If you read Philippians 4:8, you will see that the title for this series comes from that scripture.

In this article I would like to address the subject of the mind.

There is a strong relationship between thoughts, feelings and behavior: Our actions begin in our thoughts! A thought is the father of the action. Remember, Christ reproved the scribes and Pharisees, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19).

We learn from early childhood to form our thoughts and perceptions in words, phrases and sentences. Even emotions such as anxiety, anger and elation actually are generated from our innermost thoughts. Many of our responses have become automatic; negative, self-defeating thoughts and anxiety-creating statements can become as automatic as driving a car or riding a bike.

Thoughts, positive or negative, grow stronger when watered and fertilized through constant repetition. That may explain why so many who are gloomy and negative stay in that mood, and why others who are cheery and enthusiastic continue to be so, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Frankly, brethren, happiness or joy is a matter of right thinking—not intelligence, age or position.

Our behavior is directly related to the thoughts we have in our memory bank; we can only draw on what we put there.

Ask yourself, what kind of performance would your car deliver if every morning before you left for work you scooped up a handful of dirt and put it into your petrol (gas) tank? Wouldn’t the engine cough and splutter, even refuse to start? The same is true in life. Narrow, destructive and abrasive thoughts produce wear and tear so that you can’t enjoy the life God intended you to.

Philippians 4:8 is about godly thinking; it is about producing happiness and joy every day in your life and the life of those around you. Christ said in Mark 7:20: “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man” (Revised Standard Version).

We are aware of some of our thoughts while others go unnoticed—but we can become aware of all our thoughts. We must become accurate observers of them. We must bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The battle of overcoming (Revelation 2:26; 3:12, 21) does not occur after we begin an action. The battle has already been either won or lost by that time. The battle is in the mind—in the thoughts that precede the action we chose to take.

The renewing of your mind is the change of your thinking (Philippians 2:5) so that your outlook on life and the way you act conforms to that of God. Our thoughts must be Christ-like in order to enter the Kingdom of God. We must all nurture our minds with godly thoughts. To be effective thinkers, we must become good self-examiners (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

As Paul said, we need to be “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

The battle will continue, but we must ask ourselves: How many battles are we winning? In this last hour, the battle for your thoughts, your feelings and your behavior will intensify. We must all seek daily a controlled, godly mind—a mind that lives out Philippians 4:8.

Again, think on these things.