Teen’s Thought Life



WHO CONTROLS YOUR THOUGHTS?


(Prov. 23:7; Matt 12:33-37; Jh 8:31-32; Psa. 15:2)


I. WE BECOME WHAT WE THINK UPON:

1. Behind every sin are thoughts. (Prov. 23:7)

2. Sin is first conceived in the mind, then acted upon.

3. Our thoughts take the form of internalized sentences, or self-talk.

4. We twist truth in the mind. (cf Psa. 51:6)

5. We talk within ourselves about every thing of any significance to us.


II. WE BUILD A “TREASURY” BY WHAT WE THINK UPON:

1. The treasury of our heart is totally under our control. No one else has access to our minds or hearts. We are accountable for all the choices made in our thought life.

2. What is IN... will in due time... COME OUT. No one can put anything into
our thoughts or hearts but US. We are accountable for all that is in our hearts or our inner treasure.

3. We build a belief system over time about everything of significance. This is a
predominate part of our heart content.

a. A belief system is what we hold to, accept, have made our standard of truth.

b. A belief system includes all that we have accepted in our hearts. The things that we believe or accept about any given truth or concept becomes our belief system.

c. For example whatever we believe about marriage, or dating, worldliness, etc., is solely dependent upon all the things we have accepted as truth.

d. Our belief system is the total of all the things we have heard and pondered
and accepted as truth within any given area of thought. (II Cor. 10:3-5)

4. We build automatic responses by what is in our hearts.

5. Our habits, patterns of reaction, or inner programming becomes ours!

6. What we have put in -- will come out!

a. garbage in -- garbage out,

b. truth in -- truth out, lies in -- lies out,

c. anger in -- anger out,

d. resentment in -- resentment out,

e. envy, unkindness in -- envy, unkindness out,

f. criticalness in -- criticalness out.


III. WE WALK IN THE “FLESH OR THE SPIRIT” BY THE CHOICES OF OUR THINKING:
(Rom. 8:5-8; Gal. 5:16-17, 24)

1. We mind or obey with our ”minds” the things of the flesh, or we mind with our “minds” the things of the Spirit.

2. We make the choice of a walk in sin, in the flesh sin-nature, or we make the choice to walk in the control of the Holy Spirit.

3. No one has access to your mind or makes your choices -- BUT YOU!

4. Out of the flesh (Rom. 7:18; Gal. 5:19-20; Eph.4:17) or sin nature comes all kind of sin. Lust, jealousy, pride, envy, evil thoughts, strife, etc., all come from the heart (See Mark 7:21-23.), and the decisions we make about our walk.

5. The Holy Spirit, if we yield to Him, would produce:

a. His fruit, Gal. 5:22-23
b. His power, Acts 1:8;
c. His love, Rom. 5:5
d. His control, Eph. 5:18


IV. WE ARE IN A MENTAL WARFARE-- AND SATAN WANTS TO CONTROL US: (II Cor. 10:3-5)

1. Our enemy defeats us in the “arena” of the thought life. (From this comes our attitudes.)


2. We are to recognize sinful imaginations, evil thoughts and desires that come from the lusts of the flesh.

3. High things must be cast down -- high things of philosophies, psychological beliefs, and all ideals, ideas, teachings of the world that are contrary to truth.

4. We are to bring every “thought” unto obedience to Christ. (Jh 15:9-11)

5. We have “idols of the heart” they are produced by our thoughts.... as we
build desires... reactions... affections, etc.


6. We build a programming of sin within... or habitual sin practices..... in mind, emotions or affections as well as behavior.


V. WE MUST MAKE THE CHOICE -- TO:

1. Choose Right Thoughts -- (Phil. 4:18; Prov. 23:7; 4:23)


2. Cleanse Your Thoughts -- (Psa. 139:23-24; Psa. 19:14; 51:10)


3. Fill Your Hearts with the Word of God -- (Phil. 4:8; Psa. 1:1-3;
Matt. 12:33-35


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