The Mind of Christ – Thinking Takes Practice

John 8:32 (NLT) 

    And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Mark 12:30 (NLT) 

    And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'

1 Cor. 2:6-16 (NLT) 

1. To love God with all our minds is to have the mind of Christ, in other words, it is to think about everything from the perspective of Christ

2. Do not let our past experiences conclude what we should or should not think because bad experiences can be due to immaturity

The greatest battles in life are fought in the mind

Romans 7:21-23 (NLT) 

    It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. [22] I love God's law with all my heart. [23] But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

3. A victorious life always begins with a change in our thinking

Romans 12:2 (NLT) 

    Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

Our past experiences, fears and failures do not ultimately define us, but simply accepting by faith what God says we can accomplish through Him

Philip. 4:13 (NKJV) 

    I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

4. Thinking in a wise way and with the mind of Christ requires practice through a constant renewing of our mind by…

Col. 3:10 (NLT) 

    In its place you have clothed yourselves with a brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as you learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within you.

i. Monitoring and changing our thinking according to the mind of Christ

Acts 3:19 (NIV) 

    Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

ii. Doing our daily devotions

Joshua 1:8 (NLT) 

    Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.

Psalm 1:2 (Msg) 

    Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.

Proverbs 4:1 (CEV) 

    My child, listen closely to my teachings and learn common sense.

iii. Cultivate a habit of reading and make an effort to learn from the wisdom of others

Proverbs 18:15 (CEV) 

     Everyone with good sense wants to learn.

Proverbs 28:26 (Msg) 

    If you think you know it all, you're a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.

“Many times I am asked if there are aspects of my ministry I would change if I were starting again.  Throughout my ministry I've been under pressure to go to too many places and speak too much.  My study time has suffered.  If I had to do it over again, I would speak less and study more.”   Affirmation IX by Billy Graham, Lausanne Conference