Time to Cast Down the Mindset of the World
and Put On the Mind of Christ!

 

There was an advertisement next to my timeline today that said “Meet Meningitis.” The Devil is a liar! We better get God’s word down in us and be full of it instead of what tries to come through our eyegate and eargate that tries to take over our thinking! There is a constant barrage of things today that would try and get a hold of your imagination… Why? Because what goes in you in abundance comes back out and produces….

“The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks” Luke 6:45 (AMP).

You see, what goes into you in abundance, comes pouring out of you, out of the overflow of that same abundance! For example… I have a friend who has a really hard time with swearing, because she is around family members who do this all of the time, so it is constantly going into her in abundance, rather than the word of God…. Then this comes out and produces bad fruit in her life.

Casting Down Imaginations

So what must I do to keep the good treasure in me so that I might produce good things brothers and sisters? I must first continually cast down those thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God in my life….

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NKJV).

The Greek word for casting καθαιρέω kathaireō there, gives the connotation, as if you would fling that thought down like a black widow spider! So this is why we must get rid of any thoughts or thought patterns that do not line up with the word of God!

Do we understand now why it is so important to KNOW the word of God? We must get it into our hearts so that we will know when a thought comes that is contrary to it! Once it becomes the ingrafted word of God in us, then we begin to just act out of it and speak it first.

We can also know that when a Prophetic word comes to us, that it is from God.

As Christians in this day and age, we have become conformed to the world’s way of thinking and are producing something other than what Christ Jesus said was the Kingdom of God! For example, in the church today, we have accepted many mindsets that are against the word of God, because some judge somewhere said that it was legal. Legal, does not make it right!

It is time for the Church to begin to get familiar with the God of His Word and the word of our God and His ways before they go forth and try and minister something that has nothing to do with His word and in fact is diametrically opposed to it!

How Do I Do This?

So how do I do this? Romans 12:1-2 (AMP) says this,

“I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].”

You see, once you have a made up mind and make a decisive decision to present yourself fully to God then (give yourself fully to Him) Knowing that you are not your own anymore… then you will no longer be moved by those things that are contrary to His word. Look at what 1 Peter 4: 1-2 says …

“So, since Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],
So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by [his] human appetites and desires, but [he lives] for what God wills.”

You see, you must arm yourself with this mind. I saw myself once putting it on as a helmet in the morning…. The decision must come when you wake up in the morning because Satan has assigned His cohorts to get you off of the word of God and to begin to think differently… Not only about others, but the way that you think about yourself….

Mark 4 :14-15 (AMP) “The sower sows the Word. The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.” So you see you must have this mindset (this helmet) on daily that you will walk in His word no matter what comes at you that is contrary to it!

Finally What Do I Then Put In My Mind To Stay Filled With Christ And His Word And Spirit?

“Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Ephesians 5:17-20.

First we must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (His word is truth). This will fill your heart as you sing the word to yourself about who he really is and keep you from hearing what the enemy is trying to shout at you! When you are singing or speaking to yourself, you can no longer hear the Devil! Glory to God!

Secondly, you must deliberately choose to think God thoughts as it says in Philippians 4:8 (AMP) “For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].”

Lastly, as you first decide, then do what God is saying here, and turn from your way to the words way,suddenly, the Holy Spirit will be there to help you where you are weak in doing it….. His wisdom and His power will come upon you like never before because this is what He does! Glory to God!

“Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you” Proverbs 1:23.

You see if you want revelation, repenting from your ways and seeking His truth must come first. You must know that His ways are higher than your ways. In other words – He is so much smarter than me! Ha!

It is time for His Church to represent who He truly is! Let us put on our Helmets!

 

~ by Jo Ellen Stevens
Arise Shine!

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Jo Ellen Stevens of TCIC Ministries is a Prophetic speaker, author, worshiper and intercessor. She has ministered with her husband for 23 years and was a worship leader at the Assembly of God for many years. She is an ordained minister (Restoration Ministries) and works with Restoration Ministries in their Ministry Rooms doing prophetic worship with her husband. She has taught many bible studies and have led many intercessory prayer groups.