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| The mind of a human being. |
What is Transformation?
To become different. : To
make (someone or something) different. : To become something else.
To make the form, nature,
content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what
it would be if left alone.
To give a completely
different form or appearance to; transform
What is Mindset?
Mindsets are
beliefs—beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities. Think about your
intelligence, your talents and your personality.
Mindset is a set of ideas
and attitudes that shape the way someone thinks about themselves and the world.
Someone’s mindset will determine the way they behave, their outlook on life and
their attitude towards everything that’s going on around them.
Here are some additional
definitions to help us understand what Mindset is.
-
A fixed mental
attitude or disposition that predetermines a person’s responses to and
interpretations of situations. (The
Free Dictionary)
-
A mental
inclination, tendency, or habit. (Merriam-Webster.com
– Medical Dictionary)
-
A person’s
usual attitude or mental state is his or her mindset. (Vocabulary.com)
-
A person’s way
of thinking and their opinions. (Cambridge
Dictionary)
-
An attitude,
disposition, or mood. (Dictionary.com)
-
The ideas and
attitudes with which a person approaches a situation, esp when these are seen
as being difficult to alter. (World
English Dictionary.)
-
The established
set of attitudes held by someone. (Oxford
Dictionary)
Therefore,
Change of mindset is the change/renewal of our fixed mental attitude, usual
habit, the way of thinking, mood, ideas and approaches towards situations.
Why do we need to
Change/Transform our Minds?
Rom 12:2 ‘’Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will
of God.’’
We
need to change our mindset because:
·
Thoughts control my life:
If you don’t think it,
you don’t do it. Our lives are not
shaped by our feelings but by our thoughts and beliefs.
Proverbs 4:23 ‘’Guard your heart
above all else, for it is the source of life.’’
·
Our mind is the Battleground for Sin:
All Temptations take
place in our minds. It is in our minds that we battle with temptation. If we
manage our mind we Temptations and therefore manage sin.
Romans 7:22-23 For in my inner self I joyfully agree with
God’s law. 23 But I see a different law in the parts of my
body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner
to the law of sin in the parts of my body.
·
Our mind is the key to Peace, Happiness and Life.
Unmanaged mind leads to
tension, tranquility, pressure, conflict and chaos. But a managed mind leads
to peace, Joy, order, life and happiness.
Romans 8:6 For the mind-set
of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to
God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so.
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God
Philippians 1:9 And I pray this:
that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment,
The Three CHOICES to make
every day to CHANGE our MIND.
Feed
our mind with Truth.
Free
our mind from Destructive Thoughts.
Focus
our mind on the Right Things.
1.
Feed our mind with Truth.
Good nutrition leads to a healthy life. What you
feed your mind is exactly what it believes and does.
Matthew 4:4 But He answered, “It is written: Man must
not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the
mouth of God.”
We should have the best information to make the
best decisions and live the best life. The best information is the word of God.
We should feed from the word of God all the time and memorize the word of God
by meditating upon it day and night.
Psalms 1:1-3 How happy is the man
who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or
join a group of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. 3 He is like a tree
planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in
season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Psalms 119:147 I rise before dawn and cry
out for help; I put my hope in Your word.
Psalms 119:97 How I love Your
instruction! It is my meditation all day long.
Psalms 16:7 I will
praise the LORD who guides me; yes, during the night I reflect and learn.
Psalms 119:95 The
wicked prepare to kill me, yet I concentrate on your rules.
2. Free our mind from
Destructive Thoughts.
We are prisoners of our
thoughts and we need to deliver/free our thoughts. Some of us may have been
told that we are stupid but it’s happening because we believed in our minds.
The forces that make us NOT to do all the Great and Good Things that we
plan to do:
(i) My old nature:
We knowingly take part in
self-defeating behaviors by doing the very things that we know we should not
do.
Romans 7:23-24 But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of
my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from
this body of death?
Romans 8:5 For those who live
according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh,
but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the
things of the Spirit.
(ii)
Satan :
Satan wants to control
our mind always. Satan cannot control our minds but he always tries to do so.
He can’t make us do anything but he uses other objects, ideas and people to
change your thoughts or thinking. Therefore do not believe everything you
think. When the devil gives you a thought we call it TEMPTATION but a
thought from God is called INSPIRATION.
2Corinthians 2:11 so that we may not
be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).
(iii)
The World’s Value System (World Values):
The values of the world
are advocated for by promotions, movies, songs, Reality shows, books, media and
Celebrities etc. No value of the World promotes Self Discipline.
1 John 2:15-16 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in
the world the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of
life is not from the Father but is from the world
The values of the world
are not encouraging you to be better but the exact opposite. Behind every sin
is a lie that we believe in. When we want to ponder, our minds want to wander
- to go aimlessly, indirectly, or casually; meander.
2Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For
the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
A stronghold is a
Spiritual lie that we believe. Like
-
I know better than God what makes make me
happy.
-
God really doesn’t love me
-
All that matters is money, success, sex and
power.
-
I’m never gonna forgive that person.
-
I should do whatever I want to do.
How Temptation Works.
Desire – Doubt – Deception – Disobedience and –
Defeat.
James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own
desires. 15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to
sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.
(a) Desire:
You can never be tested
by/with what you don’t desire. Desire is internal. Temptations turns a routine
desire into a runaway desire. The desire gets out of control and this leads
doubt and then disaster.
(b) Doubt:
You start doubting God’s
word. You begin to doubt that God loves you and that HE knows best…. ‘’Did God
really say…’’
(c) Deception:
Satan replaces God’s
truth (word) with a lie.
To be able to catch more
fish it depends with the bait the fishermen use. The more shinny and attractive
the bait the more the fish will be attracted to it. The devil uses the same principle.
What is the bait that the
devil uses in your life?
1John
1:8 If we say we do not bear
the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
(d) Disobedience and Defeat:
What we flirt with we
fall for.
We are free to make
choices but we are not free from the consequences of our choices/sin.
The best time to win the
battle against temptation is before it actually begins.
Psalms 119:112 I
am determined to obey your statutes at all times, to the very end.
John
14:15 “If you love me,
you will obey my commandments.’’
Luke
6:46 “Why do you call
me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you?’’
3. Focus our mind on the Right
things.
We need to make a choice
to focus on the right Things. To focus on the word of God and to meditate upon
it all the time. We should base our thinking and actions to the word of God.
Three things to make a difference in our mental Strength.
·
Think about Jesus:
Garbage in garbage out
principle. As you think so you are. We can’t plant maize and want to reap
beans. So when we think about Jesus and
focus on Him our ideas and our actions will be a reflection of Jesus and God’s
word. The opposite is also true.
2Timothy 2:8 Remember Jesus
Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David; such is my gospel,
Proverbs 15:14 The heart of him
who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
Hebrews 12:3 Consider him who
endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary
or fainthearted.
·
Think about others:
We need to teach our mind
that it is not all about us but about God and others. We should love and care
about others all the time.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us
consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Galatians 5:14 For the whole law
is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great
and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. 40 On these
two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
·
Think about Eternity:
It is very important to
think about our life outside this earth. We need to invest for our eternity in
accordance to the word of God.
This will always keep us
focused on the right things.
Matthew 6:21 For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke
12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also.
Matthew 16:26 ‘’For what will it
profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a
man give in return for his soul?’’
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on
things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
1Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is
written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”
