LIFE PRINCIPLES FROM THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS Life
LIFE PRINCIPLES FROM THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS
Life Principle 12 Protecting Your Thought Life
What a horrible thought that another person has violated you by controlling your mind. That is, making you think the way they would want you to think, especially if they were filling your mind with lies and destructive ideas. There is a flipside to this, what if a person has left no one at the steering wheel of his mind, even himself. Christians are to practice personal mind control, purposely filling our minds with those thing which are in our best interest and on that which the Lord wants our minds to dwell.
What we are talking about in its true essence is spiritual warfare. The truth is that how the believer protects his mind will greatly determine who wins the battle.
Part 1 7 Aspects of A Biblical Battle Plan For Your Mind
1. Study the Bible 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4
2. Examine everything But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good. I Thessalonians 5. 21 21
3. Take every thought captive We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, II Corinthians 10: 5
4. Prevent self-deception For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6: 3
5. Treasure wisdom 1 My son, if you will receive my sayings, And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2 Pursue Biblical Wisdom
6. Renew your mind And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12 2
7. Dwelling on the good 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4 This actually is our Life Principle 12 from the book of Philippians…
Part 2 Life Principle 12 Protecting Your Thought Life
The big lesson here! What I spend most of my time thinking about will determine greatly how I will live my life
Early on in the computing world the letters GIGO became a mantra Garbage In Garbage Out Meaning that even the best computer in the world is dependent on the data it is given to process for accurate results. So too, what we feed our minds is a huge component of our walk.
What do you spend most of thinking about?
Some bad things to dwell on 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. The half of the glass that is empty Wrongs committed against me What is missing in my life that others have Religious lies My past forgiven sins Comparison to others How great I am My spouse’s short comings Pornography or romance novels How others have failed me
Some good things to dwell on 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Scripture truth that has personal application The half of the full glass Being with the Lord forever in heaven How God will make things right What others are doing right My fifty spiritual blessing at salvation God’s love, grace, and mercy How I can serve God, my family, and others Prayer Eternal matters
The big eight… 1. Truth 2. Honor 3. Right 4. Pure 5. Lovely 6. Good repute 7. Excellence 8. Praiseworthy
1. Truth Greek word: alēthḗs (ἀληθής) Meaning: Reality, that which is real versus that which is unreal or a lie, that which conforms to the nature and reality of something. Passage: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. ” John 17. 17
In John’s writings we learn about truth… John 3: 21 John 4: 23 John 8: 32 John 14: 17 I John 2: 21 I John 3: 18 II John 1: 4 III John 1: 8 – We are to practice the truth – Worship in truth – Made free by the truth – Spirit of truth in us – We know the truth – We are to love in truth – We are to walk in truth – We are to be fellow workers with the truth
2. Honor Greek word: semnós (σεμνός) Meaning: To worship or venerate, dignified, an awe inspiring quality that attracts rather then repeals Passage: Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Titus 2. 2
3. Right Greek word: díkaios (δίκαιος) Meaning: Righteous, that which is conformed to God’s nature of good Passage: Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. Colossians 4. 1
4. Pure Greek word: hagnós (ἁγνός) Meaning: That which is without impurities, blameless, and clean not dirty Passage: Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. I Timothy 5. 22
5. Lovely Greek word: prosphilḗs (προσφιλής) Meaning: From two words, “to” and “love”, also dear, friend. Passage: (Used only here in Philippians 4. 8)
6. Good Repute Greek word: eúphēmos (εὔφημος) Meaning: Well spoken of, good reputation Passage: (Used only here in Philippians 4. 8)
7. Excellence Greek word: aretḗ (ἀρετή ) Meaning: That which is pleasing to God, virtue, a bent towards moral perfection Passage: Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, II Peter 1. 5
8. Praiseworthy Greek word: épainos (ἔπαινος ) Meaning: From two words, “upon” and “praise, ” meaning that which is worthy of applause or commendation Passage: For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; Romans 13. 3
Part 3 Those things which can turn our stinking thinking to smart thinking
8 b dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4
Paul gives us five action words in verses 8 -9 �Think about thinking about these eight qualities �Learned behavior �Acquired from a reliable source �Seen in the life of spiritual teachers �Practiced in your daily walk
One last promise… …and the God of peace will be with you
- Slides: 32
