BEATING BACK BAD THOUGHTS!
Mark 7:14-23
INTRODUCTION: Our thinking is important to our God and should be to us also. Why should it be so important? Proverbs 23:7. If we harbor doubt about the promises of God in our heart, it will produce fear in our lives. Our Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul’s teaching focus more on the thoughts of our hearts than it does on what we do. Today we will look at four principles from God’s Word we can use to keep fear out of our hearts: 2 Timothy 1:7.
- OUR NATURAL WAY OF THINKING MOVES US TO SIN, FEAR, AND DOUBT
Our Lord Jesus said: Mark 7:21-23; Jeremiah 17:9. It is natural for sinful man to think sinful thoughts. The Bible says the way sinful man thinks in his heart is not the way our God thinks: Isaiah 55:8-9.
2. WITHOUT CHRIST CONTROLING OUR THINKING, WE ARE INCAPABLE OF THINKING RIGHT!
The Bible clearly says the natural man cannot know the things of God:2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 The natural man cannot think as God does but the spiritual man is learning to think as his God does: Ephesians 4:17-19. The mind of natural man is darkened by Satan and will walk in the vanity of their mind.
3. JESUS CHRIST OFFERS US COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION!
The apostle Paul goes on: Ephesians 4:20-24. Our Lord Jesus Christ offers to transform our minds so we think God’s thoughts after Him but we must allow our minds to be transformed. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we have a new nature that is perfect and holy and will not stay in sinful thinking: 1 John 3:9. In order to have our thinking transformed we must begin with our personal submission: James 4:7; We must chose whom we will serve. Philippians 4:6-9; We need to have our thinking transformed by our God: Romans 12:1-3: You and I get to choose which way we will think. Right thinking does not come by osmosis, it is a discipline that every believer must cultivate: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. Thinking, walking, and living for Christ is a discipline you must choose: Philippians 4:4-9. The Bible is not primarily a book of “don’ts” it is primarily a book of “dos.” What are we told to think about? Things that are true; Whatever is noble and right; Whatever is pure, lovely, and admirable; Whatever is excellent and praiseworthy.
4. PRACITICAL TIPS FOR KEEPING OUR MINDS RIGHT!
How can we as Christians keep our minds right with our God? 1 Corinthians 2:14-16. We need to have in our minds that we possess the mind of Christ and here are some practical tips to grow more and more to think like our Lord. Sing the songs of your Lord. Learn and memorize the promises of God: Luke 18:27; Matthew 11:28-30; John 3:16; 1 Peter 5:7. We need to learn to cast all our cares upon our Lord: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Proverbs 3:3-8; Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Romans 8:28; Philippians 4:19’ Jeremiah 29:11-13. We need to read good Christian books. All these steps will lead us to growing in the mind of Christ and help to transform our minds to be like our God and to think His thoughts in our hearts!