Standing Firm

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. [1 Corinthians 16:13]

Biblical TeachingsPodcast EpisodeYou Are Who God Says You Are

Stellar Thinking

Cathy

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them [Ephesians 4:29]

QUOTE: You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously (unknown).

Ps. As always more is discussed on the podcast, as this post is an outline!

YOU CAN NO LONGER THINK YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OR NOT HAVE VALUE WHEN YOU START TO THINK ABOUT YOURSELF THE WAY GOD DOES.

If we are open and willing one of the things that the Holy Spirit can show us are thoughts, we need to change. In our Spirit, we are perfect, holy, and righteous. However, our mind constantly needs to be renewed with the Word. Again, this is why I’m always sharing that being in the Word is so vital to our lives.

We are to learn how to set our mind on things above instead of earthly things [Colossians 3:2 Bonus Scripture for this week]. We are called to THINK LIKE GOD THINKS.

I would like to share a few ways that have helped me think more Godly thoughts and have Stellar Thinking. Please review and mediate the full corresponding Scriptures.

WALK IN YOUR NEW NATURE

We automatically become a new person when we first become a believer. Yet many people don’t realize this, and they continue to live like they always have. Listen to what Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to do.

One of the best ways I’ve learned to control what and how I think is by being very careful about what I listen to. Take control of what you listen to and see. This includes TV, social media, news, videos, movies, music, magazines, books, and even the radio programs you listen to. If something is polluting your mind, tempting you, or bringing you down simply get rid of it, period.

Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God truly righteous and holy [Ephesians 4:22-24] 

DON’T GIVE THE ENEMY A FOOTHOLD

Anger is just one thing that gives the enemy a foothold into our minds. Anger itself is not a sin, but unresolved anger and the emotions that come with it are a problem. We should not let anger be something that controls us, we should have control over anger.

This is something that I had to work on and ask the Lord to help me. I would bring my thoughts and actions to Him, and I would ask what was pleasing and what was not. It didn’t take long, and the Holy Spirit started to quicken my spirit. I began to know immediately when I spoke a word out of anger, and I repented right away and asked forgiveness especially if that anger was towards someone or even myself. I don’t want to give the devil one inch into my life.

And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. [Ephesians 4:26-27] 

STOP DOING THINGS THAT ARE DISPLEASING TO GOD

Any behavior that is not honoring God that we were doing prior to knowing the Lord we should stop. We need to change our thinking and do things that bring respect to ourselves and start to do things that are pleasing to God. This is where sometimes we put the brakes on because it requires changing our lifestyle in some way or another that we really don’t want to change.

For example, the one thing that I had to change was no longer having intimate relationships with men outside of marriage. Not a popular or fun topic for single women. However, God desires and commands for us to honor our bodies in this way until marriage (which could be an entirely another book)! This is just another example of a change that I personally had to make. The Lord may show you something entirely different that needs to be changed in your life.

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. [1 Thessalonians 4:3-5] 

BE MINDFUL OF THE WORDS WE SPEAK

This is a powerful message and a great reminder to THINK about what you are thinking about before we speak. We absolutely DO have control over the words we speak to ourselves and to others. What we say has an impact on people and on how people perceive us and the Lord. The goal of our words is to speak what is acceptable in every circumstance and make it our intent to help others with our words and not to confuse, frustrate, or hurt. As I’m writing this the Lord reminds me of the swear words that sometimes slip out of my mouth; this is yet another thing I needed to work on!

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. [Ephesians 4:29]

TAKE IN GOD’S WORD FROM EVERY SOURCE

The only way to learn the way God thinks is to meditate and study His word daily. If you are not a reader, listen to it. With today’s technology, you have no excuse for not saturating your mind with the Word. You do not need to scroll through the news releases online, spend hours on Facebook and other social media sites, read the newspaper, or watch the news every day, but you desperately need to read the Word of God every day to keep your attitudes and actions in check.

For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.  But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. [James 1:23-25]

STAND FIRM

The only way for us to do anything or to continue to THINK the right thoughts is: to stay in close to God, stay in His word, and make it a daily habit to keep your Holy Appointment. We cannot let the latest fads, the news, any person, or anything shake us or detour us from the promises of God.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. [Colossians 2:6-8] 

STELLAR THINKING: thinking more like God is a lifetime adventure while we are still in this physical/carnal body. In our spirit we are perfect, holy, and righteous – but in our physical mind, we need to be in the Word daily to keep this mind renewed! Speak what God says about you and life! Allow the Word and the Holy Spirit to transform you from the inside out.

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DAILY ACTION STEP
Say to yourself out loud
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM

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FRIENDLY REMINDER: Take out your journal and write down your thoughts, takeaways, and progress for this week!

TAKEAWAY GEMS

  • The WORD will make us a masterpiece if we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us.
  • We have been given the opportunity for a NEW self, a new person, a new beginning, a new life.
  • Do NOT allow the enemy a foothold in any aspect of our mind or life.
  • We need to stop doing things we used to do that don’t honor God.
  • Be careful of the words we say to others and also to ourselves.
  • Reading God’s word is my most powerful source of change.
  • Remember to be kind, compassionate, loving, and forgiving to YOU.
  • Stand Firm on the promises of God.

QUESTIONS TO “THINK ON”

  1. What ways do I sabotage the way I think about myself? What things do I say or think about myself that devalue who God says I am?
  2. What are some old ways or habits that I still may need to give over to the Lord? Single ladies be honest! 😊
  3. What ways can I give myself grace while I am a work in progress and on the way to becoming a stellar thinker?

ACTION STEP THINK STELLAR THOUGHTS: start with one of the above steps and focus on that one step for thirty days. Once you have mastered that one, work on another one, then another one, then another one! Don’t forget to document this journey in your journal and remember thinking like God thinks is a lifetime process!

DAILY SCRIPTURES

DAY #1: Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. [1 Chronicles 16:11]

DAY #2: God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. [1 Thessalonians 4:3-5] 

DAY #3: And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. [Colossians 2:6-8] 

DAY #4: Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  Put on your new nature, created to be like God truly righteous and holy [Ephesians 4:22-24] 

DAY #5: And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. [Ephesians 4:26-27] 

DAY #6: Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. [Ephesians 4:29]

DAY #7: For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.  But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. [James 1:23-25]

BONUS SCRIPTURE: Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above, the heavenly things, not on things that are on the earth which have only temporal value. [Colossians 3:2 Amplified Bible]

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