Making Right Decisions

Making Right Decisions
Ephesians 4:22-24

Fill Your Mind with the Right Stuff…There are three specific areas to succeed:

• Fill Your Mind with Truth
This shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. I have equated truth with the person of Jesus, because Jesus is truth.

Paul tells us how to put on truth in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV) That means we are focusing on something bigger than us.

• Focus on The Eternal
Paul Told the Corinthians, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

If I want my mind to be made new, I have to focus my thoughts on those things that are eternal. That’s how Paul could face all the problems and persecution he was facing. He understood that there is more to life than just this little bit of time we spend on earth.

Paul then says:
• Set Your Mind on Things Above
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

John expresses this same principle from the negative perspective:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – come not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:15, 16 If you are having a problem…

Then Allow God to do the Work of Renewal
When Paul writes “be made new in the attitude of your minds”, he is using a passive verb that makes it clear that I am not the one doing the renewing. Someone else is doing that work in me. For example Romans 12:2 gives us the same verb,

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Paul uses the same passive verb to indicate that the one doing the work of renewal is God. But even though only God can do the work of renewal, I can either facilitate that process or hinder it. God will not force His way into my life for the purpose of renewing my mind. I have to allow Him to have access to my mind so that He can do the renewing. As we’ve seen, one way we do that is to make sure that we put the right stuff in our minds to start with.

I think the other major way we allow God to work is to spend time with him in prayer.
But it has to be the right kind of prayer – not the kind that views God as some genie in the sky who we go to in order to ask for a bunch of stuff – but rather the kind of prayer where we get away from all the distractions of the world and allow God to speak to us Spirit to spirit. Frankly, the purpose of prayer, as we see it modeled in the Bible, especially by Jesus, is to allow God to enable us to see things from His perspective. And when we approach prayer with that attitude, God is able to renew our minds as we walk with Him!

So Stick with it!
The key to success in your faith is making the right decisions...you are loved.