Key Bible Verses
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5
Aim of this study
Transforming our minds so we are living as citizens of the Kingdom of God is essential. This is done by training our brain to analyse all we see in the world through ‘Kingdom of God’ eyes.
Key Questions
· Who is Satan?
· Who puts thoughts into our mind? How do we deal with our thoughts?
· What role does fear play in our lives?
· Do you trust God?
· What power does our tongue have?
· What is our source of truth?
· What should we do with the Word of God?
· How should our words affect the listeners?
· If we have a concern, what should we do?
· How does being weak make us strong?
1. Who is Satan? Why will this help us?
If we know who Satan is we can understand not only when he is speaking to us but the consequences of following what he says.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because[a] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV)
It is so important to recognize that we do not fight against what we see and feel. It is much different to this.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:11-12
Satan only wants to destroy you. Jesus has come to bring life.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (NKJV)
2. Satan puts thought into our minds – we are to put every thought and make it captive.
Satan cannot force us to do things. God has given us a free will. We can recognize that some thought we have are from God and some are from Satan. This means we need to be in control of our thought life, to discern what is from God and what is not. Our life then, is about first recognizing and then getting rid of those thought that are not from God and seeking the thoughts of God.
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV)
3. Like the men of faith in Hebrews 11 – just step out in faith.
Do not just move forward with what we see, step forward with the confidence we can have when we know God has said it and we can trust in Him.
When we step out in faith, we often cannot see the result immediately. We must trust or have faith in God's Word and what promises He has given us. The physical evidence is not often present. The great men of faith were not greatly different to us. They did not know what the next step of faith would take them. They just did the next right thing they knew to do when they felt God leading them. In faith they stepped out and did it and when they did they continued to receive more opportunities from God.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11
4. Focus on what we can control to defeat fear.
The biggest thing that stops us from moving on with God and doing what He tells us to is fear! Fear puts us in a position like deer in front of headlight. We need to stop, evaluate the voice and have faith in God, that He will give you what you need to move forward and be successful. A good way to defeat fear is to ignore the things that are out of our control and focus on what we can. Some actions we cannot do yet, but learn to take the steps or actions that are in our power to do. Do not forget to start and pray for God to enable you. https://relevantmagazine.com/god/fear-anxiety-and-power-self-fulfilling-prophecies
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
Fear tells us not to try but faith tells us all things are possible through Christ who strengthens me. The truth is we cannot do it ourselves, but as we ask Christ to fill us and help us we are then capable of doing things that astound us. It does not mean it is easy. It may still take a lot of hard work.. But it is worth it!
13 I can do all things through Christ[a] who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
It is important not to fear, but allow God to strengthen and uphold us with this righteous hand. He will help us when we ask. We need to pray and seek God and then walk in faith knowing that He listens and answers our prayer.
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)
5. Who do we Trust? Do we trust God?
There are huge blessings when we trust God, not man!
There are examples in Hebrews 11 of the great men of faith who trusted God in even impossible situations. They were victorious and achieved amazing things. On the other hand, we have great men who chose not to trust God and instead finished life defeated and this not only affected them but all those around them. The verse below shows how we are cursed when we choose to trust in man but how we are blessed when we trust and hope in the Lord. We will be successful no matter what is happening around us.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear[b] when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit
Jeremiah 17:5-8
6. Our tongue has great power Our words can build up or tear down both us and other.
a. Be very careful about what you say.
In James 3, James tells us about the importance of not allowing the tongue to say what it wants as it is capable of releasing 'deadly poison'. Instead use it to give out blessing only, and if we are cursing others and even ourselves, then stop and confess to God and get back to doing it God's way. Only let blessings and good things come from our mouths.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. James 3:8-10 (NKJV)
b. So whatever you speak, train yourself to speak blessings into your life
What we speak brings things into existence. Our words become self-fulfilling prophesies.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21
Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.. Phil 4:8
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Matt 21:22
So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Mark 11:23
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matt 4:4
7. The Bible is our source of truth
Do not speak what man says but find out what God says in the Bible and let that be the foundations to your thinking.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
8. Speak the Word of God.
Train yourself not only to think God 's Word but speak it out loud.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)
If we say them then we become to believe them. The more we say the wrong thing the more we start to believe them. This is also true to speaking the right things. Our words are very powerful even to us. When we speak, we hear, and we are re-enforcing the wrong message. Start to change how we speak. Our words should bring health and blessing. When we say the wrong thing, Jesus has paid the price for our sins. We need to get into the habit of quickly confessing our sins and asking God to give us wisdom to speak the right words.
18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword,
But the tongue of the wise promotes health. Proverbs 12:18 (NKJV)
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)
9. Your words need to give grace to the hearers.
You hear everything you say. It is important that whatever you say about others and yourself is helpful, uplifting and useful for others to build up and encouraging.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)
10. If you are concerned about something bring it to God
Remember to take any fear, worry or concern to Jesus. He will not only listen, but understands and will give you strength to work through any issue you are going through.
The most powerful weapon in your arsenal is prayer. It is not the complicated thing that many people make it out to be. Prayer is simply talking to God. It is His greatest longing and desire. You can worry or your can pray. It is your choice. According to 1 Peter 5:7 we can take all our cares, all our worries, all our fears, all things we cannot change and give them to Him, because He cares for us so much. http://bibleresources.org/bible-power-words/
11. In God's Kingdom, when we are weak, we are actually able to be strong.
God releases us to humble ourselves so we can allow God to do the work through us. It is Christ in us that is able to achieve what we see as impossible.
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NKJV)
Conclusion
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:5
Our goal is to bring every thought into captivity and to the obedience of Christ. We are no longer conformed to the world as we renew our mind in Christ. It all starts by knowing who Satan is and what his goal is. He is a roars and wants to rob, kill and destroy, but he cannot touch us when we walk as sons of God. He puts thoughts in our minds that we need to recognize and take captive through our knowledge of His Word. This will require us to at times not do what appears logical but step out in faith. We must defeat fear by fully trusting in God. It is especially important that we are very careful what we say, and the words we use speak blessing and life into not only our lives but the lives of those around us. The words we speak come from the only source of truth in the world, which is the Bible. Whatever we say should bring grace to the hearer. Finally, by living as sons we realize when we are weak then we recognize that it is God working through us not us that causes us to have victory. Therefore, anything we struggle with be brought to God.
And finally, with this in mind, say daily ……
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13