Ephesians 4:21-24(NLT)
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.
Heavenly Father instructs us to throw away our old sinful nature and former way of life, because within that old nature lies some pretty negative stuff; selfishness, addictions, bad behavior, and negative thoughts are just a few of the things that we need to put off. All of these things can hold you back and get in the way of your blessings—blessings that are stored up in heaven like a treasure chest waiting to be cracked open. For the single Christian women who desires to be married, this is good news indeed, because God has given us a way to burst open that treasure chest and receive all the blessings it contains.
In Ephesians 4:23, God tells us to let the Spirit renew our thoughts and attitudes. This is the key to unlock the treasure. The Spirit is a person. He has thoughts and attitudes that are directly in line with God’s Word. Any time that we calm and quiet ourselves to hear his directives, the Spirit is going to work in us. Philippians 2:13 (NLT) tells us “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” As we read and study God’s Word, and be obedient to it, the Spirit will renew some things that are worn out and tired. We are then in a better position to hear, perceive, and receive his guidance and direction. The Spirit’s instruction is so valuable to our lives that we should not make a move without it.
Jesus Christ said in John 16:13(NKJV), “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” The Holy Spirit that dwells on the inside of us has a direct line of communication to Heavenly Father; because they are one; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He, the Spirit, will convey information internally. He instructs us in this way so that there is no confusion or doubt about the power of God at work within.
Not only does Heavenly Father tell us what to do, but He tells us how to do it as well. Let’s say for example that you’ve met someone new, and they would like the two of you to start dating. What is one of the first things you should do before you proceed any further? The answer to this question is that you should ask the Father if this is the right decision for your life. You would seek God to make sure this is a person with whom you should invest time and energy. God will answer you through the Spirit within. This means you and I have to make it our business to create an internal environment where we can hear and discern guidance from the Spirit.
Questions like the one above are those that many single women neglect to pray about. They never ask God for answers, and they might also lack the patience to receive from Him. We cannot afford to follow a pattern of impatience and wrong choices. The Holy Spirit leads, guides and directs us into all truth. As you train yourself to think new thoughts and create an inner environment that is conductive to peace, you will hear what God is saying to you through the Spirit. This spiritual practice in Christ will help us to stay on the path to marriage.
Despite all our efforts to do good, there are times even after being on this Christian journey for many years that we slip into old patterns and behaviors. We’re not supposed to be on auto-pilot in the flesh and allow whims and lust to guide our decision-making. It takes real effort and discipline to control what we do, think, and say. It takes a concerted effort to change old negative and defeatist thoughts to those that honor God. This is something we must do to keep our goals and desires moving in a forward progression. We can’t expect for good things to happen to us and for us, when bad things come from our minds and mouths; that wouldn’t make sense. So if we keep our goals and desires in focus, we will never compromise, and we will continue doing what it takes to go higher spiritually and to please God.
We are created to have the nature of God, this means that we have the capacity to discipline our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. Change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process, but we must remember always that making mental adjustments to put on the mind of Jesus Christ is a part of our new nature, and it is absolutely critical to ultimately receiving the results out of life that we desire.♦
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Train Yourself to Think New Thoughts” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2016. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.