Thoughts

I. What are Mans thoughts? ( Mt 15:19)
A. Prosperity
- We look at a situation and we tend to see ways that benefit ourselves. At times this is healthy, but if we don’t set boundaries, our minds will explore and feed on prosperity.

Psalm 10:4 “The wicked, through pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all
his thoughts because that means there must be a death to them and life to Him."

- Prosperity is dangerous and can take over us if we are not careful. God wants us to be prosperous in Him and not this world. His treasure is greater and longer lasting then all the money in this world!”

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

- Ex: When Eve was in the garden. She looked at the fruit and saw prosperity and her mind changed. It stepped out into dangerous territory. The enemy had an open door, with no boundaries blocking him.


B. Vain and Prideful
Psalms 94:11 “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.”

- Pride and vanity is apart of our old man. We feed it by asking others questions about ourselves to get the answer we want to hear. It feeds it and after a time it grows like weeds. They say it in there mind and begin to shut correction or other peoples opinions away. They are set there thoughts on themselves and shut everything that contradicts it away. This opens up a door to the enemy. Once he has fed you pride and you liked it, he is now able to feed you words that lift yourself up and shuts God out.


C. Prone to wander
- Each mind thinks differently and it likes to wander. The mind tends to wander and we catch ourselves. We want to make sure that when we find our minds wandering we stop it and put our shield up. If you listen you will eventually believe and find it attractive. You are walking towards evil which is against God.

* Again Eve as an example: She listened and what was being said eventually became attractive to her. She did have her shield up, but she continued to listen and confusion came over her mind. She eventually gave into the temptation.

- The wandering mind attracts the enemy. This opens up a door for the enemy to plant confusion in your mind. God’s thoughts are pure so you are rejecting the pure mind when you wander.


II. What are God’s thoughts? - Ph 4:8
A. Pure

B. Discerning
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

C. Righteous
Proverbs 12:5 “The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. ”
D. About us

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ”

- His thoughts are for His people. He wants to give us an expected end, an end that He has planned before the earth was ever made. He wants to prosper us in Him! His thoughts are what can help us to fulfill our goal of becoming more Christ-like Christians.

III. What is the importance of having Godly thoughts?
A. How do we maintain pure and true thoughts? By continually reading God’s word and feeding on it. You will begin to learn God’s thoughts and begin thinking the same.

B. As we become more mature the discernment of other peoples thoughts grows. As we ask God, He can reveal to us the true meaning of their thoughts.

C. We want to have the righteous thoughts. This is important especially during a time like the present. We want to make sure that we are taking the righteous counsels so that we do not listen and believe deceit.

- Prophecy at convention: Many will hear and believe lies! God is warning us and we need to make sure that we are protecting our thoughts. Being careful of the opinions we make during our trials. Our thoughts, during trials, are when the enemy likes to deceive us. We, at times, are weaker during the trials and he likes to bring us down lower and lower by feed us lies. Feed on the word and it puts death to the deceit!

D. The thoughts of iniquity lead down to destruction and the destruction of others around them.

- This is why, when we have friends or family who are walking down this path, we must be careful and have a certain distance from them and maintain that distance. They are walking down a path that can destroy what God has done in your life if you continue to fellowship with them. It can be a slow process, but you must distance yourself from them. It may be hard and we all don’t want to see them go to hell, but if you continue to walk with them you will most likely steer down that road. Why do I say that, because Satan can now use them to poison your mind and put bitterness or offense into your mind.

IV. What are keys to having Godly thoughts?
A. Having boundaries and staying within them.

B. Feeding continuously on the word of the Lord

C. Continually praying that God would cleanse your mind and give to you pure and clear thoughts!

Proverbs 15:26 “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. ”

- Everyone has thoughts and whenever we have an opportunity to share them, we do. God wants our thoughts to be pure so that when we speak them they may be pleasant to his ears.

- This is something the enemy tends to get us all. That something is called fear of man! We have thoughts, but that fear seems to be so powerful at times. When one is put in that situation he should tell himself “Do I want to offend my Heavenly Father to please man, or do I want to please God even though I know it might offend man?”