“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God remould your minds from within” (Romans 12:1-2, J.B. Phillips).

Your mind is a fertile field for both good and evil. You are what you think. Another way to put this is “as you think, so you will become.” Writing from prison, Paul urged the Philippian church to think about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious. He went on to encourage them to consider excellence and things worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8-9).

I never get over the fact that the person in prison was encouraging those who were free. Does this show us that the person who is free on the inside is the one who is really free? In the dungeon, Jeremiah was the free man and Zedekiah, the king, was the prisoner to his own ungodly and fearful thought process (Jeremiah 37-38 is a fascinating read). Zedekiah kept asking, “Is there any word from the Lord?” (Jeremiah 37:17). If you will not obey, a word from the Lord is useless.

That is the problem with the heart. You must renew your mind. http://waylonbailey.com/2011/07/why-you-must-renew-your-mind/

Agriculture and Scripture agree. You will reap what you sow. That is what you are doing with your mind this very moment. Paul said: “For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8).

Your mind is a fertile field. You get to decide whether you will live by the things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit.

Because your mind is a fertile field that either leads to corruption or to eternal life, you must take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). 

How do we renew our minds in practical ways?

Begin each day with God. Read, contemplate, memorize, and live Scripture. I suggest Philippians 4:4-9 as a starting point. Fill your mind with the things of God and you will begin to drive out the ways of the flesh.

Find someone to help you with your thought process. Other people can more easily see the flaws in the way you think. Ask trusted, Godly people to help you.

Teach someone else. What you teach, you learn. Teach your children, grandchildren, or nieces and nephews what God has taught you to think. Encourage them to get up in the morning and have positive thoughts which are pleasing to God.

We are not bound by our disposition. As we renew our minds, we can think differently.

Take every opportunity to spend time with people who are taking every thought captive and thinking on things that are lovely. You become like the people around you.

Don’t neglect church. God gave us worship every week for a purpose. Don’t work against His plan.

Please leave a comment about passages of Scripture or thought processes that help you.