In this age of social media influences, millions of people are not enjoying life because of the condition of their minds. They constantly dwell on negative, destructive, harmful thoughts. They don’t realise it, but the root cause of many of their problems is simply the fact that their thought life is out of control and very negative.
More than ever, we have to realize that our lives follow our thoughts. If you think negative thoughts, then you’re going to live a negative life. If you think discouraging, hopeless thoughts, or even mediocre thoughts, then your life is going to go down that exact same path. That’s why we have to take captive every thought, and renew our minds with the Word of God on a daily basis.
Today, I want to challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about. Don’t let those self-defeating thoughts linger in your mind. Instead, speak God’s promises over your life. Declare what He says about you. Take captive every thought and renew your mind daily through His awesome Word!
“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).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I choose to take captive every one of my thoughts. I will renew my mind according to Your Word. Father, thank You for being my teacher and helper. I give You my mind, please direct me in the way that I should go. In Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Like a mirror, when you reflect something, you are exhibiting its likeness. You are displaying its characteristics. the Bible tells us that we should reflect the character and likeness of Jesus. We shouldn’t only have His features, like in a mirror, but most importantly – His attitude.
That may sound like a pretty tall order; after all, Jesus was the Son of God. But remember, when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we become sons and daughters of the Most High God, too. We become empowered by the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. That means we have the same spirit of humility—the same strength, the same love, and the same power on the inside. We are equipped to follow His example and do what He did. He went around doing good and bringing healing to others – physically, spiritually and emotionally.
Today, we have to let God work on our attitudes and actions. We have to open the door and invite Him in. Make the decision to open every area of your life to Him. Reflect Him and do good everywhere you go!
“Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]” (Philippians 2:5, AMP).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, right now I invite You to dwell in my thoughts, my heart and my attitude. Father, I want to be a true reflector of You. A pure reflection of Your love in everything I do. God, I choose to follow Your example and bring good to others. Help me, in Jesus’ name! Amen.
The promise of a glorious new beginning came from God to the Children of Israel at a bleak period of their history. They were in captivity, lost everything, and were homesick for the land God had promised them. But God wanted to do a new thing for them.
Maybe you can identify with the Children of Israel.
The first step to embracing the new thing that God wants to do in your life is to change your focus. Quit looking behind and start looking ahead. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”
If you are ever going to move on to a new thing God is doing there are 3 things you must learn:
You cannot depend on past victories to sustain you – past victories are great memories but future victories are now ahead.
You cannot allow past failures to consume you – you can do nothing about the past once it is gone, it went, but anything is possible when you embrace the future.
You cannot rely on the faith you had yesterday – God designed your faith in Him to grow and develop over time so you must be open to growth.
God promised to do a new thing for the Children of Israel and He did, far beyond what they could ever imagine. He promised to do a new thing for you too.
Do you want God would work as He did in days of old? Are you ready for a new beginning? Do you want God to do a new thing in your life? – Sophia Peart
As we come to the final days of 2022 let’s read Psalm 23.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Let’s reflect on the following questions:
In 2022, how did the Lord Shepherd you? Did you lack for anything? What did you learn about resting and trusting in Him? How did He lead you in 2022? What were the darkest moments for you? How did He comfort and protect you during those dark times? How did He deal with you before your enemies? Can you trace His footsteps of goodness and mercy following you throughout 2022?
Today I’d like to invite you to make the Lord your Shepherd in 2023? – Sophia Peart
Like a mirror, when you reflect something, you are exhibiting its likeness. You are displaying its characteristics. the Bible tells us that we should reflect the character and likeness of Christ. We shouldn’t only have His features, like in a mirror, but most importantly – His attitude.
That may sound like a tall order; after all, He was the Son of God. But remember, when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we become sons and daughters of the Most High God. We become empowered by the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. That means we have the same spirit of humility—the same strength, the same love, and the same power on the inside. We are equipped to follow His example and do what He did. He went around doing good and bringing healing to others – physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
Today, we must let God work on our attitudes and actions. We must open the door and invite Him in. Decide to open every area of your life to Him. Reflect Him and do good everywhere you go!
“Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]” (Philippians 2:5, AMP)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, right now I invite You to dwell in my thoughts, heart, and attitude. Father, I want to be a true reflector of You. A pure reflection of Your love in everything I do. God, I choose to follow Your example and bring good to others. Help me, in Christ’s name! Amen.
In this age of social media influences, millions of people are not enjoying life because of the condition of their minds. They constantly dwell on negative, destructive, harmful thoughts. They don’t realise it, but the root cause of many of their problems is simply the fact that their thought life is out of control and very negative.
Today more than ever, we must realize that our lives follow our thoughts. If you think negative thoughts, then you’re going to live a negative life. If you think discouraging, hopeless thoughts, or even mediocre thoughts, then your life is going to go down that same path. That’s why we must take captive every thought and renew our minds with the Word of God daily.
Today, I want to challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about. Don’t let those self-defeating thoughts linger in your mind. Instead, speak God’s promises over your life. Declare what He says about you. Take captive every thought and renew your mind daily through His awesome Word!
“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)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I choose to take captive every one of my thoughts. I will renew my mind according to Your Word. Father, thank You for being my teacher and helper. I give You my mind, please direct me in the way that I should go. In Christ’s Name! Amen.
Notice today’s verse doesn’t say that God rewards those who “deserve” it or have “earned” it. It doesn’t say that God rewards those who act perfectly and never make mistakes. No, God’s blessing isn’t based on our performance, it’s based on our faith, our belief in Him, and His goodness.
So, do you want a reward? Start believing, start spending more time meditating on God’s goodness and dwell on His faithfulness. Expect Him to act in your life. Spend some time seeking Him, reading the Psalms, and begin to praise and thank Him for all He is doing.
Today, open your eyes of faith and see all the wonderful things He has prepared for you. Let His Word shape your thoughts, and remember He is a rewarder! He wants to bless you today because you earnestly seek after Him!
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your Word which fills my heart and mind with faith. Father, I believe that You are good and that You are a rewarder, even when my faith is weak, and my behaviour isn’t great. God, I will put my trust in You, knowing that You have blessings in store for my future, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Are you struggling with worry? Do you wake up with issues on your mind instead of praise to the One who has kept you all night? If so, you’re not alone. When we worry, we allow our minds to dwell on our troubles. So, if we want to get rid of worry in our lives, we begin by giving our minds a new place to dwell. Psalm 94 encourages us in times when worry threatens to take over. “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”
Thinking about God’s promises will bring wonderful joy. God will always comfort us in our distress, no matter how many worries we carry. His comfort is strong enough to eradicate every anxious thought. By taking a moment to focus on God, we will experience supernatural peace. Enough to help us stop worrying once and for all.
Today, you may be wondering if it’s even possible to put an end to worry. Training our minds to dwell in God’s goodness isn’t a one-time thing, but a daily commitment to draw close to Him. The closer we get to God the less we will worry. Let’s begin today.
“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Psalm 94:19 ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I struggle with worry. Father, throughout my day I catch myself focusing on my problems. God, I know that focusing on my troubles isn’t healthy, but I can’t seem to stop worrying no matter how hard I try. Please help me put an end to worry in my life and find peace through in You. In Christ’s name. Amen
As we enter the final day of this year, I urge you to let go of your past. All of those mistakes worries, stresses and fears. In the same way that faith opens the door for God to work in our lives, fear opens the door for the enemy to work in our lives. So leave it behind!
Scripture says that fear brings torment. Fear has no mercy. If you act on fear instead of acting on faith, it will keep you depressed, miserable and lonely. So many people today are missing out on God’s joy, peace and victory because they keep giving in to fear. They feed fear by what they watch on TV, or read in the news or on the internet. Don’t let that be you! How do get faith? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. I urge you in 2022 fill your heart and mind with God’s Word, and the stronger your faith will be so you can stand against the powers of darkness. Choose faith instead of fear this new year by choosing to spend time in God’s Word.
Today, on December 31st 2021, remember, the power that is in you through the Holy Spirit, is greater than the power of fear. When thoughts come that say, “you’re not able,” choose faith by saying, “I can do all things through Christ!” Choose faith, overcome fear and live in the freedom God has in store for you! Lets crossover by faith into 2022! Hallelujah!
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, on the final day of 2021, I receive Your Word which is life, health and strength to me. I choose to close the door on fear by guarding what I say, listen to and dwell on. God, fill me with Your love and faith, as I meditate on Your Word and crossover into a new year, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
In this age of social media influences millions of people are not enjoying life because of the condition of their minds. They constantly dwell on negative, destructive, harmful thoughts. They don’t realise it, but the root cause of many of their problems is simply the fact that their thought life is out of control and very negative.
Today more than ever, we have to realize that our lives follow our thoughts. If you think negative thoughts, then you’re going to live a negative life. If you think discouraging, hopeless thoughts, or even mediocre thoughts, then your life is going to go down that exact same path. That’s why we have to take captive every thought, and renew our minds with the Word of God on a daily basis.
Today, I want to challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about. Don’t let those self-defeating thoughts linger in your mind. Instead, speak God’s promises over your life. Declare what He says about you. Take captive every thought and renew your mind daily through His awesome Word!
“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)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, today I choose to take captive every one of my thoughts. I will renew my mind according to Your Word. Father, thank You for being my teacher and helper. I give You my mind, please direct me in the way that I should go. In Christ’ Name! Amen.
Did you know that your life moves in the direction of your mind? So many people today are not really enjoying their lives because of the condition of their minds. They constantly dwell on negative, destructive, harmful thoughts. They don’t realise it, but the root cause of many of their problems is simply the fact that their thought life is out of control.
Yes our lives follow our thoughts. If you think negative thoughts, then you’re going to live a negative life. If you think discouraging, hopeless thoughts, or even mediocre thoughts, then your life is going to go down that exact same path. That’s why Scripture says, we have to take captive every thought and renew our minds on a daily basis.
Today, I want to challenge you to think about what you’re thinking about. Don’t let self-defeating thoughts linger in your mind. Instead, speak God’s promises over your life. Declare what He says about you and renew your mind daily through God’s great and awesome promises!
“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)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, help me take captive every thought. Father, I want you to renew my mind according to Your Word. Dear Holy Spirit, please be my teacher and helper. I invite You to direct me in the way that I should go. In Christ’s Name! Amen.
Did you know that God wants us to live an abundant life? Scripture says that Christ came so we can have abundant life, but it all starts in our thinking. What should we be thinking about? The Scripture says, things that are noble, right, lovely, pure and praiseworthy.
When a thought comes to your mind that you’re never going to be successful, replace it by saying, “Father, You said that if I would put You first, You would crown my efforts with success. You said that You surround me with favour like a shield. You said that Your blessings would chase me down and overtake me!” That’s how you take every thought captive, that’s how you change negative thinking by replacing it with God’s Word!
Today, don’t allow any negative thoughts to take up space in your mind. Fill your heart and mind with the Word of God, and open the door for His hand of blessing in every area of your life!
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your truth which sets me free. Father, I choose to meditate on Your Words and goodness and dwell on the right things. God, help me to keep my heart and mind set on all that is pure, lovely and true, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
In this day and age with viruses increasing daily and lock down lasting months, sleep is very important to our wellbeing. God promises to give blessings to His beloved in their sleep! He wants you to rest securely in Him and be rejuvenated nightly, mind and body. Sleep has great benefits – it builds your immune system, it decreases your stress and it increases productivity.
Did you know sleep is so important not only to our physical health, but also our spiritual wellbeing? When we are well rested, we are better able to deal with the trials that come our way. It’s easier to keep our hearts and minds in the right place, so we can stand stronger and make better spiritual decisions.
Today, you may be struggling with sleep, ask God to show you what you need to do to get back on track. Do you have cares you need to cast on Him? Are you worrying instead of worshiping? Has a spirit of fear crept in? Do you need to make better decisions about what time to go to bed? Remember, He said He will give you peace when you lie down, He wants you to be rested. He wants you to be rejuvenated and revived so that you can be the best you!
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
(Psalm 4:8, ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for giving me the gift of sleep so I can be at peace, revived and rejuvenated. Father, help me to cast my cares on You daily. Teach me to make it a priority to stay well rested, so I can live the life physically and spiritually that You have designed for me, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
As we enter the final day of this year, I urge you to let go of your past. All of those mistakes worries, stresses and fears. In the same way that faith opens the door for God to work in our lives, fear opens the door for the enemy to work in our lives. So leave it behind!
Scripture says that fear brings torment. Fear has no mercy. If you act on fear instead of acting on faith, it will keep you depressed, miserable and lonely. So many people today are missing out on God’s joy, peace and victory because they keep giving in to fear. They feed fear by what they watch on TV, or read in the news or on the internet. Don’t let that be you! How do you get faith? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. I urge you in 2021 fill your heart and mind with God’s Word, and the stronger your faith will be so you can stand against the powers of darkness. Choose faith instead of fear this new year by choosing to spend time in God’s Word.
Today, on December 31st 2020, remember, the power that is in you through the Holy Spirit, is greater than the power of fear. When thoughts come that say, “you’re not able,” choose faith by saying, “I can do all things through Christ!” Choose faith, overcome fear and live in the freedom God has in store for you! Lets crossover by faith into 2021! Hallelujah!
“This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, on the final day of 2020, I receive Your Word which is life, health and strength to me. I choose to close the door on fear by guarding what I say, listen to and dwell on. God, fill me with Your love and faith, as I meditate on Your Word and crossover into a new year, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
When that guy cat-calls you just to get a reaction, what do you do? You ignore him and keep walking.
When that bully pushes all of your buttons just to make you mad, what do you do? you tune them out and move on.
When somebody tries to convince you of something you know 100% isn’t true, you don’t even give it a second thought before you dismiss the argument.
So why don’t we use this tactic against the father of all lies, a.k.a the enemy that is out to destroy your life? Just don’t engage. As soon as you do, he wins. He is cunning, crafty, and manipulative, and he’s only after your heart. He wants to crush it and mutate it and trample it underfoot until there’s nothing left for God to use.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10a
I know this isn’t easy. Trust me, I’m a thinker. Overthinking is my second nature, if not my first nature. I have to think through everything, especially when faced with a conflict. If somebody challenges my opinion, my first reaction is to analyze the entire argument…
What are they saying?
Do I agree or disagree? Why?
What do I think?
How does that compare to what they think?
What is true?
What evidence affirms/denies my argument?
Is there any way there is truth in both arguments?
Why do they think what they think?
Why do I think what I think?
And it goes on …
and on …
and on.
I think you get the idea. By the way, all of that overthinking happens in about 2 seconds. It’s an intense self-interrogation until I think my way into a solution that makes sense to me, so I can feel at peace with what I believe and move on.
Sometimes this is a really useful skill, but the enemy knows exactly how to use it for my deepest undoing. The problem with using the “overthinking tactic” against Satan is that he doesn’t care about logic. His goal is not to convince me that his argument makes more sense. In fact, he doesn’t even care about what he says. He doesn’t even believe the lies himself.
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.”
James 2:19
Satan knows God. He knows scripture. He knows what the truth is, and his goal is to keep you as far away from it as possible. He knows the power that God’s word can have in your life and that terrifies him. He will say whatever it takes to get you to question God and doubt His goodness, and the moment you try to reason with him, you’ve fallen into his trap.
I say all of this because I fall into the trap far too often. The devil uses people near and dear to me to convince me of his lies because he knows it works with almost 100% accuracy. Because their opinion matters so much to me, I will over-analyze their every word and body language to my own demise. Something they say – or don’t say – pricks one of my insecurities (unbeknownst to that person), and the trap has been set. Suddenly, I’m hit with an avalanche of thoughts like these:
“They just don’t care enough about you to ask about your day.”
“You’re stupid for thinking ______ would happen.”
“You’re too dramatic, emotional, etc.”
“It’s your fault that you can’t handle this feeling.”
The first step is to recognize the lie. Now, to do this, you have to know the Truth. No, that’s not a typo. I meant Truth with a capital “T” because you have to know God’s Word, and His word is Truth. Once you start to bury His word in your heart, and begin to recognize his voice, you can more easily discern truth from lies.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
But it doesn’t stop there! That’s where I made my mistake. I thought, “If I recognize the lie, it will become invalid and it won’t sting anymore.”
False.
Satan is more crafty than that, and he was already one step ahead of me. See, he recognized how I use my interrogation process to reconcile a contradicting thought, so he used it against me. He used it to blur the lines between lie and Truth. So he takes me down this rabbit hole to confuse me and muddle the words of God until I feel so lost, confused, and heartbroken that I can’t even remember what lie got the whole thing started to begin with. He knows how I look for the middle ground to make sense of things, but there is no middle ground between what the devil says and what God says.
So no, it CANNOT end with recognizing the lie. You have to take the next step and make the choice not to engage with the lie. Now, if you’re a thinker like me, this will be hard. Like really, really hard. But you have to choose to look the other way. Change your posture to look toward your loving, protective, jealous, Heavenly Father. Tell the enemy you don’t have time for his games. Don’t try to argue with him and tell him why his lie is a lie and why God’s Truth wins, because he already knows it, and he doesn’t care. He’ll just twist everything around until you find yourself lost in a muddy mess of nothing that makes any sense whatsoever.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18
To sum it up…
Study Truth, that is, the Word of God.
Recognize the lie, which is not the Word of God.
Don’t Engage. Choose to meditate on and dwell in the Word of God.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8
This is not something that my genius, overthinking brain came up with one day. This is something that the Holy Spirit whispered to me, and by God’s grace alone, I heard it. I was on the brink of yet another panic attack and fearful of going back down that dark road. I was on the brink of forming another unsuccessful argument for why the lie was a lie and trying to figure out a way to outsmart the devil this time, and the Holy Spirit simply said, “don’t engage with the lie.” Of course I tried to overthink and analyze again, but He didn’t relent. He just kept telling me, “Don’t engage with the lie. It’s not worth it. Just keep looking at Me. Lean on the love of your Father instead of your own knowledge for once.” Hey, that sounds familiar, right?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
So go ahead. Give the enemy the cold shoulder. Hit him with the silent treatment. Then you will taste freedom. Remember the second half of John 10:10…
“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10b
Go live in the abundant life Christ bought for you. The enemy’s lies are not worth your time, precious child of God.
What I’m really asking, is what are you expecting to happen in your life? What kind of attitude do you have? If your thoughts are stuck and you’re focused on what’s wrong, or what’s not working, then it’s time to change your address! It’s time to pack up your belongings and move out of the land of discouragement. It’s time to move out of the “nothing’s-going-to-happen street” or “I-can’t-do-it road”. It’s time to pack your bags and move into the “Ray of hope close” or “by faith boulevard”, or even “expectation manor!”
Every time you get a negative thought and you want to dwell in “nothing’s-going-to-happen street,” or “I-can’t-do-it road” instead, dwell on God’s promises, pack your bags and change address.
Today, every time you declare God’s faithfulness, you are taking a step in the right direction, and you’re moving from your old address (old way of thinking) into a new one. The Bible says that those who hope in the Lord will never be put to shame. Hallelujah! As you turn your focus toward Him, you will start living in “Hope street” – a land where His peace, blessings and victory reside.
“…my flesh also will dwell in hope.” (Acts 2:26, ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for ordering and directing my steps. Father thank You for moving me out of “I-can’t-do-it-road” to “expectation manor”, a place of hope and expectation! God, I claim Your promises, I choose to set my mind on You, knowing that You are faithful. God, I release the past and invite You to fill me with Your peace, blessings and victory, in Christ’ name! Amen.
