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

What’s on your mind?

There’s an old saying, “You aren’t what you think you are, but what you think, you are.” It’s true, you are actually the sum of your thoughts. That’s why it’s very important to control what you think about and to make your thoughts obedient to Christ.

Take captive every thought

“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.” (2 Cor. 10:5 NIV)

Think about these things

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8 ESV)

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Rom. 5:10 ESV)

Reconciled all things by the blood on the cross

“And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him…” (Col. 1:20-22 ESV)

God entrusted us with the ministry of reconciliation

“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:18-21 ESV)

Be reconciled to your brother

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matt. 18:15 ESV)

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matt. 5:23-26 ESV)

Therefore…

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14 ESV)

God has given you a body

“May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:23 NIV)

Body: The physical part of you.

You are three parts

According to the Bible, you are made up of three distinct parts: Spirit, soul, and body! Understanding what this truth means to you personally, and as a follower of Jesus Christ, has great potential to help you tremendously! The last couple of days we looked at your first two parts, your spirit and your soul. Today, we will look at your third part, which is your body.

Your body, the third part of you, is the easiest part to understand, because you can see and feel your human body. If I ask you how you feel you can easily know and tell me. If I ask you if you are cold or warm, you can easily answer.

This part of you, (your body) is not transformed when you become a Christian. If you are fat, skinny, tall, young, or old, when you are born again, you will be that way afterwards. The Bible calls your body “the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), and also only temporary as in “jars of clay” (2 Cor. 4:7). We are told to take care of our bodies and someday they will die and our spirits will leave them (2 Cor. 5:6).

There will eventually come a day at the appearing of Jesus that our bodies, too, will be transformed and we will then have brand new transformed ones, (2 Cor. 5:3).

To recap

The Bible says, “as long as we are in this earthly tent” (your body), you must work to do everything you can do to serve God faithfully until He returns, (Heb. 3:14-18).

You must study your Bible to discover God’s truths (2 Tim. 2:15) and apply them to your thinking to transform your mind (Rom. 12:2).

You must pray for and about things (spirit), (1 Thes. 5:16-18).

God will do it!

And, finally, the next verse following today’s promise about your spirit, soul, and body says that God Himself, will make it happen for you “He will do it”, because He is “faithful!”

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thes. 5:24 NIV)

And, that too, is an amazing and wonderful promise!

“May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:23 NIV)

You are three parts

According to the Bible, you are made up of three distinct parts: Spirit, soul, and body! Understanding what this truth means to you personally, and as a follower of Jesus Christ, has great potential to help you tremendously! Yesterday we looked at the spirit, which is your first part. Today, we will look at second part, which is your soul.

Your soul (your mind): The part of you that you cannot see because it is invisible. It’s the part of you that thinks and reasons, which is your human mind.

Your mind is not transformed instantly as your spirit is, when you receive Christ. You must continually work daily to bring your thinking into alignment with God’s Word, which is a lifelong process (Phil 1:6). This continual process “renews your mind” and enables you to “prove (demonstrate) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

“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.” (Rom. 12:2 NKJV)

This process, or lack of it, explains why some born again Christians continue to struggle with fear, sin, and addictions, even though they are actually redeemed. The better you get at “transforming your mind” and bringing it into agreement with God’s Word, the more victorious you will be in life and as a Christian.

“May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:23 NIV)

You are three parts

According to the Bible, you are made up of three distinct parts: Spirit, soul, and body! Understanding what this truth means to you personally, and as a follower of Jesus Christ, has great potential to help you tremendously! Today, we will look at the first part, which is your spirit.

Your spirit: The part of you that you cannot see because it is invisible.

Your spirit is like a radio or TV signal in that you cannot see them either, yet they exist and are very real. The Bible says that what you see (the physical world) is only “temporary” and what you cannot see (the spiritual world) is “permanent.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

This spiritual-world concept is a little hard for some to comprehend because they cannot physically see the spiritual world. But, it is true! The Bible tells us that God, Himself, is “Spirit” and that we must “worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

Inside each one of us is our own spirit which is the part of us that gets transformed when we become “born again”. Jesus explained this truth to Nicodemus in John 3:1-12.

Made brand new and perfect!

You become a new creature by Jesus, (2 Cor. 5:17), your spirit becomes instantly brand new and perfect, (1 John 4:17, 1 Cor. 6:17, Eph. 4:24)

And after that your spirit is sealed, protected, and kept by the Holy Spirit.

“After that you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13 KJV)

“You are the light of the world…” (Matt. 5:14a)

As Christians, we often avoid dark places. But, anywhere we do not go becomes darker in our absence! Jesus sent us into the world to shine the light of the gospel so that those in the dark world should see the light.

Followers of Jesus have the light of life

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 3:9 ESV)

Light overcomes darkness

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5 ESV)

Let your light shine with your good works

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16 ESV)

Walk in the light as He is in the light

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7 ESV)

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4 NIV)

Love in deed and in truth

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18 ESV)

Truth is from Jesus

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17 ESV)

God’s Word of is truth

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17 ESV)

The truth will set you free

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 ESV)

Therefore…

“Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” (Psalm 25.5 ESV)

“…the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Neh. 8:10 NKJV)

strength: the quality or state of being strong, capacity for exertion or endurance, power to resist force, power of resisting attack, energy, force, might, muscle, power, vigor.

Power, strength and might

The word strength and its derivatives are mentioned over 360 times in the Bible, applying to both natural and supernatural strength. The Greek word katei means “power, strength, might.” In the Bible, strength is often linked to God’s power.

Strength comes from God

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength . . . but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord” (Jer. 9:23–24 ESV)

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

No matter how strong we think we are, “the flesh is weak”

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38 ESV)

Be strong in the Lord

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” (Eph. 6:10)

The Lord gives His children strength to minister to others

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service…”. (1 Tim. 1:12 ESV)

“…whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11 ESV)

God gives strength to face persecution

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God…” (2 Timothy 1:8)

Be strengthened by His grace

“…it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace...” (Heb. 13:9 ESV)

Therefore…

“I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.” (Psalm 34:1 NLT)

“Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his excellent greatness!” (Psalm 150:2 ESV)

“You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.” (Psalm 59:17 NIV)

#10— Does your spouse agree with your decision?

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1 Cor. 9:10 ESV)

If you and your spouse aren’t in complete agreement about it, don’t do it!

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark. 3:25 NIV)

The power of agreement

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matt. 18:19 ESV)