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).

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