You Can Control Your Mind [Audio]
You are in charge of what goes on in your mind.
By Tom Shanklin
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” 1 Peter 1:13, KJV.
Many people suffer with depression, addictions and various phobias of the mind. One of the most important aspects of the Christian life is taking charge of your own thinking. God does not want you to be mentally and emotionally floating in the breeze. He wants you to have a strong, directed mind that is governed by the Word of God.
Without proper thinking, you will never be victorious and you will never walk in the anointing. But when you make a decision to take control of your thought life, you will find success coming your way at every turn.
This message contains the tools to take charge of your thinking and a strong word of encouragement to “gird up the loins of your mind.” It also includes testimonies from my own life about how God taught me to control my mind. This sermon was preached a number of years ago, but the message is still totally relevant today. Enjoy this fresh word from the Lord and make use of the study notes below to enhance your experience.
YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR MIND
READING: 1 Pet 1.13-19
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13, KJV).
GIRD—a metaphor derived from the practice of the Orientals, who in order to be unimpeded in their movements were accustomed, when starting a journey or engaging in any work, to bind their long flowing garments closely around their bodies and fastened them with a leather belt.
LOIN—the place where the Hebrews thought the generative power (semen) resided; center of reproduction. . .
SOBER—seeing things correctly. . .
Law of the mind—wherever you are going, your mind is taking you there. Here we’re talking about a preparation, a ready mind, a mind directed to success. . . disciplined mind. . . ready to run with Jesus. The reason people’s emotions are all over the place is because their thoughts are all over the place. It is because of a lack of discipline of the mind. Sowing and reaping: negative, defeated thought produce negative defeated results. Sweet, victorious thoughts production lively results.
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE PRODUCING? Whatever it is producing is in direct proportion to the kind of direction you are giving through your mind.
YOU MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TO PROSPER
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and thenâ thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8, KJV).
-THE biggest cause for defeat in many Christians is stinkin’ thinkin’ and hardening of the attitudes.
YOUR LIFE WILL NOT PRODUCE WITH A GRASSHOPPER MENTALITY
And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell bßy the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Numbers 13:26-33, KJV).
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: (Proverbs 23:7, KJV).
Supernatural living requires supernatural thinking.
The Lord once said to me “Destroy not the anointing.” I asked “how do you destroy ⁄the anointing.” He said, “The natural thinking of the natural man.” All you have to do to be defeated is to think like everybody else.
BEFORE YOU WERE SAVED YOU HAD NOT CHOICE, NOW YOU DO
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:1-3, KJV).
You have a new nature.
I have the nature of God
I’m the head and not the tail, above and not beneath
I have a future and a hope
Christ is in me; love is in me. I can walk in love. I can forgive. I can give grace.
YOU DECIDE
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in€ the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:17-24, KJV).
GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE A STRONG, ACTIVE, AND DIRECTED MIND. . .
GOD wants us to have a strong mental capacity and a strong will. We are not to be wimpy in our thinking. This has been a fault in many charismatics. . .following every impression, listening to voices. . . opening up to every spiritual thing. Some Christians have mastered receptiveness, but not discernment. Wicked spirits in the air. . .
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:1-4, KJV).
It’s a spiritual battle. . .
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, KJV).
YOU CAN DECIDE, CHOOSE OR WILL HOW YOU WILL THINK
Depression is a decision. . . I realize that there are physiological causes for depression, but most of this than be overcome by a discipline of the mind. Negative thinking, defeated, loser mentality, anger, fear, bitterness actually produce a negative chemical reaction in your body and produce even more anxiety in the mental process. It is a vicious cycle. You can make a decision (if you want to) to come out of that. . .
Tom overcomes depression in the early days of the ministry.
Haiti healing. . .
Front porch decision. . . the feelings are the caboose. Learn to use your mind correctly.
Repentance is a change of mind. . . a decision. . . learn that you can do this.
Tom decides to forgive someone he is angry with. Decides not to be mad. Thank God you CAN decide. . . Contrary to public opinion, just because you have conflict with someone does not mean you have to break off the relationship. Most often, you can work it out. . . with a satisfactory solution to both parties.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Ephesians 4:26, KJV).
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5, KJV).
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38, KJV).
You will receive exactly the amount of grace that you give to others. If you can’t accept others with their faults and weaknesses, your own faults and weaknesses will haunt you, but if you give grace, you will receive grace and favor in your life. Choose to release love and forgiveness.
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