Romans 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Our mind is a complex place. It is where we have all our thoughts both good and bad, where we process our emotions, our experiences, and store our memories. Our mind is where we decide our capabilities and our limits. Our mind is basically our bodily control center. When I think about the sanctification of my mind, I think of it as two fold. I must examine what I invite in through my eyes and my ears, as well as what goes out through my words and my actions.
Our mind is open to different forms of influence: the world, the flesh, the devil, and God. While our thoughts may be easy to hide from people around us, they are not possible to hide from God. God cares about what is seen and unseen.
The world does not align with God and his truths. The Word tells us to be in the world not of it (John 17:16). Fully knowing what is of the world can be challenging because we are immersed in our culture. While each culture has beautiful expressions and designs, God asks us to live according to his Spirit and his Word. It can take some real digging to see what cultural influences we have embraced as Christlike, that are in fact, not. We hear these influences in our music, the shows we watch, the games we play, the social media we follow, the news we watch, and the people we allow to influence us. All of those filter through and contribute to our thoughts.
In our flesh, we fight our selfish desires. The enemy likes to pray upon our flesh and whisper lies in our ears. He accuses, condemns, corrupts, shames, and bullies. But God! God is the most powerful of all. He brings us the anecdote to all our shortcomings, the lies of the world, and the lies of the devil. God knows what we fear, what we worry about, the burdens we carry, the battles we fight. He sees our anxiety, our stress, and our fear, both rational and irrational, clinical or otherwise. He meets us right where we are at and asks us to bring him into it all. Those self deprecating thoughts, insecurities, and lies the enemy feeds you, he wants you to give to him so the lies can be destroyed and exchanged for his truths. His truths supersede all lies and they have the power to break through the bondage of destructive thoughts.
Thankfully, God has given us tools to renew our mind. First and foremost, we have the Word of God. We can proclaim his promises and truth over our lives. They are like a sword that severs the lies of the enemy and breaks their power over us. Similarly, when we worship the Father, and invite his presence, he washes over us and makes us new. Inviting the presence of God helps break the cycle of unhealthy thoughts and allows God to interrupt and replace them with thoughts that glorify him and edify us. Our mind is such a powerful thing. It is where we process faith and press through. With the renewing of our mind, we find our identity and purpose in Christ. When things seem impossible, renewing your mind brings God into the equation inviting hope and possibilities.
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
We have an abundance of God’s promises to meditate upon. Fill your mind with the Word of God. Write it down, memorize it. Listen to it in your car. Let God’s words be the ones floating through your mind. When it still feels like too much, we have the ability to pray and ask God for help. We can worship God and meditate on him. God commands His angels concerning us to guard us in all our ways. He promises to help us. God is so good. He loves us so much. He longs to be a part of every part of your life down to every thought that flows through your consciousness.
The more we invite God into our thoughts, the more we will see it pour out into our words and our actions. It’s how we find hope in impossible situations, peace in the midst of the storm, joy in suffering, faith for miracles. As we take time to invite the Lord to sanctify our minds, ask him to show you how he is working in you and through you. Partner with a trusted friend to be accountable when your spoken thoughts and responses could use some re-aligning with God’s word. May we glorify God with our minds.
Listening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, show me where my thoughts and mindsets do not align with you. Reveal to me areas where I have believed the lies of the enemy over your truths. Holy Spirit, what influences have I allowed in my life that are not glorifying to you? What things would you have me remove that are having a negative influence on my thoughts?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in your brilliant creativity, you have created our minds. Thank you for the wonderful complexity with which you have designed us. Lord, we dedicate our minds to you anew. I confess that I have allowed things to influence me and I have entertained thoughts that grieve you. I repent for ______(say what the Holy Spirit revealed in the Listening Prayer). I break agreement with those thoughts and their power over me. Holy Spirit, come and wash away the things I have entertained that are not from you. Give me strength to turn from those thoughts and fortify me with your truths. I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, my thought patterns, my neuropathways. I ask Jesus, that you would renew my mind, heal my thoughts, and cleanse me completely. When the accuser comes and tries to turn my thoughts from you, I pray you would help me to resist and turn to you. Thank you, Lord, for making me new. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
Resource: Bible Verses on Our Thoughts
Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
Ephesians 4:22-24
“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Philippians 4:4-8
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
2 Timothy 1:6-7
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
1 Peter 5:6-8
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”