Controlling Your Mindset
Have you ever wondered what is ‘going on’ in your mind? Negative thoughts can bombard you throughout the day, seemingly outside of your control. Thoughts of fear, insecurity, doubt, worry, negativity, anxiety, helplessness, etc., may occupy your mind. When these types of thoughts repeat themselves continually, it can spoil your day and can even give you a headache. I have had days like that. It changes your mood and makes you feel sad and hopeless. If you do not take care, those thoughts overtake your day, your week, your month, your year, and finally, your whole life.
However, you do not have to let that happen. You have the power to stop it. You do not have to allow thoughts to run around aimlessly in your mind. It may not seem like it, but with the thoughts you think, you have a choice. Thoughts spontaneously enter your mind, which is normal, but you can choose which thoughts will stay and which ones you will throw out. You decide whether you will grip onto a thought or feeling or will let it go.
This means that you have the power to change your thoughts and feelings. You can change your thoughts to mirror God’s thoughts. But you must do it, you need to take action; it will not happen routinely. It is essential to make the deliberate choice to change your mind and then act on it.
The power of your mindset
Your mindset can make or break you; knowing how to control your mind will decide the course of the rest of your life. The way you use your mind dramatically impacts the way you see yourself and your circumstances. When you use your mind negatively, you will end up feeling bad. The way you use your mind plays a major role in either developing feelings of negativity or positivity. Your mind is enormously powerful; it can harm you or do you good, depending on how you use it.
God’s word says, “As a person thinks… so is he” (Proverbs 23: 7a).
Have you ever thought of that? You become how you think! Thus, think of fearful things and you will become fearful; think of negative things and you will become a negative person. Of course, the opposite is also true: think positive and you will become a positive person. Your thoughts have the power to shape you and change you. Your mind has the power to lead you in a positive direction or a negative direction in life. Your mindset influences everything you do, think, and feel. If you allow your mind to rule you, your mind will take you to undesirable ‘places’.
But if your thoughts change the way you are, it also means that when you consciously guide your thoughts, you can change the way you are. But how do you do that? How do you control your mind?
How to control your mind: take a step in faith
Well, you now know that your mind is powerful and can lead you into a negative or a positive future. But merely knowing this is not enough, you must do something about it. What should you do? Well, start with taking steps in faith and letting the Holy Spirit help you. The basis of taking these steps is to grasp fully that you are not powerless with your mind! It is only when you understand that you have the power to control your mind that you can change the way you think and feel. You change by renewing your mind, even if you have been using your mind negatively all the time.
“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.” Romans 12:2.
While you step out in faith, consult your bible to find out what God says about controlling your mind. Do not think that you can change your mindset by yourself. God created you and your mind. As Creator, He is in the best position to know if you can control your mind. Many scriptures show God gave you the power and the ability to control your mind. Meaning, you can change your mind and the way you think and feel. Here are a few of those scriptures:
“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2 (NKJV).
“be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 (NKJV).
“be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Ephesians 4:23 (NKJV).
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you.” Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV).
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5 (ESV).
Personally, I love the last scripture. When I have the mind of Christ (the mindset of God’s son!), I am sure I will have a positive mind.
How to control your mind: act based on God’s word
The Word of God is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), ready to be used. It is good to know the Bible, as in knowing with your mind (being able to quote, for example, and to know the structure of the Bible). But that is mere head knowledge. It will not benefit you because it does not transform your life. However, when you believe the Word of God and apply it to your daily life, you will experience transformation. Walk in it, live in it, apply it to every situation that confronts you, every second of every day. When you do that, you will experience a positive change in your thoughts and life. And remember, your thoughts are important because you become as you think (Proverbs 23).
You can choose between being negatively shaped by your past thoughts and feelings or being positively transformed by God’s truth as you walk with God. When you open yourself up to God’s word, you open a gateway for God’s Spirit to transform your mind.
“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:23-25 (NKJV).
When you apply the Word of God in your daily life, you will live a victorious life. But there is one thing about victory: you cannot have a victory without a battle. And to win a battle, you need weapons. As God’s child, you are not alone; you do not have to fight all by yourself. God has given you powerful weapons to win every battle in your mind. He created your mind, so He knows what you need to control your mind.
Weapon #1: Understand what you are fighting with
Our minds are under attack of the enemy. It is vital to understand that you are not fighting with yourself, but with a higher authority: the enemy of God. If the enemy can control your mind, he is happy, because with your mind, he can control your whole life. When you understand you are not fighting against yourself, you will fight the good fight of faith with the right weapons. Understanding what (who) you are fighting with is the beginning of victory.
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12 (NLT).
Weapon #2: Use Godly weapons
God gave the most powerful weapons needed to control every thought and feeling that pops up in your mind: His word. He gave you the power to catch every bad, false, or negative thought and bring it to obedience to the Word of God. Catch those thoughts and throw them out of your mind. Just throw them away! And never let them in again. Teach any new thoughts and feelings that are forming in your mind to obey Christ. You are in control, not your mind.
“We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT).
Weapon #3: God’s full protective armor
Soldiers who enter the battlefield do not go unprotected; they wear their armor. In the same way, God knows you need protection during the fight. He offers you all you need to be protected in any battle. Even though a soldier has received his protective armor, he can choose to use it or not. He has a free will. The same is with you: it is up to you to receive God’s gift of protective armor or not. That He gives it is not enough; you must accept it and use it.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then, after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:13-17 (NLT).
Weapon #4: Pray!
Your last -but not least- weapon is prayer; especially praying in the Spirit. Pray, pray, pray, and pray. Did I say it already? Pray! By praying, you submit your soul to God’s will. You align your spirit with God’s Spirit and your mind with God’s mind.
“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.” Ephesians 6:18 (NLT).
God links prayer to His peace. And isn’t that what you want? Peace in your mind? God promises exactly that when you commit your ‘everything’ to Him in prayer: His peace will guard your heart and mind. And since this peace is above human understanding, do not even try to grasp it with your mind. Just allow God to do what He promised to do. He will give you peace of mind.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT).
Take-away
We all wish to live a purposeful and enjoyable life, free of worrying thoughts. But if you cannot control your mind, your life will be the opposite: a haphazard life. To enjoy your life without worrying, it is vital to steer your mind through your day-to-day life and control all your thoughts. Simply said, if you do not control your mind, your mind will control you. The good news is that God has provided you with all that you need to achieve an enjoyable, structured, and purposeful life. He has empowered you with the weapons to control your mind successfully.
©copyright 2021; Christel Owoo
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