Change the Language of Your Mind - Transformation

Change the Language of Your Mind - Transformation

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2 NKJ

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:1-2 NLT

The Mind (Biblical anthropology)

• Romans 12:2 “. . . be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
• mind – <Gk> nous = the intellect, (in thought, feeling, or will) – understanding.
  • Intellect =
    • the ability to learn and reason
    • the capacity for knowledge and understanding
    • the ability to think abstractly or profoundly
• Matthew 22:37 “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’”
• heart – <Gk> kardia = denotes the center of all physical and spiritual life
• soul – <Gk> psucheô = the breath of life, the vital force which animates the body
• mind – <Gk> dianoia = channel of deep thought, imagination, mind, understanding

II Corinthians 10:5b

• NKJ “. . . bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”
• NLT “We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)
Change Your Brain - Change Your Life" by Dr. Daniel Amen

• “You never listen to me.”
• “Just because we had a good year in business doesn’t mean anything.”
  
• “You don’t like me.”
  
• “This situation is not going to work out. I know something bad will happen.”
  
• “I feel as though you don’t care about me.”
  
• “I should have done much better. I’m a failure.”
  
• “You’re arrogant.”
  
• “You’re late because you don’t care.”
  
• “It’s your fault.”

Taking every thought captive!

• STEP 1 - Realize that your thoughts are real:
  
  • You have a thought.
    
  • Your brain releases chemicals.
    
    • An electrical transmission goes across your brain.
      
    • You become aware of what you’re thinking.
      
• They have a real impact on how you feel and how you behave.
  
• Developing RUT’s
  
• Rehearsing unhealthy thoughts

The Mind (Biblical use)

• mind – <Gk> dianoia
  
• channel of deep thought
  
• imagination
  
• understanding
  
• STEP 1 - Realize that your thoughts are real!

Taking every thought captive!

• STEP 2 – Notice how negative thoughts affect your body.
  
• STEP 3 – Notice how positive thoughts affect your body.
  
• STEP 4 – Notice how your body reacts to every thought you have.
• STEP 5 – Think of bad thoughts as pollution.
  
• STEP 6 – Understand that your automatic thoughts don’t always tell the truth.
  
• STEP 7 – You can kill the ANTs.
  
  • Like ants at a picnic, crush them immediately or they can ruin your relationships, your self-esteem, and your personal power.

ANT 1: “Always/never” thinking
This happens when you think something that happened will “always” repeat itself, or that you’ll “never” get what you want.
All-or-nothing words (absolutes) like always, never, no one, every one, every time, every-thing are usually wrong.

ANT 2: Focusing on the negative
This occurs when your thoughts reflect only the bad in a situation and ignore any of the good.
(Pollyanna attitude helps)

ANT 3: Fortune-telling
This is where you predict the worst possible outcome to a situation.
Self-fulfilling prophecy!
(If you could see the future????)

ANT 4: Mind reading
This happens when you believe that you know what other people are thinking even when they haven’t told you.

ANT 5: Thinking with your feelings
This occurs when you believe your negative feelings without ever questioning them.
Look for the evidence behind a feeling.

ANT 6: Guilt
Guilt beatings happen when you think with words like should, must, ought, or have to.
Because of human nature, whenever we think that we must do something, no matter what it is, we often don’t want to do it.

ANT 7: Labeling
Whenever you attach a negative label to yourself or to someone else, you stop your ability to take a clear look at the situation and can become unable to deal with yourself or others reasonably or unique individuals.

ANT 8: Personalizing
Personalizing occurs when you invest innocuous events with personal meaning.
Reality: You never fully know why people do what they do.

ANT 9: Blaming
When you blame something or someone else for the problems in your life, you become a passive victim of circumstances and you make it very difficult to do anything to change your situation.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8