How Do You Think?
“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.”
Phil. 4: 8
The way we think will affect the way we talk. The way we talk will affect the way we live. Many of us don’t realize that we can think on purpose. Our thinking will determine our circumstances and how we respond to them. God has given to each of us an imagination that we can use to build or destroy our selves and God’s plan for us. Why is it that our mind can see the worst in ourselves or others? We have been programmed to only see the worst in ourselves and others. How does that programming take place? It has come in the form of negative words spoken over us by family, friends, teachers, and the media. We are bombarded by negative messages every day. For example, we feel pain in our body and our imagination can dream up the worst scenario that will take place.
I have ministered to a lot of people over these last 53 years and I have seen people who live victorious lives and others who wallow in their pain and misery. Those who understand that way they think will determine their speech. And their speech will determine how they will live. If you speak and think doubt you will live doubt. If you think and speak faith you will live faith.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us to think only about the positive attributes of ourselves and others. He Is not saying that we should ignore those areas in our lives that we need to grow. We need to say to ourselves, “Maybe I am not where I need to be in the things of God but at least I am not where I was.” We need to say out loud every day, “I am getting better every day in every way.” Train your mind to think positive thoughts. Refuse to think negatively about yourself or others. Your thoughts will determine the life you lead. If you think that you can’t then you are already defeated. Say every day, “I am well, complete, victorious, and well able to do all things through the power of God.”
How you THINK is how you will SPEAK, and the way you speak will determine the way you LIVE!