Think Or Meditate On These Things

"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 NKJV, emphasis mine).

O, what a life we would live if we would only be doers of God's Word and act on the truth of the verse of Scripture quoted above! Beloved, God has prescribed for us the manner of things that we are to meditate on or fix our mind and our heart on. Philippians 4:8 is God’s guideline for developing and maintaining good or positive thoughts. And, of course, maintaining good thoughts is essential and imperative because who you are today is a product or a reflection of the thoughts of your heart. (see Proverbs 23:7). Thus, God’s prescription is that you should focus your mind and your heart exclusively on those things that are true (or consistent with God’s Word), noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. In other words, let only thoughts that are true, pure, lovely, positive, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy occupy your mind and your heart and control your thinking-process.

Beloved, imagine the kind of life you would live if you built your whole thinking pattern on this verse of Scripture. O, what peace we often forfeit because we don’t do God’s Word! What needless pain we bear! Imagine what a true, noble, pure, just, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy life you would live if you acted on Philippians 4:8 -- a life worth reporting and admiring. Imagine how much junk (worries, doubts, resentment, hatred, envy, and other negativity) you would prevent from occupying space in your mind and in your heart, if you lived by this verse of Scripture. You can probably recall and recount how many times you have heard something that wasn’t true, or honest, or pure, or lovely, or of good report, and yet you kept it in your mind and in your heart and thought about it, and thought about it, and thought about it some more. In fact, it is baffling how often I hear people speak thoughts that are not true, pure, just, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. Such negative or unwholesome thought-patterns only lead to a life of misery and failure. Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. (see Luke 6:45). Indeed it is impossible to think or meditate on the same thoughts over and over and not utter or speak them. Our words expose or express our thoughts. Many of us have been guilty (in the past) of holding on to and speaking thoughts that are a connection to unhappiness, defeat and failure. But what I love about the Word of God is that it is never too late to act on it and reap the benefits thereof. Today God's Word has shed light on our path. God’s Word is telling us what kind of thoughts we need to focus our minds and our hearts on as beloved children of God. It says that the things we think or meditate on must be TRUE, NOBLE, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, OF GOOD REPORT, VIRTUOUS, and PRAISEWORTHY. And so from today onwards, purpose in your heart that you will measure everything you hear or every thought that crosses your mind by this yardstick God has given us. Whatever thought doesn’t meet God’s standard must be immediately discarded or purged out. Sometimes you may hear something that sounds honest or true but isn’t lovely or of good report; don’t set your mind and your heart on it, because it falls short of the measure of God’s standard of thoughts to allow. Always remember that you are in control of what thoughts get to occupy space in your heart and mind. Yes, the fact that God is commanding you to only allow and entertain certain kinds of thoughts means that you are in control of your thoughts. And this is good news. In fact, it is great news! You see, whenever you discover that something is under your control, you must rejoice and seize it as a great opportunity to take charge and make the changes you desire. As a believer, the Bible says that your spirit is already transformed and is a new creation that already has the mind of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17, with 1 Corinthians 2:16), but as long as you are in this world you are in charge of transforming yourself (or your bodily life) by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND (with the Word of God) so that your mind (that is, the mind of your body) will conform to that good and acceptable and perfect mind or will of God for you. (see Romans 12:2). In other words, God gave you your mind as an instrument for your transformation. And He urges you to use this instrument to chart a new and positive course for your life. God wants you to be transformed by studying His Word and renewing your mind with it until His thoughts become your thoughts, His words become your words, and His works become your works. God wants His fullness to be manifested in you. He wants you to live out all His exceedingly great and precious promises, and by so doing, to  (practically) be a partaker of the divine (or God) nature. (see 2 Peter 1:4).

I don't know what trials or afflictions you're going through today. Perhaps, you’re experiencing some challenges with your health, or the doctor has diagnosed you with a deadly sickness or disease, and you’re troubled and wondering what to do about your condition. But I want you to cheer up and realize that though the doctor's report may be a medical fact, in the eyes of God, such a report isn’t true, because it’s not in line with God's provisions for you that are revealed in His Word. The prophet Isaiah said, “Who has believed our report?” (see Isaiah 53:1). God’s Word is our report, and God’s Word is truth (see John 17:17); it is the only true report, and it is in our own interest to believe it. God’s Report is that Jesus Himself took up our infirmities and bore our diseases, and by His stripes we were healed and are healed. (see 1 Peter 2:24, with Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 8:17). Therefore, whatever report the doctor has given you is contrary to God’s report, so you have to decide which of the two reports you will believe; and I suggest you believe God’s report. Whatever condition you have been diagnosed with is not consistent with God’s report about you, so refuse to think or meditate on it with your heart and mind. Reject that condition in Jesus’ Name. Don’t think on it, and don’t say or utter it. Jesus said, "Therefore TAKE NO THOUGHT, SAYING,..." (Matthew 6:31 KJV). Saying something out or voicing it is basically how you take (hold of) a thought. And so Jesus is saying don't take (hold) of an evil or negative thought by saying it. When you focus on, process and say a thought, you give birth to that thought; you endorse it and give it substance. YOU GIVE IT POWER TO EXIST IN A TANGIBLE FORM AND TO RULE OVER YOU.

Indeed you cannot stop Satan from suggesting negative thoughts to you (because that is his job), but you can stop yourself from accepting those thoughts, focusing on them, processing them and saying them. You cannot stop others from saying you are sick, but you can stop yourself from saying, “I am sick.” As believers, we don’t walk by feelings or by sight; we walk by faith. When you voice a negative thought or condition by saying, “I am …(whatever negative condition it is)” or “I have … (whatever negative condition it is),” you endorse that condition as your own, as your new identity. In other words, you accept or choose Satan’s opinion (the lie that you're sick) over God's opinion (the truth that you're healed). And in that instant, that negative condition gains the right of mastery over you. (see Romans 6:16). This is also why the Bible says, "And no inhabitant [of Zion] will say, “I AM SICK”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity and guilt." (Isaiah 33:24 AMP). Every believer is an inhabitant of Zion. (see Hebrews 12:22). And so you should never say, “I am sick,” regardless of how you feel. Your confession must always be consistent with God’s opinion of you that is revealed in His Word. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that we must be careful with our confession or the words we speak, because on the day of judgment we will answer for every careless or idle word we have spoken. (see Matthew 12:36). Jesus knows the power of words; He knows that every word we speak is a seed we are sowing, which will take flesh and bear fruit, whether good or evil. (see Matthew 13:24-26; Mark 4:26-29). And so our confession is important to Jesus who is the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. (see Hebrews 3:1). Therefore, as a believer, always make sure to confess your true identity in Christ; always make sure that whatever you think or say after the words “I AM…” is true, pure, just, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy. Reject every thought that is contrary to the mind and will of God for your life. The Bible says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This means that even if you were born with a sickness or a curse, now that you’re in Christ, you don’t have it anymore; it’s passed away. Every old condition that you used to claim as your own has now passed away (or is dead; it’s gone). You are now a new creation – a perfect being that didn’t exist before. And you have been given ALL THINGS that pertain to LIFE and GODLINESS. (see 2 Peter 1:3). You now live in divine health. So sickness or disease no longer has a place in you. If you see any sickness in your body, it has no right to exist there, so you can command it to leave in the Name of Jesus. Sin also no longer has a place in you. Poverty, defeat and failure no longer has a place in you. Satan no longer has authority over you, praise God! You now have authority over Satan and his angels. The Bible says you have overcome them. Now, note that it doesn’t say you are trying to overcome them, or  you are about to overcome them, or you are going to overcome them; it says you HAVE OVERCOME them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (see 1 John 4:4). This is the consciousness that God wants you to have; this is how He wants you to think about yourself. And so this must be your new confession. You have overcome that sickness in your body, so don’t try to overcome it; just walk right out of it; speak to that sickness and say, “Get out of my body in Jesus’ name because I have overcome you!” Glory be to God!

Beloved, God wants you to have and maintain a victory mindset, because you are victorious in Christ. The Bible says, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). There is such a thing as the mindset of the righteous, and God wants you to have this mindset because you are righteous in Christ. This is why He has given you His Word to meditate on and renew your mind with so that you will be transformed not just in your quality of life, but foremost, in your pattern of thinking, not conforming to the ways of the world. (see Romans 12:2, with Joshua 1:8). May this be a reality for you. Remain blessed.

I share this message, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16 KJV).

To learn more, order my glorious book, "Spirit Life"

Unleash the Spiritual Man Inside of You

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NKJV).

Beloved, as new creations in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5 :17), the Bible says we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (see Ephesians 1:3). So our responsibility today is to take possession or take hold of all that belongs to us. We have to know all the things that have been freely given to us of God (see 1 Corinthians 2:12 ), and then take hold of them, “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” (see Colossians 1:12 NKJV). Purpose in your heart today that you’re going to enjoy or take hold of your share of the inheritance of the saints in the light. This is important because becoming a new creation, or being born into God’s family does not automatically give you full access to your inheritance in Christ. You cannot enjoy your full rights of sonship until you come to maturity in Christ. Yes, you are still an heir of God and joint-heirs with Christ (see Romans 8:17), but “What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.” (Galatians 4:1 NIV).

As a new creation in Christ, you fall into one of two categories: you’re either a Baby, or a Mature son; you're either a Carnal man (or woman) or a Spiritual man (or woman). The Carnal man is the baby Christian, or the new creation who has not developed or come into full maturity and so does not yet enjoy his full share of the inheritance of the saints in light. Such a man is governed by his senses (or what he can see, feel and hear), rather than by his spirit. Paul makes mention of the carnal Christian in his first epistle to the Corinthians, where he writes, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to SPIRITUAL people but as to CARNAL, as to BABES in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to  receive  it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still CARNAL. For where there  are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and BEHAVING LIKE MERE MEN?” (I Corinthians 3:1‭-‬3 NKJV). The carnal Christian behaves like a mere man, and walks like the men of the world. He has not learned to walk in love, and so is riddled with envy, strife, and selfishness. He has not renewed his mind with the Word of God to know that God has poured His love into the heart of the believer through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (see Romans 5:5). He has not caught a revelation of how much Christ has loved him, and so is yet to learn to walk according to the law of love. (see John 13:34-35; John 15:12). He has not yet learned to be an imitator of God, as a beloved child, walking in love even as Christ has loved him. (see Ephesians 5:1-2). In short, the Carnal or baby Christian is the Christian whose mind is not yet renewed. Peter tells us in his first epistle about how such a Christian can grow. He says, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, DESIRE THE PURE MILK OF THE WORD, that you may GROW thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (I Peter 2:1‭-‬3 NKJV,  emphasis mine).

In fact, almost every believer goes through the Carnal or babyhood stage. But we’re not supposed to remain babies forever or for too long. By reason of time, we are to grow and come to maturity and even become teachers. (see Hebrews 5:12-14). All that the baby or Carnal Christian needs to do to develop and come to maturity is to put on the spirit man (or the new man), by renewing his mind with the inspired Word of God. (see Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10). Feeding on the pure Word of God is how we grow up to become Spiritual men and women. And thankfully, God has given us the Holy Spirit  (see 1 John 2:27), as well as pastors, apostles, prophets, teachers, etc to help us in this regard. Paul wrote that God “Himself gave some to  be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11‭-‬13 NKJV).

Now, the Spiritual man is the new creation man who, through a continuous and committed study of the Word of God (with the help of the Holy Spirit), has renewed his mind and come to maturity as a complete man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. He is not governed by his senses, and so is not governed by natural laws. He has developed in the things of God (through the renewal of his mind with the Word of God) to a point where his spirit has gained the ascendancy over his intellect and his senses. He is not limited by natural laws, because He operates by a different law called "the law of faith." (see Romans 3:27). He is governed by the Word of God, by the law of faith. And with that comes endless possibilities. In fact, you cannot limit the Spiritual man, because all things are possible to him. Jesus Christ was a perfect example of the Spiritual man, and He was the One who made the astounding statement that "all things are possible to him who believes." (see Mark 9:23). Jesus Himself functioned on this earth by “the law of faith.” He defied all the natural laws. He walked on water as easily as He did on solid ground. (see Matthew 14:22-33). He bypassed the laws of nature by changing tasteless water into the finest wine. (see John 2:1-11). He defied the law of scarcity by feeding 5000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish. (Matthew 14:13-21; John 6:1-14). He defied the laws of medical science by healing all diseases, including diseases that science had classified as incurable. (see Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35). He even defied death by raising the dead back to life. (see John 11:41-44; Matthew 9:25 Mark 5:21-42). He defied the forces of nature, commanding the wind to be still and the storm to be calm. (see Mark 4:35-41). He defied the laws of banking by withdrawing money from the mouth of a fish -- turning it into the first ever ATM machine. (see Matthew 17:24-27). Jesus was a wonder to the natural man. He inspired such an awe that made Pilate proclaim: "Behold the Man!" (see John 19:5). He was indeed the Man! Jesus was the ultimate Spiritual Man. He was everything the New Creation man is in the spirit, and is capable of being in the body.

Beloved you are a new creation in Christ, so you are a giant in the spirit realm. The Bible says that as Jesus is, so are you in this world. (see 1 John 4 :17). This means that in your spirit, you are as perfect and powerful as Jesus Christ. You are a spiritual giant. But you have to unleash that giant that you are in the spirit realm into the physical realm, by renewing your mind with the Word of God and laying hold of the precious promises of God in Christ Jesus. You have to allow the Word of God to abide in you to a point where the Word gains ascendancy over your mind and body. You have to become one with the Word, and walk according to the Word, being in harmony with the will of God for this age. That is how you can take hold of all that belongs to you as a child of God. May you begin that journey today, if you haven't already. May you know all the things that have been freely given to us by God. May you know that you have been freely given the gift of righteousness in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:17), that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, which means that you have the ability to stand before God in fellowship without any sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority. May you know that you have been freely given the measure of faith. (see Romans 12:3). May you know that you have been given grace (see Ephesians 4:7); you are highly favored, because you are accepted in the Beloved (see Ephesians 1:6). May you know that you have been freely given peace and joy and love (see Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14; John 15:11; Romans 5:5). May you know that you have been given power (see Ephesians 1:19-20; Acts 1:8). May you know that God's divine power has given you all things that pertain to life and godliness  (see 2 Peter 1:3). May you know that He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world (see 1 John 4:4). May you know that you are complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:9-10). May you know that you share God’s divine nature. (see 2 Peter 1:4). And may you walk according to all that knowledge. May you be an imitator of God, as a beloved child, walking in love even as Christ has loved you. (see Ephesians 5:1-2). Remain blessed.

To learn more, order my glorious book, "Spirit Life"