Where do your thoughts take you? What do you think about most? I asked the inmates in my Bible study these questions. Training your thoughts takes practice, but you first have to be aware of them. What am I supposed to think about, and how do I change my thinking? One of the girls hated her neighbor, so we used her situation as an example. Your thoughts direct your feelings, and your feelings control your behavior, which is why you need to learn to train your thoughts, so you bring glory to God in your responses.  

In my last post, I shared a prayer of protection to help you overcome fear and the attacks from the evil one, Satan. Prayer is the key to training your thoughts to think as God would have you think. Reading your Bible is the next best way to train your thoughts. Attending a Bible-believing church and Bible study are other ways to train your thoughts. 

What God wants us to think about. 

Philippians 4:8 states,“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” These thoughts can be formed by reading the Bible. Meditate on Galatians 5:22-24 — “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24) And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. What do you think “crucify the flesh (passions and desires)” means, and why should we? Crucifying your fleshly desires and passions is to consider them dead and not to let them control you anymore. Put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for your flesh (Rom. 13:14).  

When you think about the different fruit of the Spirit, then they will come out in your behavior. For example, if I am aware that I am not patient with people, then I will make an effort to change how I think so I can be more patient. I will pause, pray, and think about how to respond with patience and not react negatively, and not want my way. 

The Bible tells us how to transform your thoughts from flesh/self-pleasing to God-pleasing? 

Ephesians 4:22-27  “Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.  

25) Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.  

26) Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. 

Also read Colossians 3:5-10. 

Four steps to transform your thinking and your life. 

1. Recognize your wrong or negative thoughts.  Your feelings reveal your thoughts.  Your words reveal your thoughts.  Negative thoughts create negative feelings that sap your strength and ability to think clearly because you are not using the front of your brain. Do you speak negatively about yourself and others?  (Matthew 15:18-19 and Luke 6:45—what comes out of the mouth reveals what is in your heart.)   

Recognize the sources of thoughts if they are from your memories, present circumstances (what is happening, what you are doing, or planning to do), or the devil.  2 Corinthians 11:3 states, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”   

This is why we need to also put on the whole armor of God. Ephesians 6:11-12 states, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  

Who are you submitting to? This also answers the question of why there are evil people. James 4:7 states, “Submit yourselves (your mind) therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If you are not resisting the devil, he will continue to influence your mind. You resist the devil by putting the negative thoughts and unhealthy beliefs out of your mind, in Jesus’ name. Then dwell on the true, right, and pure things instead. 

2. Change your thinking.  Capture the unwanted thought by saying, “I put off the thought of _______ (offence, hurting someone or myself, self-pity, unfairness, wanting to do what you don’t want to do, etc.) in Jesus’ name.” Then replace the negative or temptation thought with a positive thought of thankfulness for something.  See examples of putting off old ways of thinking and putting on new ways of thinking in Ephesians 4:17-32 and Colossians 3:8-15.  

3. Evaluate if you have a wrong belief from negative feelings by listening to your thoughts.  Such as, “They don’t deserve to be happy. Or, God doesn’t care.”  Ask God to show you wrong beliefs, and He will.  When you know you have a wrong belief, say, “I put off the wrong belief that _________, in Jesus’ name.”  Then say, “I bind in the truth that ___________, in Jesus’ name.”  See my book (link)for unhealthy beliefs and truth statements. 

4. Train your mind to dwell on God’s truth.  Memorize scripture, beginning with Philippians 4:8.  Turn every thought into a prayer.  For example, give all your concerns to God and be thankful so you will be filled with peace (see Philippians 4:6-7 and Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”).  Ask Him to help you when you are tempted (see Hebrews 4:14-16).  Commit all your difficult situation into His care.  Trust His purpose for you is good, and submit to the character and faith-building process.   

Romans 8:26-29 states, “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27)  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  29a) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”   

Roman 12:2 states, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” 1John 2:17 states, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright-protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website. 

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of promises relevant to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.  

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts. 

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and the truths behind them. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles.  

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-Changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, the 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.