Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV (1) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Mindset: a mental attitude or inclination, a fixed state of mind
- What you believe about Jesus determines your eternal outcome but your behavior determines the quality of life you experience now as a believer in the earth.
- What you think about the most, you will eventually believe. What you believe, you will say with your mouth. What you believe in your heart and say with your mouth shapes your life experience.
- Being a Christian is not about behavior modification!
- Being a Christian is about transformation – becoming someone brand new.
Some think that renewing the mind is simply replacing the worldly value system that you have had and replacing it with God’s value system or removing old standards and replacing with new ones. Renewing does not mean learning.
Romans 12:1-2 | TPT (1) Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. (2) Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
The word “transformed” is the Greek word that we get the English word “metamorphosis”.
Metamorphosis – a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.
- God is interested in something supernatural happening on the inside of us that changes us on the outside.
The Bible is very clear in teaching us that the way that we change is by changing the way that we think.
Other translations speak about the “renewing of the mind”.
So, if there are behaviors, habits, etc. that we have in our lives, then they can be changed or eliminated by changing the way that we think.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 | KJV For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds😉 (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Four Levels of Mental Activity:
- Thoughts
- Imaginations
- High things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God
- Strongholds
2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV (4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
What is a stronghold? In the Greek, it is defined as a fortification such as a high-walled city or castle but this word can also be translated as a prison with high walls and fortifications.
We are talking about patterns of behavior that have been built in our lives, mostly over long periods of time that started with thoughts and have been established as strongholds or habits.
Habit – a pattern of behavior that we do enough until it has become almost involuntary.
I believe there are habits that we can build in our lives and some we can even overcome just through discipline. But there are others that are going to take more than just discipline; they are going to require supernatural weapons.
Isaiah 10:27 KJV And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Breaking Bad
You can gain the victory over the bad strongholds (habits) in your life!
- Be willing to identify the stronghold.
Proverbs 28:13 NIrV (13) Anyone who hides his sins doesn’t succeed. But anyone who admits his sins and gives them up finds mercy.
Darkness cannot continue in the light.
- Fast and deny the desires of the flesh to amplify the anointing.
Part of this is to deny your mind the triggers. Only YOU can identify these.
Isaiah 58:8 AMPC (8) Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. [Exo 14:19-20; Isa 52:12]
- Pray and ask the Lord for help and He will answer.
Isaiah 58:9 NKJV (9) Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’…
- There must be some Word push-back by you.
Luke 4:4 NKJV But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.’ “
Jesus answered him the same way in verses 8 and 12.
- Deal with one stronghold at a time.
Deal with the strongholds in the descending order of their impact on your life.
You will find that sometimes they are connected in that one habit opens the door for another.
Don’t let the enemy get you busy fighting more than one fire at a time.
- Don’t try to be a hero. Get help if you need it!
Proverbs 18:1 AMPC (1) HE WHO willfully separates and estranges himself [from God and man] seeks his own desire and pretext to break out against all wise and sound judgment.
Genesis 2:18 NKJV (18) And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
- Receive your freedom by faith!
Psalms 37:39-40 TPT (39) But the Lord will be the Savior of all who love him. Even in their time of trouble God will live in them as strength. (40) Because of their faith in him, their daily portion will be a Father’s help and deliverance from evil. This is true for all who turn to hide themselves in him!