Make Up Your Mind to Manage Your Mind - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - January 12, 2022
Make Up Your Mind to Manage Your Mind By Rick Warren
“I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what.” Psalm 119:112 (CEV)
People who learn how to fight the battle in their minds live more effective lives.
If you want to learn to manage your mind, you have to be delivered from destructive thoughts. That isn’t easy because you are in a battle with three enemies trying to control your thoughts.
The first enemy is your old nature. Paul said in Romans 7:23, “There is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (NLT).
Do you ever find yourself doing things you don’t really want to do? That’s the battle in your mind between your old, sinful nature and your good intentions.
The second enemy is Satan. Satan cannot force you to do anything, but he can make suggestions. Those suggestions are incredibly powerful. He is constantly planting negative thoughts in your mind. He’ll use other people or what you watch on TV, or he’ll just throw a thought in your mind.
The third enemy is the world’s value system. Modern society rarely encourages self-discipline. Advertisements tell you, “You deserve a break today. Have it your way. We do it all for you.”
The Bible says in 1 John 2:16, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world” (NIV).
With enemies like that, no wonder people struggle with discouragement, despair, and failure!
So, how do you fight this battle? Look at what 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says: “Though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV).
You have a choice. Your mind has to listen to you. God didn’t give you just a mind. He gave you a will too!
The Bible says, “I have made up my mind to obey your laws forever, no matter what” (Psalm 119:112 CEV). The best time to win the battle with temptation is before it begins.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Help Share the Good News of Jesus with the World!
In God’s Answers to Life’s Difficult Questions, Pastor Rick Warren takes you to the Bible to find practical, life-changing guidance for some of life’s biggest struggles.
This book will help you:
- Cope with stress in a healthy, biblical way
- Find peace and confidence in times of crisis
- Rebound from failure and move forward with purpose
- Overcome loneliness and build meaningful relationships
- Experience real, lasting change through God’s truth
Request your copy today when you give to help take the hope of Jesus to the world through Daily Hope. And thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
