Controlling Your Thoughts 1, Mar 11/21

https://www.intouch.org/listen/radio/controlling-your-thoughts-part-1

Are your thoughts full of unforgiveness, pride, lust, or anger? The fact that you're struggling with such
ideas may mean that you haven't been focusing on things that honor God. So how can you reprogram
yourself to think Christlike thoughts? In this message, Dr. Stanley shows you how to win the battle for
your mind in a way that will impact every area of your life.
Proverbs 4,
23 
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.
How do I live a Godly life in a world that is so anti-christ?
What I did in the past affected the way I behave today.
What I do today affects the way I will behave in the future.
Colossians 3, The New Life in Christ
1
 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God.
 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,
 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
5 
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed
(which is idolatry).
 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.
 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.
 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from
your mouth.
 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices
 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the
image of its creator.
 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian,
slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
12 

meekness, and patience.

 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the
Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be
thankful.
  16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with
gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through him.
Romans 8, Life in the Spirit
1
 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
 4 so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but
according to the Spirit.
 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live
according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
 7 For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—
indeed it cannot,
 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does
not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
 10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
12 
So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—
 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the
body, you will live.
 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of
adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”
 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so
that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 1, The Guilt of Humankind
18 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by
their wickedness suppress the truth.
 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
 20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are,
have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse;
 21 for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile
in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened.
 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools;
 23 and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or
birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
24 
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies
among themselves,
 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather
than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 
For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. Their women exchanged natural intercourse
for unnatural,
 27 and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with
passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the
due penalty for their error.
28 
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things
that should not be done.
 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit, craftiness, they are gossips,
 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents,
 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
 32 They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die—yet they not only do them
but even applaud others who practice them.
2 Corinthians 11, Paul and the False Apostles
1
 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me!
 2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ.
 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a
sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a
different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to
it readily enough.
 5 I think that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.
 6 I may be untrained in speech, but not in knowledge; certainly in every way and in all things we have
made this evident to you.
2 Corinthians 10, Paul Defends His Ministry
1
 I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to
face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—
 2 I ask that when I am present I need not show boldness by daring to oppose those who think we are
acting according to human standards.
  3 Indeed, we live as human beings, but we do not wage war according to human standards;
 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy
strongholds. We destroy arguments
 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to
obey Christ.
 6 We are ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.
We are continuously bombarded by tv, social networks, radio, books and on.
So whatever shapes our thoughts causes us to become what we are.
I am what I think.
Our thoughts define our life, our behavior, our family relationship, our business world, our professional
performance and on.
How to control our thoughts?
 Keep seeking Christ habitually. Keep relating with Christ through His word. God is not going to
control my life agaisnt my will, I have to surrender my mind to the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8,
5 
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live
according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
 7 For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—
indeed it cannot,
 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 1,
28 
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind and to things
that should not be done.
 29 They were filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit, craftiness, they are gossips,
 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, rebellious toward parents,
 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
We are natural sinners, sinfulness and corruption is our natural estate.
2 Corinthians 11,
 2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ.
 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a
sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10,
4 
for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy
strongholds. We destroy arguments
 5 and every proud obstacle raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to
obey Christ.
STRONGHOLD, IS AN AREA OF MY PERSONAL, NATURAL LIFE, THAT THE DEVIL KNOWS
HE CAN TEMPT ME TO MAKE ME FALL.
How to control my thoughts, Romans 6,7,8
 Keep seeking things above.
Colossians 3, The New Life in Christ
1
 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God.
 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,
 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
The Holy Spirit is inside of me to empower me and strengthen me until I go back to heaven. We are born
again!
Caterpillar transformation, cocoon – butterfly.
 Rememder who am I in Christ?
We forget what we are!
I am a child of God, Born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. A new creature in Christ Jesus, my
citizenship is in heaven. I am a brand new person.
We must surrender to God, so through the Holy Spirit we become His instruments of mercy, purity, peace
and love.
https://www.intouch.org/listen/radio/controlling-your-thoughts-part-2

Is my past working for me or against?

Are your thoughts full of unforgiveness, pride, lust, or anger? The fact that you're struggling with such
ideas may mean that you haven't been focusing on things that honor God. So how can you reprogram
yourself to think Christlike thoughts? In this message, Dr. Stanley shows you how to win the battle for
your mind in a way that will impact every area of your life.
Proverbs 4,
23 
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
    for from it flow the springs of life.
How do I live a Gdoly life in a world that is so anti-christ?
What I did in the past affected the way I behave today.
What I do today affects the way I will behave in the future.
My mind is my pilot and my radar!
1 Peter 1, A Call to Holy Living
13 
Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus
Christ will bring you when he is revealed.
 14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance.
  15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct;
 16 for it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
17 
If you invoke as Father the one who judges all people impartially according to their deeds, live in
reverent fear during the time of your exile.
 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with
perishable things like silver or gold,
 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the ages for your
sake.
 21 Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that
your faith and hope are set on God.
22 
Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual
love, love one another deeply from the heart.
 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring
word of God.
 24 For
“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 
but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
That word is the good news that was announced to you.
What I think is governing my life!
I have to be alert to daily things that are nor Godly.
A thought reaps an action,
An action reaps a habit,
A habit reaps a charcater,
A character reaps a destiny.
What is it that I am thinking now that is important in my life?
Seek first the kingdom!
Colossians 3, The New Life in Christ
1
 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God.
 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,
 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
How to control my thoughts to make right Godly decisions?
 I need to screen my thoughts. For that I need to build a biblical grid. Learn from thw word of God
how to dominate my mind, let Him renew my mind to His.
 o What is the source?
o Where will these thoughts lead me?
o Will these thoughts lead me where I want to go?
o Are these thoughts scripturally acceptable?
o Will these thoughts build me up or tear me down?
o Can I share these thoughts with someone else?
o Where did these thoughts originating from?
o What is the source of these thoughts?
o Do I feel guilty about having these thoughts?
 I must select the thoughts that I will accept:
The thought comes and I can disregard it.
If I grab it, I am giving the devil an opportunity to take me down.
God has equipped to do right decisions.
 Cultivate Godly thoughts, rejecting thoughts that are not fitting in my scriptural grid.
Philippians 4, Exhortations
2 
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the
work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of
life.
4 
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God.
 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.
8 
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of
peace will be with you.
I HAVE THE POWER TO REJECT THOUGHTS THAT ARE NOT GODLY, THAT IS WHY I BUILT A
BIBLICAL GRID TO SCREEN AND REJECT THEM.
2 Corinthians 4, Treasure in Clay Jars
1
 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.
 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s
word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the
sight of God.
 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing
the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
  5 For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for
Jesus’ sake.
 6 For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
My mind is the control tower of my life.
 Does these thoughts show I am follower of Jesus?
Difference between true genuine love and lustly love:
 Children without a father.
 Love is from God, lust is from the world. Lust is desire out of control.
 Love can wait and lust need to have it right now.
 Love is selfless, lust is selfish.
 Love is giving and lust is taking.
 Love is not free! True genuine love has a tag price. There is no free love.
 Love is purity, lust is sin and disobedience.
 Love develops and lust destroys.
 Love is peaceful and lust is full of anxiety.
Choose to obey God´s commandments!
1
 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God.
KEEP SEEKING, SET MY MIND ON THINGS PLEASING TO MY FATHER
 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,
HABITUALLY MAKE UP A BIG PART OF YOUR THINKING WHAT GOD THINKS
 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
DIED ONCE SAVED ONCE, MY LIFE IS ETERNAL IN HIM
 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
5 
Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed
(which is idolatry).
KILL ALL THESE WRONG DESIRES AND THOUGHTS
THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS INSIDE ME READY WILLING AND ABLE TO EMPOWER ME AND HELP
ME OUT TO CONQUER TEMPTATION AND SIN!
 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.
 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.
WE DIED TO THAT FORMER WAY OF LIFE
 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from
your mouth.
NO MORE!
 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices
  10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the
image of its creator.
 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian,
slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
12 

meekness, and patience.

13 
Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the
Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be
thankful. 
16 
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with
gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.
USE THE BIBLE EXTRAVAGANTLY!
 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through him.
Psalm 119,
9 
How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
10 

    do not let me stray from your commandments.

11 
I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.
12 
Blessed are you, O Lord;
    teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare
13 

    all the ordinances of your mouth.

14 
I delight in the way of your decrees
    as much as in all riches.
15 
I will meditate on your precepts,
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Deal bountifully with your servant,
17 

so that I may live and observe your word.

My soul clings to the dust;
25 

revive me according to your word.

26 
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes.
 27 
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
My soul melts away for sorrow;
28 

strengthen me according to your word.

42 
Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,
for I trust in your word.
43 
Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my hope is in your ordinances.
49 
Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.
57 
The Lord is my portion;
I promise to keep your words.
65 
You have dealt well with your servant,
    O Lord, according to your word.
66 
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
    for I believe in your commandments.
67 
Before I was humbled I went astray,
    but now I keep your word.
74 
Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in your word.
81 
My soul languishes for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
The Lord exists forever;
89 

your word is firmly fixed in heaven.

101 
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
102 
I do not turn away from your ordinances,
for you have taught me.
103 
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 
Through your precepts I get understanding;
    therefore I hate every false way.
105 
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
I am severely afflicted;
107 

give me life, O Lord, according to your word.

114 
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
130 
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
139 
My zeal consumes me because my foes forget your words.
 147 
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I put my hope in your words.
The sum of your word is truth;
160 

and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

Princes persecute me without cause,
161 

but my heart stands in awe of your words.

162 
I rejoice at your word
Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
169 

give me understanding according to your word.

Matthew 6, Do Not Worry
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about
25 

your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil
nor spin,
 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.
 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven,
will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’
 32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you
need all these things.
 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well.
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is
34 

enough for today.

Things to do to think Godly
 Screening the thoughts that come to my mind:
o Source?
o Will these thoughts take where I want to go in my life?
o Where will these thoughts lead me to?
o Are these thoughts scripturally sound?
o Are these thoughts going to build me up, or tear me down?
o Can I share these thoughts with others?
o Is this what I am as a follower of Jesus?
Building Godly thinking
 We need to build a grid of thinking to make decisions in my life?
 Examine my thoughts.
 God has equipped me to take the right decisions.
 I must cultivate the good thoughts.