Hello there!
Hope you are mind and hearts are well guarded in Christ Jesus😄!!
I have been well myself. Got some time off work this week to refresh for the final phase of this year. Am truly grateful to God’s faithfulness this far🙏🙌!!
Today, am moved to talk about a personal struggle that I desire victory daily. There are many times I have set my mind to accomplish a task, prayed about it and experienced both victory and failure at times. There are also times am filled with so much doubt that robs me of joy lasting several days or weeks and sometimes longer periods. The latter are the moments I no longer desire to be a part of me. Other times, it is not really about doubt, just negative thinking of my circumstances and thoughts that really do not please God and end up quenching the Holy Spirit.
After some soul searching, I have realized what my problem is when my mind is filled with doubt. The following explains it best:-
In an article entitled “Trust and Obey,” Pastor Charles Stanley wrote the following: “When the Lord calls you to a task that seems unreasonable, you have two options. You can obey Him even though you don’t understand what will happen, or you can become fearful and attempt to find a way out. Joshua chose the first option. Because he trusted the Lord, he disregarded all his military experience and adopted God’s bizarre battle plan. Over the years, he had learned that the Lord is trustworthy.
The way we respond to God’s challenging assignments reveals our level of commitment. We may feel as if we’re right in step with Him–until He proposes a change of direction. That’s when our resistance kicks in, and with it, the realization we aren’t as close to Him as we thought. At that point, our decision determines whether the Lord will be able to use us as He desires. Because Joshua never lost his commitment, he continued to serve the Lord for the remainder of his life.
At times obedience is a struggle, as your mind runs through all the reasons God’s path is illogical. Fear dominates and your will battles to comply when everything within is screaming to run the other way. But obedience is always the best choice, because the Lord is trustworthy and wise.”
Yes, I tend to doubt whether I heard God in the first place. And this is not a place pleasing to God. Are there any scriptures that can guide on the battle of the mind when we have so much fighting in our thoughts between what is good and what is evil. Yes, we!! As I believe there are many fighting with their thoughts to stay righteous before our Heavenly Father. Not just doubt, but many other areas that are not according to God’s will. And if you already have full victory in this area, then let all praise, honor and glory be to our God! I am confident we can find the solution in the word of God. Christ has all the answers to all life’s questions. So, let us explore a few scriptures for guidance and may the good Lord grant us victory! Amen!
1) Philippians 4:7-8...7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
2) Ephesians 4:22-24 ..22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put offyour old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self,created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
3) Romans 12:2.. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
4) 2 Corinthians 10:5.. 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.
5) Romans 7:25-26..Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[a] a slave to the law of sin.
6) Colossians 3:2-5.. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
7) Romans 1:28.. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done
8) Matthew 22:37.. Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
9) Romans 12:3.. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
So how important is the status of thr mind in the life of a Christian? Can you imagine the mind of the individual guiding the team below?🤔
In the spring of 1943, American troops were deployed in Tunisia, North Africa. Just as Passover was about to occur, a US Army Division was preparing an all-night mobilization to attack the German Lines. Jewish Chaplin Rabbi Earl S. Stone gathered his Jewish troops in the desert and offered a fascinating Passover service. He remembered: “In an open field that night, I stood before some 300 hardened veterans of six arduous months of battle . I asked them to sit on the ground and to conjure up in their minds the memory of the Seder at home. I recited the Kiddush (the prayer over the wine) with an imaginary cup of wine in my hand and had everyone break an imaginary matzo (unleavened bread). At the end of the service man after man, with tears flowing down their cheeks, bade me Gut Yontif (Happy Holiday).”
That must have definitely been a powerful experience. Beautiful indeed!!💯💝💖. How did the Rabbi even think of trying out such a scenario? Was he completely sure of the results? My apologies, I have more questions than answers. But I think I know where to find more answers. 🙋 The Bible!!💃💃💃. So here are more scriptures:-
1) 1 Chronicles 28:9.. “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
2) Nehemiah 4:6.. So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
3) Psalms 7:9.. Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure—you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.
4) Psalms 26:2-3.. Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.
5) Isaiah 26:3.. You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
6) Jeremiah 17:10..“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”
7) 2 Timothy 1:7.. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8) 1 Peter 13-16.. 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
9) Philippians 3:18-21.. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
10) Philippians 3:14-16.. 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
I am truly encouraged that there is hope for my situation. That there is hope to have my mind fully under the control of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has the power to bring everything under his control and can transform my lowly body so that I will be like his glorious body! This is an area am still trusting God for complete victory and am glad that I have his support in this journey. We serve a holy God who commands of us a willing mind to serve him. We have to be mature enough to focus on the status of our minds and hearts as this is where our Heavenly Father focuses the examination of His children. Remember how David was chosen and anointed as King when Samuel went to Jesse’s home. God looked at the heart of the one He desired to be king while people looked at the outward appearance which can definitely be deceitful. Let us stop giving the world superficial acts and fool ourselves that it is enough even in the eyes of God. He knows us all too well and He should be the top priority of the ones we seek to please. When that is done, then all these other things shall follow!!🙏
Then dear brethren, may you be encouraged by any of the verses above just as I have been. And encouraged enough for you to deliberately strive to let your mind be transformed to God’s will. May we have a desire to show more commitment to fulfilling God’s purpose on this earth. This can only be achieved if our minds and hearts are set right with Him.Finally, may we always call upon the assistance of our Helper, the Holy Spirit. He knows the thoughts of God and the deep things of the mind of God. Let us tap into this provision to enable us bear fruit in each season. And let it all be for God’s glory!! Be amazingly blessed and thank you so much for your time!! See you next week Friday!!😇🙏
#BattleoftheMind #Victoryformindbattles #HolySpirit #Hopeforyouandme
