Renewing Your Mind on a Subconscious Level

By: Creflo Dollar
Have you ever known people who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but still spoke, thought, and behaved the same way they did before they got saved? This scenario is not uncommon among Believers. Many times, certain behaviors are attributed to a person needing a spirit cast out of him, when, in reality, the issue is that he has not renewed his mind in a particular area. Mind renewal is the key to living a successful life as a Christian, as well as overcoming the mindsets that keep us bound in ungodly lifestyles.
As a pastor and counselor, I have encountered numerous people who struggle with addictions and all sorts of habits they just cannot seem to break. They are in torment because they know these things are wrong according to the Word of God, but they just can’t seem to find the brakes to stop. To them, change is an unattainable goal.
Whenever I see someone who is born again, but is actively engaged in a lifestyle or habit that goes against the Word, I immediately know their mindset is the problem. They have to change their thinking to line up with what God says about the situation. Without this vital step in the process of Christian development, it is impossible to see lasting change
Galatians 5:16 says something so powerful that we all need to understand and apply to our lives on a daily basis, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” First, we must understand what it means to walk in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we have a mindset that lines up with God’s Word. It is thinking that is sound and subjected to God’s way of doing things. Walking in the flesh is the exact opposite. To walk in the flesh means to have a way of thinking that goes against the Word of God. For example, a “fleshy” mindset is one that believes having sex outside the context of marriage is okay. It is a wrong way of thinking. Walking in the Spirit in this area involves thinking that is in line with the Word, which says marriage is the only framework inside which sexual activity is acceptable.
It is critical to understand that the mind is the control center of our lives. Our dominant thought patterns and beliefs will inform and shape our behavior. Unfortunately, before coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, most of us picked up a lot of wrong thinking from our environment, whether it was from family, friends, television, or some other source.
But when we become born again, we must enter into the most important part of our walk with God—renewing our minds. Romans 12:1, 2 says we are not to be conformed to the world, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can demonstrate and prove the perfect will of God. Isn’t it exciting to know that renewing your mind has the power to absolutely transform your entire life? You can break any habit or behavior by making a quality decision to renew your mind daily through the meditation and study of God’s Word.
Renewing the mind is not a one-time event, but it is an ongoing process that must continue for the rest of our lives. We can renew our minds to the point where even our subconscious thoughts and automatic responses become aligned with the Word of God. When mind renewal takes place on this subconscious level, we are actually renewing the spirit of our minds (Ephesians 4:23). This is the depth of transformation every Believer should aspire to achieve because it is the pathway to genuinely changing our behavior.
You may be thinking your situation is so bad that you simply cannot change. I want to give you some good news today—you can! First, ask God to give you the desire to want to change. That’s right, you have to want to want change first. Then, make a commitment to the process. Find a scripture in the Bible that deals with the area you are dealing with and make it a priority to meditate on that scripture until it is more real to you than what you are going through. When you begin to think, speak, eat, and breathe the Word of God, you will begin to live it. When you find your decisions aligning with God’s Word, you will know renewing your mind is paying off!
Be sure to visit our online Bible Study Center and bookstore for resources and tools to help you renew your mind!
Scripture References:
Galatians 5:16
Romans 12:1, 2
Ephesians 4:23

The Downward-Spiral-of-Defiance

The Downward Spiral of Defiance

by Charles R. Swindoll

Proverbs 5:21-23
Talk about going from bad to worse. Defiance is the classic illustration. First, defiance begins with carnal attitudes. Long before there are carnal actions, there are carnal attitudes. It can happen to adults just as quickly as it can to teens or kids. Perhaps it would help if I spelled out a few of the attitudes by describing some actual thoughts in the minds of the defiant.

The first thought says: "I want my own way." Those who are defiant aren't interested in your way, or God's way. "I want my way." That is an attitude of selfishness.

The second thought says this: "I won't quit until I get it." That is an attitude of stubbornness. "I want my way, and I want it when I want it. I will not quit until I get it." That's just plain obstinance; that's stubbornness.

Third: "I don't care who it hurts." In other words, "I want my way. I won't quit until I get it, and I don't care who it hurts---husband, wife, peers, parents, kids, the team, my church---I don't care. I'm gonna get my way." That is an attitude of indifference.

Fourth: "I refuse to listen to counsel." Obviously, that is an attitude of resistance. "I know God has something to tell me, but I don't want to hear what He's got to say." Or, "I know what He's going to tell me---I know what that Book says. I don't want to listen to God's counsel." That's resistance.

Fifth, and finally: "I am not concerned about the consequences." That's contempt. Pushed to the wall, this extreme reaction includes ignoring the consequences---a total lack of concern for the results.

"I want my own way. I won't quit until I get it. I don't care who it hurts. I will not listen to counsel. I am not concerned about the consequences." Those are the words of a defiant person. And they can come from our lips just as readily as from a person without Christ. They represent selfishness and stubbornness and indifference and resistance and contempt. As I mentioned earlier, defiance begins with carnal attitudes.

Continuing the downward spiral, the second inescapable reality about defiance is this: Defiance leads to personal misery. The defiant person wants freedom, but he finds himself captured. He wants his own way, but he finds himself ensnared by the restrictions that misery brings.

Look at Proverbs 13:15 and you'll see a pretty good illustration or statement of that kind of misery. I want to examine two particular terms:

Good understanding produces favor,
But the way of the treacherous is hard.

The word treacherous is translated from the Hebrew verb that means "to deal treacherously or defiantly." The way of one who deals in defiance is hard. Interesting term. It means "to be perpetual, steady, constant, ever enduring, rugged." The etymology of the term finally leads to "ruggedness." The way of the person who deals in defiant thoughts and actions is perpetually rugged, hard, and miserable. Defiance leads to personal misery.

There is a third stage on this downward spiral:

Defiance results in inescapable bondage. Those most defiant are most bound, not free.

For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD,
And He watches all his paths. (Proverbs 5:21)

That's quite a thought. But the next two verses complete the picture:

His own iniquities will capture the wicked,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.

He will die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.

Look at that! The "cords" from one's own defiance will wrap themselves around the victim and will cause him or her to be inescapably bound up. In the margin of my mind I have written "Samson," who was literally bound with the cords of his own sin---unconquered lust.

Frankly, I'm much more concerned about "acceptable" defiance than bold defiance. Why? Because that's what happens more often than not. We cover up. We hide our defiance. We sit on the lid. But, sure enough---given sufficient pressure---something eventually snaps.

Your defiance will come out in the most amazing ways: a battered child; a crime of passion; a blistering tongue-lashing; running away from home; an illicit pregnancy; an ugly, caustic line of profane words; an affair; domestic disharmony; a ruined testimony. I charge you before God to deal severely with this giant. It may be slumbering right now---but I warn you---not for long.

I would like you to think about your life for just a few moments. I'd like you to trace your actions and attitudes back a day or two, or maybe several weeks. Take a long, straightforward look at where you are. Are any signs of defiance there? "I want my own way. I won't quit till I get it. I don't care who it hurts. I refuse to listen to counsel. I'm not concerned about consequences."

My friend, those are dangerous words. If they are there in your head, you're on a powder keg that's going to explode. Your stress fracture will soon become a compound fracture. I ask you to find the hope of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. He is there, and He awaits your turning all that turmoil over to Him . . . that hot cauldron of resentment. The longer it boils, the more lethal it could become.

Don't rationalize and say, "Well, that's just the way I am." Call it what it is and say, "Lord, I come to You in my need. I need You to take it, take it now."

This devotional is part five in a five-part series.


Excerpted from Stress Fractures, copyright © 1990 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide

The Clock Goes Click...Click...Click...

As I was reading Ephesians 1 3-14.


I began seeing a picture of a clock Ticking and a meaningful impression (Metaphoric) in which I share below to go with it.

As if we were the clock: and the clock's second hand was clicking from second to second, and running correctly for the purpose it was made for. CLick...Click...Click...

But if the battery is bad or its not plugged in, the clicking would stop( not listening to Gods word or the Holy Spirit ) or we would allow something to get in the way and stop the hand from moving forward ( things we put in front of God ) not able to do what we were made to do.

The list can be long, sometimes it’s just our old nature( our old way of thinking and living which is not God's way ) which he wants us to overcome, moving it out of the way, and be who we were predestined us to be. Clicking and working as we were made for. Click...Click...Click...

We should use what we have been given. And Keep removing anything that hinders us taking the steps ( clicks ) toward our predestined purpose.

We should allow him to work in us and through us. He Desires for us to Prosper and be in health, seeking his wisdom and understanding which is more valuable that gold or silver.

We should allow the Holy Spirit to help us be all the God has predestined us to be. And have Faith in God to do a great work in us, removing the old nature in us that hinders us from progressing in Gods plan for us.

We don’t have to stay the way we are. He has better plans for us. He wants us to be his masterpiece, uniquely special in every way.

Yellow Line

"A YELLOW LINE "
While Driving Down Life’s road (Can you see the Yellow lines or the white lines?)

The Rain comes down heavy sometimes. And if you can’t see which way to go, you can easily make the wrong choice which could lead you into a head on collision with a big truck. That would not be a good way to go.

Maybe you would swerve at the last minute and it’s only into the ditch you go, without any major damage. Or maybe just a few big bumps as you are fortunate enough to get back on the road. Who’s to know what’s around the next curve in our life.

Not having God in your life is like not even being able to see the edge of the road.

How many people say they don’t need any help when they are lost? They won’t stop and ask for help. (They Say that they can do by their self.)

Pride comes before the fall.


Tumbling down the hill, because you took a wrong turn and then you found out too late that the road was out, and down the hill you go.

It’s not very fun or comfortable Tumbling down, and even less comfortable when you try to straddle the fence, Wrong Thinking mixed with a little of God does not get you off of the fence.

We all need to understand and remember that there is an enemy that works against us. He will take you down the wrong roads that always start off looking good or feeling good, then all of a sudden he has you where he can have his way with you. (Because the enemy will trip you and trick you, to take you where you don’t want to go and keep you there longer than you want to stay. That’s his way!

When you choose to go your own way, you have said no to God. Telling him you can do it by yourself. Yes’ You can do it on your own, ignoring the yellow line. and maybe it wouldn’t be too late when you see the truck, but when its raining hard, you won’t even see the truck coming..

When you are saying no to God, you are saying no to his grace and his blessings.

Life is a lot harder when we do things our way.

Why is it that some people are very blessed in life while others never seem to get anywhere? In a message, Sunday at Church on the Move Pastor George examined the basis for success as described in Psalm 1. He taught: If we are going to flourish in life, we must choose right company, make right choices, and not be fooled by the wrapper of sin.

(This is a yellow line, Please, we know each of us have a free will to do what and when we want . But, we want you to know that we love you and want you to know when there is a truck around the next curve.)

" tHE mIND oF cHRIST "

Cor. 2:12 ,13 tells us that the Spirit of God has taken up residence in us. God has ‘implanted’ the mind of Christ in those who have accepted His Son as their Savior. In some mysterious way we now have a capacity for divine wisdom that no scholarly degree or natural experience could ever provide. Having the mind of Christ enables us to see life increasingly from God’s perspective. This does not mean that we can think on God’s level and instruct Him, but it does mean that we have a new capacity to think and talk and act more and more like Christ.

To Grow or not to Grow, that is the Question!

With the “opportunities” that are given, I want to be ”sensitive”, and “discerning”. I don’t want to forget about the freedom that has been given to me, which can be taken for-granted.
I want to think about what to say or do before hand. I can Choose to throw out the thoughts that don’t line up with Gods word, or not. the ones that won't benefit anyone. “Renewing the Mind “ to the word of God. Now that’s something to think about.
A few examples, like:“People perish for lack of knowledge”. “Forgive them for they know not what they do. ”
Remembering that I don’t want to be offended is sometimes easier said, but with the Lord’s help I can do it.
To go to church or not to go, is anything else is more important? Where do I learn what is right or what is wrong?
Just because we are full grown in size, does that mean that we are really fully grown.

"A DAY GOES BY"

Where did our thought take us today?
Did we work, or did we play?
Where was our focus today, and how did it start?

Were we early, or were we late?
Did we do what others would appreciate?
What kind of message to others, did we impart?

If Jesus is Lord, did we seek and obey?
Or, Did we just do things our own way?
Without even saying I love you Lord, from our heart.

Did we help someone along our way?
Or, think about about eternity?
Did we contribute to good, or help tear something apart?

A day goes by, from the beginning to the end.
Whether we made the right choices or we have sinned.
Will I will be thankful as a day goes by, allowing Jesus to fill my heart?