Goodbye Rollercoaster

School is back in swing across our city and in our communities. There are lots of good academic, career and subject essential things our children, students, teens and even those adults going to school will learn. We are believing for all students of all ages experience a successful and productive School year to the glory of God! This morning I would like to suggest to each of you that there is something we all should “grow in”, “learn and receive” and “practice consistently”…that is the DAILY RENEWING YOUR MIND WITH THE WORD OF GOD.
 
Why is this important? Because just as you feed your body and hygiene your body every day, you need to feed your newborn, recreated human spirit, and hygiene your mind every day. We often taught that your spirit need nourishment and hydration from the Word of God and prayer and your mind needs to be renewing and “spirited” so to speak to thing the higher thoughts of God (Colossians 3:1-2). Our minds need to be set and reset on the things of God constantly. Think of it like this, if you bathe/wash your body daily you need to bathe/wash your mind daily with the water of the Word of God. Friends, your mind needs grooming just as your hair needs combing and brushing every day!
 

Who’s figured out already that becoming a Christian doesn’t mean that the skies are suddenly always blue, the birds are always chirping and the roses are always in full bloom? I remember learning early on in my faith journey that being a believer didn’t mean life got “magically” easier. In that season, it felt like my Christian life was on a perpetual roller coaster — feeling up one day and down the next. I desired a consistent Christian life, but just didn’t even know if or how that would be possible.

Then one day, God revealed to my heart His desire for my life — His plan was for my Christian life to be consistent rather than inconsistent, to be victorious rather than defeated, and to be joy-filled and enjoyable too! And friends, God doesn’t play favorites — what He revealed to me is true for your life too! Here’s what I learned…

It all started with Romans 12:2, which tells us, “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” (NKJV). So, if transformation happens through the renewal of our minds…then, how do we renew our minds? We listen (pay attention closely) to and learnGod’s Word! We replace things we’ve learned, read, been told…or maybe just have no awareness of…with the Truth from the Bible. There are times friends, when I’ve had to listen the Word of God all day long to keep my mind off the pressure, problems and pain of the situation I was in – basically I had to saturate or immerse myself in the Word of God. In these instances, I loaded up and listened to “faith-filled” and “faith-building” messages or sermons – You Tube, CDs, online recorded message, etc as often as I could. Desperate times called for diligent and deliberate immersion and saturation in God’s Word!

>>This is not passive, y’all — this is active! YOU play a critical role in renewing your mind!

To renew my mind to what God’s Word said about being a victorious, overcoming and joy-filled Christian…I wrote out the following Scriptures and posted them all over the place! On my mirror, in my car, in my bathroom, in my pocket, you name it — everywhere on 3 x 5 cards and post it notes, etc! — so I could look at them, read them and speak them often. Obviously, today I use my smartphone and the Notes App to capture Scriptures I need to look at, meditate on, read and speak daily. (There’s just something about hearing your own voice declare God’s promises in faith that makes it “stick!”) In doing so, the Lord was renewing my mind to what He said about me and the authority He has given me to reign in life, through Jesus Christ.

Here are a few of those Scriptures! I’d love for you to consider printing this out and posting these verses all over the place to read them daily AND say them out loud to renew your mind to these truths!

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ…” 2 Corinthians 2:14

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17

“GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ “Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice. [Acts 18:10.]” Isaiah‬ ‭41:10‬ ‭AMPC‬‬ “Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] [Josh. 1:5.] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? [Ps. 27:1;118:6.]” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

Wow! Can you see how marinating your mind in these Truths will change how you view your life? It’s our genuine and earnest desire that you each come to believe and personally experience every one of those verses — so grab hold of them today. There’s just nothing better than the victorious, faith-filled, overcomer Christian life — and God wants it to be YOURS!

Say This and Pray This Out Loud: “Father, thank You so much that through Jesus’ sacrifice, I’ve been given the gift of righteousness to reign in life through Christ. Thank You that Your will for my life is that I live a victorious, overcoming, faith-filled, joy-filled and prosperous Christian life. Thank You that You always lead me in triumph, You’ve made me more than a conqueror, You supply all my needs, and through You nothing is impossible! I thank You Father for being a present help for me in my trouble and I thank You for not leaving me helpless and without Your support! Lord, I boldly declare You are my Helper and I refuse to fear! I believe it and receive it today, and I ask You to help me continue to renew my mind to the Truth of Your Word. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”