Even though we know what is actually good and healthy, we still would choose the chips
- Choose the junk food
- Nobody goes to the movies and asks for celery (Bring on the buttered popcorn)
It’s the same without thoughts.
Our mindsets – How we think and what we think about
There are healthy thought patterns, and there are JUNK thought patterns.
- Some thoughts give life, and some thoughts take it.
Junk-filled thoughts lead to a junk-filled life.
Example: Anxiety & fear VS Peace & Confidence
We all know that anxiety and fear don’t give us life.
But we will so often fall into junk thoughts and never live in healthy ones.
Junk thoughts never lead us anywhere but back into themselves.
- They keep you stuck in that mindset. That way of thinking
“THE CHURN”
Like making ice-cream – over and over and over the same thing…
- Makes us tired
- It causes us to be on edge.
No one likes to be in the churn.
- But junk thoughts keep us there.
Some of us have lived there for a long time.
- Don’t know what it is like to have mental, emotional, and spiritual peace.
List of Junk Thoughts:
- Lust
- Bitterness
- Jealousy
- Entitlement
- Hatred
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Confusion
- Disappointment
- Some forms of Depression
- Pride
- Self-loathing
- Self Righteousness
Healthy thought patterns.
Galatians 5:22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”
We KNOW those thoughts to be good. To bring life to us and others.
We must recognize our natural pull to unhealthy/junk thought patterns and habits.
Remember… Junk-filled thoughts lead to a junk-filled life.
- Our thoughts can fall into unhealthy patterns, but those patterns can be broken.
So what are we to do?
We need to Fix Our Focus.
To help with this, Paul, one of the earliest followers of Jesus, gives us some insight on how to shift our focus from unhealthy to healthy…
- Writes a letter to a church from prison
- Imagine the junk thoughts that could have overtaken his mind.
- Letter called Philippians
Philippians 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
How to FIX YOUR FOCUS
Rejoice and Remember
In what God has done
In who He is
In His promises to us
Tips:
- Keep a journal
- Praise music
- Read and pray the psalms.
- Be around others who can remind you of what God is doing.
(Remember, Paul was IN PRISON when he wrote this letter)
Fix your focus by Rejoicing and Remembering
Philippians 4
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
How to FIX YOUR FOCUS
Request & Relax
But Paul says… “Don’t worry about anything.
- Sounds impossible
Mental Peace is only possible when we trust God with everything.
- Not an easy thing to do
But when we live in God’s peace, it protects us from junk and unhealthy thoughts and temptations.
(Remember, Paul was IN PRISON when he wrote this letter)
Philippians 4
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.
How to FIX YOUR FOCUS
Refocus and Remain
On healthy
On heavenly Things
On God-honoring things
What are you filling your mind with?
- That is what will come out.
You must “TAKE CONTROL” of your thoughts.
- Recognize the unhealthy thoughts and thought patterns that you struggle with
Colossians 3
1 Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 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.
If you don’t take your thoughts captive, that will take you captive.
- They will rule over you.
- They will control you.
It’s choosing junk food over healthy food.
- Eventually, it will lead to severe consequences.
Tips:
- You do this by taking in truth.
- Consistent Bible study and Prayer
- Healthy friendships with believers
- Christian Counseling
Junk-filled thoughts lead to a junk-filled life.
Set your heart and mind on the things of God
- Dwell on those things
- Fill your mind with those things.
- Seek Him with everything you’ve got