Posted in Encouragement, Leadership, Parenting, Success

Reboot Your Joy by Revamping Your Thinking

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We’ve talked about 3 ways to reboot your joy. We reboot our joy with gratitude, we reboot our joy by changing our perspective, and we reboot our joy by changing our words. However, none of these changes are really achievable without renewing your mind – you gotta revamp the old thinking patterns to line up with what God says – that’s our topic today.

Everything starts with a thought.

Question?

How often do you stop to check if your thoughts line up with the Word?

Bondages start in the mind, the Bible calls them strongholds, and God wants to set us free from thoughts that hold us back from becoming all God created us to be.

2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT sums this thought up well

“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” 2 Cor 10:4 NLT

Let’s talk for a minute about the word STRONGHOLD.

Definition: A place that has been fortified to protect itself from attack.

From our earliest years, we all develop wrong thinking in areas because of our experiences.

As time goes on, these become strongholds that the enemy fortifies in our mind; and they become the filters through which we view ourselves and our world.

But God . . . has given us the weapons we need to bring down these strongholds.

You and you alone have the power to change your thinking.

Romans 12:2 “(YOU) Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.” ISV

This is not a suggestion: it’s a command

RENEW’, v.t. L. renovo; re and novo, or re and new.
1. To renovate; to restore to a former state, or to a good state, after decay or depravation; to rebuild; to repair.

I like to say it overwriting our bad programming.

Bondages start in the mind and God wants to set us free from thoughts that hold us back from reaching our potential.

Hints your thinking is off: If you use words like always and never frequently.
If you tend to assume you know what others are thinking.
Does your mind always go to the worst case scenario first?
Do you entertain self degrading thoughts?
How about having a knock down drag out in your mind with someone that in reality has never happened?

If you could answer yes to any of those, try applying these tips.

1. Think about what you’re thinking about. Catch it at the first thought.

2. Use negative emotions that seem to hit you out of no where as red flags to check your thinking.

3. Run your thoughts through the “Does what I’m thinking line up with what God Word says filter?” Phil 4: 8 is this thought true, lovely, worthy of praise?

4. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. This is called the Law of Replacement and few people ever do this, because it seems too easy.

5. We all need accountability to stay on track. We also need someone who loves us enough to point out our blind spots.

The best way I know of is to get involved in a small group with people who love you and will help you keep your focus on those things that matter most. If you don’t have access to a small group, find an accountability partner.

Posted in Encouragement, Leadership, Reflection, Success

Reboot Your Joy By Changing Your Words!

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So far, we’ve talked about 2 ways to reboot your joy: to review: we reboot our joy with gratitude, and we reboot our joy by changing our perspective.

Both of these are related, and really are like seeds that you plant to yield a crop.

The type of seeds you plant will dictate the type of crop you get.

Today, we’re going to talk about rebooting your words.

For yourself, your words are both seeds you are plantling now, and the fruit of the seeds we’ve planted in the past, they reveal

our level of gratitude.
our perspective and
what we’ve been thinking about.

If the words we speak are seeds, we plant them in our own soul and conscious and subconsicious mind.

Even scientific research shows you believe more of what you hear yourself say about yourself than what you hear others say about you.
For other people, and for ourselves too, our words are seeds that produce life or death.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 nkjv

The power of the tongue is life and death— those who love to talk will eat what it produces. Proverbs 18:21 isv

So why are our words such a big deal?

To find the answer, we need to go to Hebrews 11:3 and the first chapter of Genesis.

Heb 11:3 the New Living version says it the clearest: By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Now lets go to Genesis for clarification:

When God created the earth, He used words.

That was His creation vehicle.

8 times in the first chapter of Genesis, it says – “then God said” . . . and whatever He said, is exactly what happened.

Interestingly, the number 8 in the Bible symbolizes new beginnings.

And as if on que, that 8th, “then God said” was talking about Him creating us; and because we were created in His image, our words have power too.

Our words are so powerful that it is like a self fulfilling prophecy. So . . . what are you prophesying over yourself, your spouse, your kids, friends etc.

To compound this . . .

In Matthew 18:19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. NLT

This Scripture is talking about the power of agreement.

Who have you been agreeing with?

Any time we choose to believe and speak what our own soul, mind, or the enemy tells us about ourselves and others, instead of what God says, we are agreeing with the wrong side of the equation.

Have you been in agreement with the enemy? Believing and speaking what he says about you and those in your sphere of influence.

“Nothing is ever going to change.”

“I’m an idiot,”

“I never do anything right.”

I know I’ve been guilty of this. I love it that I have people in my life who love me enough to bust me when I do this. I know better, but sometimes I still fall into the trap.

So, if we want to increase our own personal joy let’s look at what the word says.

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! Proverbs 15:23 NKJV

Here are 3 ways to increase your joy

1. Determine you will speak life not death – take time to think before you speak, ask yourself will this build up or tear down?

2. Speak in due season – ask yourself is this the right time? The right thing at the wrong time is still wrong.

So many people these days struggle with depression. We never know what impact our words of kindness will have on them. You may be the voice of hope in their life.

How many times have you said something encouraging to someone only to have them tell you, “That is exactly what I needed.” Or, “You don’t know how much that meant to me.”

3. When you’re short on joy, find someone to encourage. When you lift others, you automatically lift yourself.

Words are a gift from God use them wisely!