The mind can stop an elephant!
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2b NIV)
The mind can stop an elephant!
Your mind has the power to control you in exactly the same way that an elephant can be constrained by a very weak leg shackle. A 6-ton elephant could very easily tear loose from it and escape but he won’t even try because he “believes” he can’t escape! The elephant thinks like this because when he was very young and small a heavy shackle was placed on his leg. He fought it violently with all the strength he had at the time but eventually he gave up trying, and he never tried again no matter how big he eventually grew. Now as a full-grown elephant he can easily be controlled by even the smallest chain, even a string tied around his ankle will do.
The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7). And all kinds of studies, both Christian and secular, prove this to be correct. If you want to change your life you MUST change how you think.
The devil always attacks your mind!
He is “the deceiver” and robs by deceiving God’s people into believing that they are bound when they are not, “whom the Son sets free is free indeed,” (John 8:36). And there are thousands of promises in God’s Word that you can use to counteract all the devil’s attacks and change your life dramatically!
You can change your mind!
It boils down to simplicity as usual. “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” If a man sees himself poor, and unsuccessful, he will become so. It will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if God brings blessings and opportunity his way, he will scuttle it. He will “snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory!” He will always find excuses for failure. On the other hand, if a man sees himself successful and victorious, he will behave that way. He will not see things negatively, but will see only opportunity to succeed no matter what comes his way. This is the beautiful thing about filling your mind and heart with God’s Word. It changes the way you think. And, THAT turns everything around.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2a)