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Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 004

By William Mc Nicol

SESSION FOUR: THINKING AS GOD THINKS

Read together: 1 Cor. 2:9-10, 16; 1 John 2:20; Col. 3:15.

A. WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.

To become Christlike we must think like Christ for as a man “thinks within himself, so he is” (Prov. 27:7, NASV). How, then, can we think like God? How can a finite mind tape into the infinite wisdom of God? The very concept seems inconceivable! Yet God tells us: “We HAVE the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16). This fact means that we CAN think God’s thoughts. We can react and speak as He would and be a party to the deep mysteries of God.

(i) OLD COVENANT THINKING V NEW COVENANT THINKING.

Under the Old Covenant, people came to know the mind of God by observing a written code – i.e. the Law. But it was merely external. Nothing from within them prompted or guided them into God’s way or gave them insight into the mind of God. This all changed with the coming of Christ and the establishing of the New Covenant between God and man. (Read together and ponder Jer. 31:31-33).

God’s law is no longer written on stone tablets or in a textbook merely to be learned – it is written in your mind and on your heart. It is an ever-present internal resource to teach and guide you in every situation of life.

(ii) THE INDWELLING SPIRIT.

At the moment of your salvation the Holy Spirit took up residence in your life. You were ‘born of the Spirit’ (John 3:5) and the ongoing work of the Spirit within you is what now marks you out as a Christian. (See Eph, 1:13).

Understanding the work of the Holy Spirit within you will help you to see that you do have the mind of Christ:-

· The Spirit knows the mind of God. (1 Cor. 2:10-12).

· The Spirit leads us into truth. (John 16:13; 1 Jn. 2:20).

·

(iii) THE INNER WITNESS.

The directive work of the Holy Spirit is often described as the ‘inner witness’ or ‘inner prompting’.

Probably the best way to describe this inner feeling is as a peace or dispeace about any specific issue. (Read Col. 3:15).

Paul is describing the work of the Spirit within us. When an issue arises about which we are uncertain and a battle rages in our mind, we should ask ourselves:

‘If I do this, will I still feel God’s peace filling my heart?’

If so, do it; If not, don’t!

(iv) THE SAFETY FACTOR.

Whether the Spirit prompts you positively or negatively, you can expect His direction to be confirmed by the Bible, because God’s Word is “the word of truth” (See Eph. 1:13;

and Col. 1:5). Thus the SPIRIT and the WORD together are inseparable and constitute God’s safety factor for us.

When we hear God’s Word, the Spirit confirms it with His peace. When the Spirit prompts us to act, the Word of God will confirm it.

(v) THE CONSCIENCE.

In conjunction with the peace of God that rules in our hearts and guides us into God’s ways, the Spirit also uses our conscience. This is the inner witness to our conduct which proceeds out of our knowledge of what is right or wrong. A common phrase that people use to describe their conscience is: ‘My warning bells rang/ It is God’s Spirit in you that rings them!

To keep you walking in God’s truth, the Spirit confirms that an action is wrong by giving you pangs of conscience. Equally, as right decisions are made, you have a good or clear conscience – an inner knowledge that you are doing right. (See Rom 9:l; 2 Cor. 1:12).

Thus, through the operation of the inner prompting of the Spirit, your conscience and God’s Word, you will think God’s thoughts. You will know His mind on all matters and think, speak and act as He would, for you have “the mind of Christ.”

B. KNOW HIM TO THINK LIKE HIM.

“I want to KNOW Christ and the power of His resurrection.” (Phil. 3:10).

The more you get to know God the more you will understand why His Spirit leads you as He does. A growing knowledge of His nature and character is vital as a foundation to understanding His ways and thus His thoughts. Sometimes our natural reasoning seems good – but the mind of Christ in us tells us otherwise! Knowing the nature of your God will help you to see things through His eyes.

God is righteous. He always thinks and speaks what is right and just. No error or untruth is found in Him; He is without sin and abhors it. In all His dealings with us He is therefore totally righteous. As He looks into the affairs of this world and our individual lives, He sees no grey areas. In God’s mind there are no fences to sit on – we are either on one side or the other!

This should be reflected in the way we think, because we have the mind of Christ. Since we think God’s thoughts, our lives will be very distinct from the lives of those who are unrighteous:-

“You will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

(Malachi 3:18).

What a privilege it is to be able to think as God thinks! Determine to make time to meditate on God’s nature and character. Then let it fill your mind and invade your whole being, because the way you think is the way you’ll become.

GROUP DISCUSSION.

1. How do we distinguish between the mind of Christ in us and our own, sometimes wrong, thought patterns?

2. How important is it that the Bible agrees with what we feel in our spirits God is prompting us to do?

3. Share individually how you have learned to hear and obey the inner prompting of the

Spirit.

4. Discuss the statement: “We must know Him to think like Him and be like Him.”

PERSONAL WORK:

1. Meditate on the significance of the truth that you have ‘the mind of Christ.’

(2 Cor. 2:16).

2. Make a list of as many aspects of God’s nature as you can think of (e.g. righteous, all powerful, hates sin, cannot lie).

Select one or two and, with the help of a concordance and, perhaps, a Christian friend, study these particular aspects of the nature of God.

3. Identify any aspects of your life which the Holy Spirit is asking you to deal with or change. Respond to His promptings and walk with a clear conscience.

 

Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 004

 

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Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 003

By William Mc Nicol

SESSION THREE: TAKING YOUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE

Read together: 2 Cor. 10:4-5; Phil. 2:l2-13; Dt. 28: l-2; Eph. 4:22-25

We established in Session One that “as a person THINKS within himself so he is’ (Prov. 23:7). It is of great importance how we think and what we think about because this will play a central role in the forming of our character, personality and behaviour patterns. We are not at the mercy of every passing thought which drifts into our minds - we have the ability to take each one captive and control it. (See 2 Cor. 10:4-5).

A. YOU ARE IN CONTROL.

In His wisdom God created us with a free will. We are creatures of choice able within certain bounds to determine our own success or failure in life.

This ability to exercise free will and choice extends into the area of thought and mind control. You can CHOOSE what to think about and therefore affect the type of person you will ultimately become. Consider together the following scriptures, noting particularly what we are required to do for ourselves: – 2 Cor. 10:5; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 3:2; Phil. 4:8.

Our responsibility is to ‘take captive’, ‘put off, and ‘put on’, ‘think about’ – in other words, let our minds dwell only on wholesome thoughts. We must literally sift our thoughts and entertain only those that will work for good in our lives.

B. TAKE AND MAKE

“We TAKE captive every thought to MAKE it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

In order to take hold of a thought, make it obedient to Christ’s authority and then deal with it accordingly, we must have a rule for sorting our thoughts – we must have a thought filter. Working together, the Spirit in you and your knowledge of the Word equip you to deal with every wrong thought.

Each thought needs to be taken captive and filtered out to find out:

· Does it agree with God’s Word?

· Does it grieve or rest easily with the Holy Spirit within me? (Eph. 4:30).

It is then handled accordingly. An easy way to remember how to filter thoughts is by memorising three simple words:

RECOGNISE: Recognise the source of the thought by lining it up with your knowledge of God’s Word and what the Spirit says to your heart.

REFUSE: If its source is Satan, refuse to dwell on it. Actively put the thought out of
your mind. If necessary, speak out loud to Satan, strongly resisting his
intrusion into your mind. (Jas. 4:7).

REPLACE: Replace the negative, evil, critical, impure thoughts with God’s Word.
(Psalm 119:l5-16).

C. GUARD THE GATES.

Someone once said: “If you keep your mind sufficiently open, people will throw a lot of

rubbish into it”.

Many of the wrong thought patterns that produce a battle in our minds can be prevented simply by guarding the access points or gates to our minds.

(i) GUARD WHAT YOU LOOK AT (See Mt. 6:22-27).

Many thoughts find access to your mind through what you see. The T.V. programmes and videos you watch, your internet viewing, the books and magazines you read, the films you go to see can all be a springboard for positive or negative thinking. Horror stories, sordid novels and dubious T.V. plays give Satan an opportunity to plant a range of evil thoughts in your mind. Instead, feed your mind with good things, by reading the Scriptures and other helpful literature and by watching films and videos that are edifying as well as enjoyable.

(ii) GUARD WHERE YOU GO.

Many thoughts are triggered off by our being in the wrong place. (See David for an example of this is 2 Sam. 11:l).

If you know that attending certain parties or going to specific places will give Satan an opportunity to put wrong thoughts your way – don’t go!

(iii) GUARD WHO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME WITH. (Prov. 22:4-25; 1 Cor. 15:33).

It is a fact that we become like those with whom we spend our time. This doesn’t mean that we should never mix with non-Christians. It does, however, put a responsibility on us to choose our friends wisely.

(iv) GUARD WHAT YOU LISTEN TO.

What we hear goes into our minds whether we like it or not. We then have to deal with it. We can, however, take some preventative measures, e.g.:

· Listen to good music with wholesome lyrics.

· Don’t entertain gossip. (See Prov. 20:l9)

· Don’t let negative words fill your mind with doubts and fears.

Watching the late news on T.V. can give Satan this access to some people’s minds. Put Isa 26:3 into practice.

(v) GUARD YOUR REACTION TO YOUR FEELINGS.

So often the ‘Monday morning blues’ or changing moods enable Satan to plant wrong thoughts in your mind. Instead, fill your mind with good things, no matter how you feel. Look up Phil. 4:8 and put it into practice.

We need, therefore, to guard the gates of our minds. In this way we will immediately reduce the ability of the enemy to sow wrong thoughts into our minds.

We need to take captive and make obedient to Christ any thoughts that do pass the gates. In this way you will fill your mind only with God’s thoughts and this will speed the transformation of your whole being into the image and likeness of Christ. (See 2 Cor. 3:18).

GROUP DISCUSSION:

1. How do God’s incentives help us to choose to live and think His way?

2. How do we handle recurring wrong thoughts?

3. Discuss together the effect that people around us can have on our ability to take our

thoughts captive.

4. Share with the group what has been the most helpful part of this session to you personally, and why.

PERSONAL WORK:

1. Memorise 2 Cor. 10:5.

2. Identify particular areas where you struggle regularly with wrong thoughts.

Apply the ‘thought filter’ (Section ^‘B^’ ) to those areas by memorising suitable scriptures with which to replace the wrong thoughts.

3. Prayerfully consider why the conflict in your mind occurs.

Are you guarding the gates of your mind? (See Section ^‘C’).

Be prepared to make radical changes in your lifestyle if necessary.

Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 003

 

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Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 002

By William Mc Nicol

SESSION TWO: BATTLE FOR THE MIND

Read together: Eph. 6:11-17; Col. 3:16; Eph. 4:27.

We saw in session one that what controls our minds in effect controls our whole beings. Understanding this important principle helps us to see why we sometimes feel that our mind is a battlefield. Conflicting thoughts, attitudes, hopes, fears and aspirations seek to dominate our mind and, consequently, our whole being.

A. THE BATTLE IS SPIRITUAL:

As Christians we must first recognize that the mental battle we sometimes experience is essentially a spiritual conflict.

Winning this battle is not simply a matter of ‘mental gymnastics’ or ‘the power of positive thinking’. It is waging a spiritual warfare against Satan, who is seeking to bring confusion, doubt and fear into our minds. His aim is to lock us up and make us ineffective in our Christian living.

(i) KNOW YOUR POSITION:

The battle for the mind is not a conflict between spiritual armies seeking to dominate the empty ground of your mind. Neither is it a tussle between evil thoughts which seek to enter your mind from one side and godly thoughts trying to gain access from the other. It is a battle waged from a place of possession – the ground of our minds is already Christ’s. “We have the mind of Christ”. (1 Cor. 2:16). Our battle is therefore to hold the ground of our mind for Christ. (See Eph. 6:1l-13).

(ii) KNOW WHO YOU ARE:

In Christ we have won our ground. Satan schemes to depose us but he is destined to fail as we stand firm in the sure knowledge of who we are in Christ. (See 2 Peter 1:3; and 1 John 4:4).

(iii) KNOW YOUR WEAPONS:

The spiritual battle for your mind will be won as you stand firm, knowing who you are in Christ and using the spiritual weapons at your disposal.

(a) TRUTH: Eph 6:14; Jn. 8:31-32.

Filling your mind with the truth of God’s Word will set you free from mental turmoil

(b) RIGHTEOUSNESS: Eph. 6:14: Rom. 5:17)

You have received the gift of righteousness and can therefore expect to reign in life. God’s righteous ways are fully revealed in His Word which tells us how to act or react in every situation of life. Fill your mind with God’s righteous Word.

(c) THE GOSPEL: Eph. 6:l4-15.

A readiness to share the good news of salvation with people you meet demands a prepared mind full of the blessings of being in Christ.

(d) FAITH; Eph. 6:16; 1 John 5:4.

Faith comes by hearing “the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).

Fill your mind with what God says you are in Christ, have in Christ and can do in Christ.

(e) THE HOPE OF SALVATION: 1 Thess 5:8; Eph. 1:18.

The helmet protects the head. Our minds should be protected by a knowledge of our glorious hope in Christ.

(f) THE WORD OF GOD: Eph. 6:17; Col. 3:16.

The word of God is an offensive weapon. We wield the Word of God as a sword which cuts through Satan’s lies and deceptions and helps us to stand firm in all that God has made us. We need to learn to meditate continually in God’s Word.

B INTO BATTLE!

Based on what we have seen so far we can now define with some understanding the battle which takes place in our mind:

“It is a conflict between what you know you are in Christ, based on the Word of God, and any thought which undercuts, minimizes or denies that truth.”

Satan seeks to use every means available to win this battle. He stirs up old thought patterns, feelings and reactions from our life before we came to Christ in an effort to make us a prisoner to them again. This conflict occurs in two main ways:-

(i) RESPONSE THOUGHTS:

Sometimes our thoughts are a response to a particular situation we find ourselves in. We need to train our minds to respond to all of life’s situations out of God’s Word and not with anything which Satan may try to insert in its place. (N.B. Response thoughts can take the form of negative thoughts: memories of past failures or fear.)

(ii) PASSING THOUGHTS.

Sometimes thoughts seem to arrive in our minds out of the blue. There is a satanic intrusion into your mind in order to get you to sin against God and grieve the Holy Spirit.

Satan may try to outwit us with his schemes therefore we need to be ready for

battle.

Filled with the Word of God we will be armed for battle and confident of victory

knowing that: “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the

world”. (1 John 4:4).

GROUP DISCUSSION:

1. What is the importance of knowing that you “have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16)?

2. How important is it that we understand that the battle for the mind is a spiritual one?

3. What resources do we have at our disposal in the battle for the mind?

4. Discuss together what it means to meditate on God’s Word both day and night. See Josh. 1:8; Psalm 1:2-3.

PERSONAL WORK:

1. Prayerfully make a list of the things about which you find greatest conflict in your mind.

With the help of a concordance and/or Christian friend find out what God has to say about each issue.

2. Memorize 1 John 4:4.

3. Meditate upon Eph. 6:10-17 and apply each piece of armour to the way you think. (See section “A”).

4. Read Psalm 119 and highlight/underline every reference to God’s Word (law, commands, statutes, precepts etc.)

Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 002

 

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Guarding The Mind, Free Bible Course, Lesson 001

By William Mc Nicol

“RENEWING OUR MINDS – A WAY OF LIFE”

We need to see the tremendous importance of Paul’s words in Col. 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Today, there is a tremendous battle going on for the control of the mind which is being continually assaulted by desires, thoughts, ideologies, philosophies, concepts and satanic influences. Most Christians have more trouble with their minds and their thought-life than with any other area. It is for this reason that we shall be exploring this important biblical truth of renewing our minds in this course.

Oswald Chambers, a radical Baptist of a former generation, has well said that the “continual renewal of the mind is the only healthy state for a Christian”. Therefore, renewal of the mind is part of what it means to be holy or spiritually healthy.

Our prayer is that this area, like fellowship, prayer and evangelism will truly become ‘a way of life’ for each one of us.

To obtain maximum benefit from this study you need to attend every session, participate in the group work, and faithfully read all the study material and Bible references presented to you. Above all, you need to come to each session in an attitude of prayer and openness to God and a willingness to learn and change as and when the Lord graciously points at issues or problems in your life.

SESSION ONE: YOU ARE WHAT YOU THINK

READ TOGETHER: Prov. 23:7; 2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 12:2

Have you ever considered what effect the way you think has on the way you live your life? It is a well-established fact that what goes on in the unseen reaches of your thought life has a direct impact on every area of your life. It affects, for instance, your attitudes, hopes and fears, the way you speak, your personal philosophy of life, how you react to others, how you do your job and how you fulfill your family responsibilities.

Out of his God-given wisdom, Solomon encapsulated this principle in a single phrase: “As [a man] thinks within himself, so he is”. (Prov. 23:7 NASV). Every act of a man or woman, however good or bad, begins with a single thought.

A. A SINGLE THOUGHT:

A single thought can change your mind dramatically if it is dwelt upon, developed and translated into action. Indeed, every modern convenience we have today began with an idea in the mind of the inventor! Equally, every facet of your character and action of your life started as a single thought.

· The first sight of the man’s future wife triggered a thought pattern which resulted in his asking for a date and their ultimate marriage.

· The first time the convict considered how easy it would be to shoplift, he triggered a thought-pattern which resulted in his stealing and eventual imprisonment.

· The child’s first encounter with a barking dog set off a thought pattern which resulted in a deep-seated fear of being attacked by one.

This principle can work either positively for our good or negatively for our harm.

(i) POSITIVE – read Matt. 9:20-22

What motivated this sick woman to push through the crowd to reach Jesus? A SINGLE THOUGHT: “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed”. This thought, which had now become a confidence of faith, gripped and motivated her as she pushed through the crowd. Nothing would stop her – and she received according to her faith. A single thought, based on the truth of God’s desire to heal the sick, triggered the whole sequence of events leading to realization.

(ii) NEGATIVE – Read 2 Sam. 22:2~4.

Note the sequence of events which took place here: He saw; He considered; He enquired; He entertained her.

David’s thought became an act. The way he had thought within himself was the way he had become. A lustful thought became an act of adultery. The sad truth is that the sequence could have been stopped AT ANY POINT if David had so desired. He was the master of his own thoughts – as we are of ours. Read 2 Cor. 10:5.

Recognizing this truth should cause us as responsible Christians to take control of our thought lives. A sinful thought that is not dealt with will result in a sinful action. On the other hand, a righteous thought that is entertained will produce righteous actions. We need,  therefore to “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things”, (Col. 3:2). The fixing of your mind on a matter is an issue of personal choice.

B. YOUR MIND AND YOUR SALVATION:

Does this then mean that, by a thought process, I can bring myself into God’s favor and so obtain salvation? No! The principle of fixing your mind on something works for everyone, whether they are Christians or not. It is a law of God which we need to recognize as Christians and make it work for us as we seek to develop into the fullness of God’s purpose for us.

(i) A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE:

Our new birth is primarily a spiritual issue. In order to be born again our natural mind must lay aside its logic and reason and submit to God’s Word and the operation of simple faith. This is what Nicodemus had to do. (See John 3:3-6).

(ii) A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION:

Our salvation is initially a spiritual encounter but it goes on to deal with the whole of our being – body, soul and spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit permeates every area of our lives – see 2 Cor. 5:17. This process of change which takes place in our lives after coming to Christ (known as sanctification) affects every part of us. It is a process of change towards the specific goal of Christ-likeness – See 2 Cor. 3:18.

(iii) CO-OPERATING WITH CHRIST:

Our new birth was a free gift but our on-going Christian experience is not passive or beyond our control. We have a responsible part to play. We can choose to disobey God or to follow Him wholeheartedly. While God works IN ME. My responsibility is to OUTWORK in the practical areas of my life His purpose and will for me. See Phil. 2:l2-13.

A major part of this ‘working out’ what God has done in me begins by THINKING CORRECTLY. (See Rom. 12:2).

Because we live in the society in which we do, our minds have become conditioned to its way of thinking and this works against God’s purpose for us. But we CAN change. We CAN break out of this world’s mould. We CAN be transformed into people who know and do God’s will and represent Christ perfectly, by the renewing of our minds.

C. RENEWING YOUR MIND:

God’s ultimate purpose for us is to be like Christ: we must therefore think the way Christ thinks. This involves two things:

(i) We need to decide not to “conform any longer to the pattern of this world” (Rom. 12:2). This is a mental choice, the introduction of a new way of thinking.

(ii) We need to decide to act in line with this new way of thinking. We deliberately decide not to do the things which characterized the life we once lived in the world before we came to Christ. We need to think God’s thoughts and consequently live God’s way. As we think like Christ we will become like Christ.

How you are today is a direct result of how you have thought up to this point in time. The sort of person you will be in the future depends on how you think from this point onwards. Make a conscious decision to work with God by filling your mind with His thoughts day by day.

GROUP DISCUSSION:

1. Discuss biblical examples of people whose lives reflected the particular way they thought.

2. Let people share from their own experience how their thinking and thought-patterns have changed their lives.

3. What place does our thought life play in the ‘working out^’ of our salvation?

PERSONAL WORK;

1. Prayerfully make an honest assessment of the way you think and how it affects your life in the following areas:

Your attitude to other people.

Your outlook on life.

Your speech.

Your behavior.

Your character development.

2. Memories Romans 12:2.

3. Determine to stop conforming to this world’s pattern, to renew your mind with God’s Word and to live it out. Thank God that you know you are going to become more like Christ as you do this.

Guarding The Mind, Free Course, Lesson 001
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