Change Requires New Thinking

Change Requires New Thinking

BY RICK WARREN — NOVEMBER 1, 2014

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“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:21-24 NLT)

Change in your life requires new thinking. The battle to change the defects in your life is always a mental battle. It starts in the mind, and it’s won or lost there.

Ephesians 4:23 says, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (NLT). You’re not going to change until your thoughts and attitude change. This is why a daily quiet time is important. The time you spend intentionally studying God’s Word and in prayer is the spiritual renewal in your mind. If you’re not doing that, you’re not going to have the power to change. 

Do you know what the theological term for “change of mind” is? It is the word “repentance.” To repent literally means to change your mind.

The word “repent” is actually a Greek word — metanoia. Metanoia means to change your mind — to turn from death to life, sin to forgiveness, guilt to peace of mind, Hell to Heaven, my way to God’s way. The most positive change in your life will be when you repent of your sin and turn from regret to peace of mind and forgiveness.

You have to learn to think in new ways about your defects. Defects are often strengths being misused. That’s a new way of thinking. You probably never thought of that, but that’s repentance! That’s a change of mind. Your defects are often the strengths God gave you being misused.

You have to change the way you think. Philippians 2:5 says, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” 

God wants you to learn to think like Jesus. How do you do that? Again, it’s a choice. You’ve got to make a choice and say, “Lord, how would Jesus think about this?” The more you fill your mind with the Word of God, the easier that’s going to be.

Talk About It

• How are the things that you fill your mind with hurting or helping you change your defects?
• What changes will you make today in your schedule, relationships, or attitude that will affect the spiritual renewal of your mind?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2A95BwGbYo

Give Your Faith a Target

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1, NLT

TODAY'S WORD:

So many people today are depressed and discouraged simply because they only focus on their present circumstances. They’re constantly dwelling on their problems, what they don’t have, and what’s wrong with them. They don’t realize it, but they’re allowing the enemy to steal their hope. This negative frame of mind is what keeps people from moving forward in life.

Understand today that faith is confidence and assurance about the things we hope for according to the promises of God. Like an arrow, your faith points to the target of hope. If you don’t have hope, that arrow of faith will just drop to the ground. It won’t accomplish anything. But when you keep your hopes up, when you keep expecting and believing, it’s as if that target gets larger and larger—easier to hit!

Choose today to live with an attitude of expectancy. Get your hopes up! Start by taking captive any negative thoughts you may have one at a time. As you focus on God’s goodness and faithfulness, you’ll feel that hope inside you growing. You’ll give your faith a target, and you’ll move confidently into the blessings and peace the Lord has in store for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, today I surrender every thought to You. I choose to release my cares and concerns so I can focus on Your goodness in my life. Thank You for the gift of faith to see the impossible become possible as I continue to place my hope and confidence in You in Jesus’ name, Amen.