Thursday, June 12, 2008

"Mind Fasting" continues...

It seems that this concept of "mind fasting" is a serious one. God has done nothing but plants statements, words, and thoughts in front of me since I have started it. It is not a new concept. Maybe my way of describing it-mind fasting-is. As a nurse, I could give you so much overwhelming information about the genetic makeup of our minds, the intricate detail of it's function. Really, it is more than we can comprehend. Our brains are truly the most important aspect of this body God created. Our brain controls and manages everything we do, say, or think. Our brain is more detailed than this lap top I am writing on. The power of the mind is amazing and we all have come to know how dangerous it can be. Lets explore this concept of why "mind fasting" is necessary in our life from within the pages of the Bible!!

1. Our mind controls our thoughts. For most of us, the negative thoughts outweigh the positive. The more we feed into our mind, the more we become of what we feed into it...
For as he thinks within himself, so he is.
~Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)

2. If you are like me, there's a daily war going on with those unwanted, negative thoughts! How often do we live in the control of those unwanted thoughts? Choosing to allow the negative thoughts in gives sin power in our life!

But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. ~Romans 7:3 (NLT)

3. Satan wants us to live in those sinful negative thoughts-the untruth he plants in our mind. A women who chooses to say YES to God and live in God's truth can overcome satan and these negative thoughts he plants in our mind. How?

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
~Colossians 3:2 (NASB)

4. It requires us to live in obedience to God. We have to choose God's way or the worlds way of thinking. We have to renew our minds continuously to avoid the destruction of satan's lies when we internalized those negative thoughts in our minds...
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
~Romans 12:2 (Amplified)

5. Joanna Weaver in her book "Having a Mary Spirit" (pp.118) writes about the negative self talk we impose on our self and allow satan to feed into us. She write we have to first recognize this thought as a sin, refuse to accept or believe the thought, reckon the thought as being dead (don't dwell on it or respond to it), rest in knowing you are in Christ and Christ is in you, and remind your self daily of who you are in Christ so you can walk more confidently and in more control of your minds functions. It takes commitment, perseverance and obedience. We have to train our mind as we train our self when working out for better health.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
~2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
~Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)

6. We are not alone in this effort to control our mind. God will provide us with the Holy Spirits aid to help us by bringing memory recall to our minds when we are being weaken to the sinful thoughts of satans lies and untruths...
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
~John 14:26 (VIV)

7. More beautiful then any other thought here is that we have been created in God's image and we have the potential to be of the same mind as Christ. It is what I want, how about you? We have to soak in the Scriptures and those teaching that are of God in order for this to happen. We have to examine who we are in Christ and cling to those concepts!
For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
~I Corinthians 2:16

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
~Philippians 2:5 (NKJV)

Jennifer Rothschild has a new book out "Self Talk, Soul Talk: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself". I haven't has a chance to read it completely yet. Along with the book I mentioned above, both these books will serve as good resources in this matter of controlling our minds!!!

Mind Fasting. Something to think about!!


11 comments:

Sheryl said...

Wow, great thoughts and great scriptures. My mind has always been my biggest enemy. Well actually it would be satan coming after my mind. Daily I have to rebuke satan out loud and "think about what I'm thinking about".

Joyful said...

Pamela, Great post! That 2 Cor. verse has always been one of my favourites. Oh to let the Lord bring EVERY thought captive under His control.

I've read the Jennifer Rothschild book - FANTASTIC. My copy is highlighted, underlined, etc... Wonderful teaching.
Blessings,
Joy

Amy said...

Pamela, you have given me much to think about .......I have been struggling with many of the "wrong" ways of thinking that you mentioned. I definitely need to write down the Scriptures that you listed, and join you in "mind fasting."

This was a great post, Pamela. Thank you for sharing it.

God Bless,
Amy:)

LynnSC said...

Great Post. Many great things to ponder. Our minds are our biggest enemies... We must love God with our whole mind. Hard to do... but with His power... we can improve.

Thanks so much for this reminder and the scripture.
Lynn

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Music is a trip up for me! How quickly a song can take me on a journey I don't need to take. I've almost completely given up secular music...not because it's necessarily bad, but because it's a trigger for me. I've learned to recognize it's leading, and I've learned to willfully change the channel. When we ask God to prompt us along these lines...to remind us when all is about to go South...he is faithful to do so!

Thank you for your thoughts.

peace~elaine

Sheryl said...

Thank you so much for stopping by and for your encouraging words. And since you made the joke about calling you "professor", you should go back and read the revised comment you left. I had to laugh, because I will delete a comment that I've left someone if I find an error.

Love-Sheryl

Pat said...

Pamela,
This is such an important teaching. As God has clearly instructed us to "take every thought captive" for our own protection and our own ability to walk in His full blessings. It is amazing how easy it is to slowly allow our minds to take US captive instead.
Great reminder of God's truth,
Bless you and see you at She Speaks!
pat

much2ponder said...

I really like this post! Mind fasting, never heard it talked about quite like that before, but I know you are correct about being careful what we choose to think about and what we receive as truth. God is good and he gives us the Holy Spirit, now it is up to me to be paying attention and to refuse to listen to the lies of the enemy and even be careful about what I tell myself based on years of hearing negative comments. etc. Th

Unknown said...

Good stuff, girl, good stuff! I am CONSTANTLY at war with my thoughts. Constantly. Joyce Meyer has a teaching about this very thing. She says that we can get caught in a cycle...the more negative we put in (and subsequently believe), the more negative we become. However, if we will counteract the negative with the positive (the true Word of God), then we will begin to be more positive. She clearly states that this is more than just positive thinking. She calls it God thinking verses stinkin' thinkin'. I don't know about you, but I don't want any more stinkin' thinkin' in my life!

Let's press into the Lord and His Word. Let's believe what His Word says and not succumb to the thoughts of the world.

Great post!

Prayers and Blessings!
Rebecca

Lelia Chealey said...

This was so good Pamela!!
Thanks for sharing what God is doing. I just saw that book yesterday...will be my next purchase.
See you Friday!!

TeriAnnElizabeth said...

Pamela,
Thank you for stopping by and giving me encouragement!

Oh GOD is so awesome!! I am so in love with HIM I want to burst!

Here I am 49 trying to go back and do nursing and Our Father introduces me to my "sister/siesta" that is an instructor and godly! I'm blown away!

I loved your post and please believe me when I say that as women of GOD, that is the it...the thoughts...whether on something that is not becoming of one of HIS "girls" or whether we are self loathing and self absorbed with being (fill in blank) for HIM.

There is a difference in examing ourselves and confessing and getting on with our lives served for HIM and in being so self absorbed feeling inadequate that we are rendered ineffective in our calling.

I know for sure - HE does not want us beating ourselves up. There is a world out there that have no hope. There are children to raise in godly homes, callings, etc., and in HIM we are enough!

We just need to love HIM with whole hearts, souls, minds and bodies and if we don't, pray to and HE won't let you down!

I have so much to do this summer with nursing! I may just write you e-mail instead of blogging so much!

Thank you for being obedient to HIS call on your life!

Blessings,
Teri