“Don’t go to Paris”
I looked up as I was brushing my teeth — no one was in the room except me and God. I had just heard that phrase in my mind. And I was almost certain that it was God.
My flight back to Stockholm wasn’t for a few days and Paris was just a short train ride away. I had planned on exploring the city by myself and spending time with God. But after hearing that thought, I was fighting with what I should do.
I prayed to God and asked that He would confirm His voice to me. Show me a sign. And give me assurance. Once I arrived at the train station, I checked with attendant to see about traveling to Paris. The next train leaving was filled. I took it as a sign from God and went to Geneva, Switzerland instead — where I had a great time.
Two days later I saw this on the news:
— Thank you Jesus.
In Romans 12:2 NLT Paul writes this, “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 learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Read that one more time.
The Bible explicitly says that if we allow God to change the way we think then we will become a new person being able to discern His perfect will. This is a wonderful promise! But how do we do this?
1. Capture Your Rebellious thoughts
This may come as a surprise to you but not all of your thoughts are your own. And since our thought life paves the way for our actions, this is where the enemy will attack the most. It’s important to discern which thoughts are from God and which are from the enemy.
2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT says, “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
Capturing rebellious thoughts starts with identifying which thoughts are of the enemy. This is easy to do. Thoughts from the enemy produce fear, anxiety, doubt, worry, lust, chaos, and deception — just to name a few. When you sense these thoughts coming to your mind immediately put a stop to them.
This requires you to intentionally say, “I disagree with that thought, and I repent (literally change your mind) for allowing this rebellious thought in my mind. Jesus give me a new thought that is true”
— And He will.
If you allow these rebellious thoughts to dominate your mind you will eventually walk down a path of disobedience that leads to death. It’s impossible to follow your flesh and find God’s will.
2. Align Yourself With God’s Thoughts
The thoughts you dwell on will become the reality in which you live. It’s totally possible to live out the realities of Heaven by agreeing with the thoughts of God.
Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT says, “8 My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
But the question is, how do you know the thoughts of God? Answer, by reading the Word of God.
That’s right, all of God’s thoughts are written in the Bible.
By fixing our focus on God and His Word we begin to renew our minds. This is what empowers us to be transformed into a new person, oftentimes instinctively know God’s will and always knowing His ways.
Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
