CHANGE ALWAYS STARTS WITH A CHOICE
Getting a Life Reset
“Do not [be conformed] to the pattern of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Romans 12:2 (NIV; NLT)
(3) REASONS RESETTING MY LIFE MUST
BEGIN WITH CHANGING MY MINDSET
1. BECAUSE MY THOUGHTS DIRECT MY LIFE.
“Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.” Proverbs 4:23 (GNT; TEV)
2. BECAUSE MY STRUGGLES HAPPEN IN MY MIND.
“I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there’s something else deep within me… that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin… within me. In my mind I want to be God’s… servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.” Romans 7:22-23 (TLB)
3. BECAUSE IT IS WERE GOD’S SPIRIT WORKS IN ME!
“Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God…” Ephesians 4:23-24 (CEV)
“If [your] thinking is controlled by [your old] sinful self, [it leads to death]. But if [your] thinking is controlled by the [Holy] Spirit, [that leads to] life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NCV)
(3) DAILY CHOICES FOR RESETTING MY MIND
1. EVERY DAY I MUST CHOOSE TO FEED MY MIND WITH THE BEST THOUGHTS.
“[Brothers and sisters], fill your minds with… [thoughts] that are true, noble, right, pure, beautiful, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worth praising.” Philippians 4:8 (GNT; NIV; TEV)
“A wise person is hungry for [truth], while the fool feeds on trash.” Proverbs 15:14 (NLT)
Q. Am I feeding my soul every day with God’s Word?
Jesus: “… If you continue [in my Word, you are truly my disciples]. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32 (NCV)
Q. Does my media intake create freedom or frustration?
2. EVERY DAY I MUST CHOOSE TO FREE MY MIND FROM DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS.
“Those who are dominated by their sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” Romans 8:5 (NLT)
(3) FORCES THAT BATTLE IN YOUR MIND
1. YOUR OLD NATURE – Romans 7:23
2. SATAN – John 8:44; John 10:10
3. WORLD VALUE SYSTEM – 1 John 2:16
“… Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. [Our weapons] have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish any argument 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 10:3-5 (NIV)
3. EVERY DAY I MUST CHOOSE TO FOCUS MY MIND ON WHAT MATTERS MOST.
• THINK ABOUT JESUS.
“Keep your mind on Jesus Christ…” 2 Timothy 2:8 (CEV)
• THINK ABOUT OTHERS.
“Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing.” Philippians 2:4 (TLB)
“Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 (NCV)
• THINK ABOUT ETERNITY.
“Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t [think only] about things down here [on earth].” Colossians 3:2 (NLT; TLB)