“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”. Proverbs 23:7
If we think we are weak, we are weak.
If we think we are less than others, we are less than others.
If we think we are righteous, we are righteous.
If we think a problem is a problem, then it is a problem.
If we think a problem is an opportunity, then it is an opportunity.
We can become the sum total of our repeated thoughts. We cannot consistently do what we don’t believe we are. For instance, if we try to act righteous, but we think (believe) we are a sinner, we will actually sin by faith, and this negative experience will bombard our thoughts with the lie we are prone to do wrong. Truly, our thought life is where the biggest spiritual battles are fought.
It is important to recognize Proverbs 23:7 says, “As he thinks in his heart.” This would imply the deeper, subconscious part of our thinking. It is what Ephesians 4:23 is referring to when it says “be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” It is our deepest core beliefs called strongholds in 2 Corinthians 10:4.
“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthinas 10:4). We have been given mighty weapons to change how we think in our hearts:
- Biblical meditation – meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it (Joshua 1:8).
- Declarations – make faith-filled declarations over your life as “Faith comes by hearing” (Romans 10:17).
- Laughter – “A merry heart does good, like medicine” (Proverbs 22:7).
- Love and revelation encounters with God – bow the knee, get close, listen and experience the blessings of a good God (Ephesians 3:14-20).
- What God has said to us – “But (Jesus) answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4).
There is no limit to how much we can renew our minds, there is no limit to how much we can be transformed. Our future is not restricted by preordained limitations from God. Now that is really good news.
adapted from a blog Nov 5th 2021 by Steve Backlund