gains strength and conceives in our minds. This takes practice but with prayer it will soon become natural through God’s power.
How can we take control of our thoughts if the world is knocking on the door of our emotions? We all experience emotions from the world, but the Spirit will help us process and control the emotions. If we cannot control our emotions, how can we control our thoughts? My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19). If we take the time to process what the world is feeding us, we can capture the emotions and respond through the Holy Spirit.
When we control our thoughts and control our emotions, we have basically overcome the world and are now free in Christ. For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). We are in control when we can control our thoughts through the power of the Spirit. Even when our minds drift away on other business, we are still connected to the Lord through the Spirit. We do this by interfacing to the world through the Spirit. Christians process what they receive from the world by the Spirit, and by the Spirit we can determine what we say and do. This becomes the natural way we interface to the world, but Satan triggers our emotions and tries to take the Spirit out of our thinking.
Today experience the freedom of controlling your thoughts. Realize how close you can be to the Lord if you seek his divine guidance and your thoughts are directed to him with praise and thankfulness. The more we commune with the Lord, the more peace, joy, and self-control we experience; all of these help us to control our thoughts.
Prayer: Lord, help me to set my mind on you and to interface to the world through the Spirit. Thank you for the Spirit who makes it possible to stay close to you and live with a heart of love, peace, and joy, walking in your wisdom. In Jesus name, Amen