"It Starts in the Mind"

 Reflections4Life™ January 8, 2023

“It Starts in the Mind”

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 28; Psalm 51; John 14; Romans 12; Colossians 3; James 1...

©Ruthe McDonald.

It is a pleasure to be able to fellowship with God. Having access to His grace and mercies. His anointing is new in our lives every day. As you walk in faith, remember that God has heard you before you even called. Do not give up on God but hold fast to His word and promises. Stay in the word this year. Fast, pray, and meditate. Know in your hearts, that no matter what you face, you are not alone. Feed your mind and heart a consistent diet of the word of God. Surround yourself in worship and watch what God manifests in your life this New Year!

I decree that this week’s Reflections will remain a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. There is nothing, which God will not do for His children. His love is unconditional and knows no bounds. Make it your business this year to get in the presence of God as never before. If you want to see a change in your life; if you want direction; if you want to know your purpose and how to handle the things that come your way, and remain steadfast? Then, spend more time with the Father and get set to have your mind renewed daily.

To be alive, in the presence of God, and receive all that He has ordained for your life is an awesomely powerful thing. I can assure you that there are many people that are grateful, never thinking or believing they would see another year. There are also those filled with gratitude for the opportunity to enter into a new season. Yet, still, others remain stuck in the past and are finding it difficult to move forward. No matter how many brand new days and years they receive, they are not living because they are stuck in a moment or situation, becoming prey for the enemy.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.

It starts in the mind. Beloved, everything we are experiencing and will continue to experience begins in the mind—what we are telling ourselves, what we are listening to, whom we are listening to, and what we ultimately believe. What we have consistently thought about or have allowed planted in our minds will eventually become a belief in our hearts and manifest itself. The only way to keep those thoughts from taking root is to renew our minds daily, take on the thoughts of Christ, and learn to pull down strongholds. If we do not, we become a tool for the enemy to use in his fight against God. Trust me when I tell you, if the enemy finds any entrance he can slip through, he will, and will not stop until he destroys your life, your faith, and your love. Or until you stand in the authority that God has given you, and kick the devil out.

We are no match for Satan. Not on our own. He is the master manipulator and father of lies. The mind is the devil’s playground. If he gets in, he will try to take over. It begins with a whisper, a thought, an image, a dream. If we do not immediately dismiss it, plead the blood of Jesus, and learn to fight the way God instructs us, we will fall victim to the enemy, as he wreaks havoc in our lives, and destroy our hearts and lives in the process.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have the divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

We must—we must understand and believe that we are not waging war against a physical entity. We cannot underestimate the cunningness of the enemy. Or, how far he will go. Trust me when I tell you this: the enemy has studied us. He has roamed this earth, often aware of the greatness and power that rests in many of us that we do not even yet recognize in ourselves. He will use every arsenal he has to destroy us so that we do not come to that realization. Or, if we do realize it, destroy us before it manifests. That is why we must not be ignorant about the enemy and who we are in a battle with, and why it all starts in our minds, with what we tell ourselves, what we believe, what we think about, and what we know.

Renew your minds on a daily basis, Beloved. Allow God to saturate your heart and mind with His word, His truth, and revelation about the enemy. Do not underestimate your adversary, the devil. The mind is his choice of a battleground. If allowed as much as an inch, he will come in and wreak such havoc and devastation; you will not recognize who you are and what has transpired. But know this: we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ. We have, as well, Holy Spirit. Yet, we must yield to Him. Yield to what God is saying and release what we think we know and have faith, even in the things that make no sense. We must be willing to release who we are for who God says we are. We must be willing to release our intellects and ways of thinking, in exchange for the mind of Christ. We must totally yield to the Father, and lay aside what we thought we knew, in order to receive what we need, and the revelation of who we are in God, how to strategically fight AND win against the enemy. This is not a battle of the flesh, but a battle of the mind and spirit. This battle is won through the power and strength of our God.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. It starts in the mind, Beloved. All victories begin in our mind and what we tell ourselves, what we think about consistently, and what eventually is believed in our hearts concerning all matters. Renew your mind daily. Think about the things of God. Meditate on His word, put on your armor of God, and fight how God teaches us strategically to fight against the enemy of our soul and future. You got this because God has you. Trust Him. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2023. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.