Have you considered lately how powerful your thoughts are?

This time every year, the turn of the calendar presents the opportunity to course correct where needed and forge new habits that will be foundational for the future. 

In my home country of the United States, statistics show 74% of people set a New Year’s resolution. Clearly, this number indicates that people are hungry to better themselves, see change or experience transformation in some way.

The Bible tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…” (Romans 12:2).

This verse has come alive to me in a new way recently. We can change who we are by changing the way we think! This kind of transformation is a continual process. 

This is the power of the Gospel! The secret to being transformed into the image of Christ (not the kind of transformation that starts and fails with resolutions!) is the Word of God, actively changing our perspectives and thought life.

Our thought life is a consistent pattern of thinking we allow to play over and over in our mind.

We know this: the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of his most reliable strategies is to attack us in our minds.

Our thoughts were the very first thing the devil used to attack humanity! He stole Adam and Eve’s faith by manipulating them, causing them to question God’s instruction.

He attacked Jesus’ thoughts by challenging His identity in the wilderness in Luke 4. 

And the devil is still trying to attack our thoughts today. 

Sometimes, he will use the negative news of the day to try to fill our thought lives with fear, anxiety or anger.

He’ll try to remind us of our past and bring up thoughts that create self doubt, shame, or regret in an effort to hold us back from becoming who God truly created us to be. 

So, how can we protect our thought life going into 2022?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul tells us to put on as our helmet, “the hope of salvation over our thoughts.”  It’s the piece of armor we put on to protect our thought life. 

Hope is not wishing. Hope is the joyful, confident expectation of the goodness of God.  It’s an unwavering confidence that God is faithful to perform His Word in our lives both now and in the future! 

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for, it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”  

Hope exists in the unseen world of our minds. Faith reaches in, pulls it out and turns it into our reality. 

Our thoughts can either strengthen or weaken our faith.

If we don’t have a healthy, hope-filled thought life, it’s going to be difficult for our faith to build a hope-filled reality.

God wants to remind you today: don’t forget your helmet, “the helmet of the hope of salvation!” Guard your mind by filling it with hope-filled thoughts that align with what God says about you, who He is and His promises.

Ignore thoughts that lead you to feeling anxious, worried, doubtful or fearful. Reject any thought that comes to your mind that doesn’t agree with God’s nature, character or His Word.

As we start this new year looking for ways to change or improve, ask yourself a few questions: 

• What type of thought patterns am I allowing to play in my mind?
• Do they line up with God’s Word? 
• Do they line up with who God says I am? 
• Do they agree with the vision I have for my life or what I’m believing God for in my life?  

If we can be transformed by changing the way we think, we can then change the world by helping others change how they think!

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Have you considered lately how powerful your thoughts are?

This time every year, the turn of the calendar presents the opportunity to course correct where needed and forge new habits that will be foundational for the future. 

In my home country of the United States, statistics show 74% of people set a New Year’s resolution. Clearly, this number indicates that people are hungry to better themselves, see change or experience transformation in some way.

The Bible tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…” (Romans 12:2).

This verse has come alive to me in a new way recently. We can change who we are by changing the way we think! This kind of transformation is a continual process. 

This is the power of the Gospel! The secret to being transformed into the image of Christ (not the kind of transformation that starts and fails with resolutions!) is the Word of God, actively changing our perspectives and thought life.

Our thought life is a consistent pattern of thinking we allow to play over and over in our mind.

We know this: the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. One of his most reliable strategies is to attack us in our minds.

Our thoughts were the very first thing the devil used to attack humanity! He stole Adam and Eve’s faith by manipulating them, causing them to question God’s instruction.

He attacked Jesus’ thoughts by challenging His identity in the wilderness in Luke 4. 

And the devil is still trying to attack our thoughts today. 

Sometimes, he will use the negative news of the day to try to fill our thought lives with fear, anxiety or anger.

He’ll try to remind us of our past and bring up thoughts that create self doubt, shame, or regret in an effort to hold us back from becoming who God truly created us to be. 

So, how can we protect our thought life going into 2022?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul tells us to put on as our helmet, “the hope of salvation over our thoughts.”  It’s the piece of armor we put on to protect our thought life. 

Hope is not wishing. Hope is the joyful, confident expectation of the goodness of God.  It’s an unwavering confidence that God is faithful to perform His Word in our lives both now and in the future! 

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us that, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for, it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”  

Hope exists in the unseen world of our minds. Faith reaches in, pulls it out and turns it into our reality. 

Our thoughts can either strengthen or weaken our faith.

If we don’t have a healthy, hope-filled thought life, it’s going to be difficult for our faith to build a hope-filled reality.

God wants to remind you today: don’t forget your helmet, “the helmet of the hope of salvation!” Guard your mind by filling it with hope-filled thoughts that align with what God says about you, who He is and His promises.

Ignore thoughts that lead you to feeling anxious, worried, doubtful or fearful. Reject any thought that comes to your mind that doesn’t agree with God’s nature, character or His Word.

As we start this new year looking for ways to change or improve, ask yourself a few questions: 

• What type of thought patterns am I allowing to play in my mind?
• Do they line up with God’s Word? 
• Do they line up with who God says I am? 
• Do they agree with the vision I have for my life or what I’m believing God for in my life?  

If we can be transformed by changing the way we think, we can then change the world by helping others change how they think!

Our president, Jason Law, recently preached two sermons at his home church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on thought life. Take some time to watch, and be encouraged that God wants to help you get your mind right in 2022!

Get Your Mind Right | Part 2