Your biggest battles will be internal, not external. If you can win on the inside, you’ll win on the outside! If you don’t fix the mind everything invested leaks out as the mind refuses to change. Being saved is one thing. Allowing the mind of Christ to dwell in your life, establish your jurisdiction and shape your destiny is another. This must be a year of your growing and maturing in God’s Word!

Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…

Obviously, according to the Bible, you can be saved and perish from a lack of knowledge. Given the right information there are simply things you would never do in your life. This is the foundation for the phrase, “Hindsight is 20/20.”

How important is accurate information? We have absolutely accurate information when we read and study the inerrant, infallible Word of God. This is why it’s so important for us to cultivate a steady relationship with God’s Word on a daily basis.

Eph 4:22-24 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; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV

Knowing Jesus as your Savior and knowing Jesus as your Lord are not the same. When you receive Christ he becomes your Savior. To make him Lord of your life is a daily process of surrendering every decision to him. Practicing God’s presence is a key to this Lordship. When my young daughters are in my presence they tend to behave a little more than when I’m not there. There is something about knowing that I’m in the room that helps them practice being nice to each other a little more than when I’m away. This is the same with us when we learn to practice God’s presence in our daily lives. The presence of authority changes the way we live. If you’ve ever had a police car appear in your rear view mirror you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Living in this place of filtering through God’s desires and Lordship in our lives produces a much healthier perspective of life. Your mind is the most powerful tool God has given you and that’s why guarding your thoughts is so important! If you want to know what you were thinking about a year ago look at your life right now.

Prov 4:23. Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. (NLT) The KJV says from it comes the issues of life . Why would God say your heart effects everything you do or produces the issues of life? The reason God says this is because we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your brain is part computer and part chemical factory. Whatever turns you on does so with chemical reinforcement from your brain. Dopamine & serotonin are two of those chemicals being released in coordination with certain thoughts in your mind. We make connections in our mind developing patterns of thought that become our attitudes about life.

Marriage problems are mind problems. Money problems are mind problems. You don’t have to change your situation. You just have to change your mind and then you come out. You can think yourself down into depression. You can think yourself up into gratitude. Your mind is the most powerful tool God has given you.

Thoughts are seeds. What seeds in the mind takes root in the heart. If you watch what you think you won’t have to watch what you say.

Ps 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart (Seed in head that take root in heart) that I might not sin against you. NIV

Even struggles are opportunities for you to demonstrate victory if you have your mind right. There are some things I’m simply choosing not to take into this new year. I’m no longer wasting time with the old mind.

The devil doesn’t have to tie you up for you to be bound. He just has to fill your head with stress, worry, anger, unforgiveness, low self esteem and he can make you physically sick because your mind is sick

Go from being faithful to being fruitful as you take somebody with you to new levels of time in God’s Word. Invite somebody to talk openly with you about their devotion time through the course of the week. Let’s renew our minds together and develop a better, brighter future.