“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12: 2)

Set your mind on things of the Spirit

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:5-6 ESV)

You are what you think about

“For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”(Prov. 23:7 NASB)

Take every thought captive to obey Christ

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13 ESV)

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7 ESV)

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)

Power, strength or ability

The Greek word for power is  dunamis and is used 120 times in the New Testament and refers to power, strength or ability. It is the root word of our English words dynamite, dynamo and dynamic.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

The power to heal

“On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.” (Luke 5:17)

We can do immeasurably more according to His power at work within us

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21)

We have power, love and self discipline

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Tim. 1:7)

We have this power in Jesus

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Cor. 4:7)

His Devine power has given us everything we need

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3)

Therefore…

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.”(Col. 1:11 ESV)

“That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” (Eph. 3:16 ESV)

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2)

Jesus: Name above all names

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”(Phil. 2:9-11 ESV)

Jesus: full of grace and truth

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)

Jesus: the only way to the Father

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)

Therefore…

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:39 ESV)

“I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.” (Psalm 138:2 ESV)

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)

The fruit of the Spirit is love

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-23)

God’s command

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12 NIV)

Love is made complete in us

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (1 John 4:12 NIV)

Therefore…

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” (Psalm 143:8 NIV”

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” (Prov. 3:3-4 NIV)

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16 ESV)

People will not endure sound teaching

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” (2 Tim. 4:3 ESV)

Some will depart from the faith

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” (1Tim. 4:1 ESV)

Thoughts led astray

“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:3 ESV)

If you lose your saltiness

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.” (Matt. 5:13 ESV)

Loving the world and things

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1John 2:15-16 ESV)

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matt. 16:23 ESV)

Therefore…

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” (2 Cor. 13:5 ESV)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

The devil and his angels (demons)

“And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” (Rev. 12:9 ESV)

The devil blinds the minds of unbelievers

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Cor. 4:4 ESV)

The devil is a thief who steals, kills and destroys

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV)

The devil disguises himself as an angel of light

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:14 ESV)

The whole world lies in the power of the evil one

“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 Johm 5:18-19 ESV)

Put on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil’s schemes

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:11-12 ESV)

God is faithful and will help you escape the devil’s temptations

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 ESV)

Submit yourself to God and resist the devil

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”(1 John 4:4 ESV)

The devil’s final fate

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41 ESV)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)

Christ lives in you and that makes you strong

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

You’re working for the Lord not for men

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Col. 3:23)

Jesus is your strength and shield

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:58)

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Psalm 37:4-6 ESV)

When I first read the above passage which said God will give you “the desires of your heart”, I thought, “Wow! How can that be? My desires are usually self-centered, to say the least.” The passage seemed to be saying that I could have anything my heart desired! But, upon examining the passage more closely I saw that It included some conditions: Commit your way to the Lord and trust in Him. And add these two things to the first part of the passage which says “delight yourself in the Lord.” This process does something remarkable to one’s desires, they transform into what God wants! Therefore, when He gives you the desires of your heart, they are in line with what He wants you to have.

Trust with all your heart

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Prov. 3:5-6)

Strength and help

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7 ESV)

Therefore…

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:7-8 WSV)

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Rom. 12:14 ESV)

The Bible records the persecution of God's people in both the Old and New Testaments. It began in Genesis 4:3-7 with the persecution of the righteous by the unrighteous when Cain murdered his brother Abel. Christians are persecuted because their belief in Jesus Christ as Savior does not conform to the godlessness of a sinful world. The Bible tells us to bless those who persecute us and pray for them.

Love your enemies

“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (Luke 6:27-29 NLT)

Let God fight your battles

The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Eco. 14:14 ESV)

“When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:17 ESV)

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” (Psalm 138:7ESV)

Therefore…

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Matt. 5:10-12 NLT).