2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 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.
When we are fearful, our mind is meditating on the unknown, the different possible negative scenarios that might not happen. The mind is racing and turning like a dynamo. Because our brain can only think of one thing at a time, we need to determine what the brain thinks about. As the saying goes, “Rubbish in equals rubbish out”. Therefore, we must stop the devil from inflicting fear through our thought lives. We need to guard our thoughts and close the door to the devil, by refusing to entertain those thoughts.
If we read the opening Scripture bottom up, it tells us that a stronghold always starts with a thought, which develops into an argument or imagination that goes against what God says, and finally becomes a stronghold.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
The secret to perfect peace is to focus on God and His Word because God and His Word are one. God’s truth does not change, whereas facts and circumstances are ever-changing. Therefore, we need to keep a soundness of mind by meditating on the Word of God instead of focusing on the circumstances, and subjecting ourselves to mood swings as things change. We choose to keep our mind on one thing—the Word and take down the stronghold in our minds. We cast down every argument and high thing that exalts itself against God’s truth, and we take every thought captive and bring it to the subjection of Christ, which means we choose to believe what the Word of God says instead of the circumstances. In other words, between uttering the “amen” in our prayers and seeing the desired answer come to pass in our lives, we choose to think in line with the Word.
God’s kind of peace is different from the peace that comes from the world because the latter is subject to circumstances. The origin of this peace is from God who dwells in our hearts. This is the kind of peace that guards our minds because the mind is the last frontier. Therefore, we need to take charge of our thought lives so that we can maintain peace in our minds. Our mind will have perfect peace when we stay focused on God by trusting Him instead of being affected by the circumstances. Worshipping Him also helps us to keep our minds on God by reminding us of His greatness.
Sermon Series: Up! Cell Group Campaign (Part 2)
选择你所思考的
哥林多后书 10:3-5 因为我们虽然在血气中行事,却不凭着血气争战。我们争战的兵器,本不是属血气的,乃是在神面前有能力可以攻破坚固的营垒, 将各样的计谋,各样拦阻人认识神的那些自高之事,一概攻破了,又将人所有的心意夺回,使他都顺服基督。
当我们感到害怕时,我们的大脑就会思考未知和各种可能会发生的负面情况。思绪就像发电机一样快速运转。 因为我们的大脑一次只能想一件事,所以我们要决定大脑在想什么。俗话说“进来的是垃圾出去的就是垃圾”。因此我们要制止魔鬼通过我们的思想生活制造惧怕。 我们要保守我们的思想,将魔鬼关在门外,不要理睬这些想法。
如果我们将经文从后往前读,它告诉我们坚固的营垒总是从一个想法开始的,然后发展为一个抵挡神话语的计谋或想象,最终成为坚固的营垒。
以赛亚书 26:3 坚心倚赖你的,你必保守他十分平安,因为他倚靠你。
十分平安的秘诀在于专注神和祂的话语,因为神和祂的话是一体的。圣经的真理不会改变,而事实和环境却不断变化。所以我们要通过默想神的话语来保持心灵的健全,而不是专注于环境,让自己的情绪随着事情的变化而波动。我们选择专注于一件事——神的话,并拆毁我们心中的坚固营垒。我们要将各样的计谋,各样拦阻人认识神的那些自高之事,一概攻破了,又将人所有的心意夺回,使它都顺服基督。这意味着我们选择相信神所说的,而不是环境。换句话说, 在祷告中说“阿门”和在我们的生命中看到所渴望的答案之间,我们选择了与神的话一致的想法。
神的平安与世俗的平安截然不同,因为后者是受环境的制约。平安的源头来自住在我们心里的神。这是一种能保守我们的心的平安,因为心是最后一道防线。 因此,我们要掌控自己的思想生活,这样才能保持内心的平安。 当我们藉着信靠来仰望神,而不是被环境影响时,我们的心就会拥有十分的平安。 敬拜也会提醒我们神的伟大,帮助我们将注意力放在神身上。
讲章系列:天天向上!细胞小组运动(第二部分)
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