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The Battle of the Mind: Week 4

The Battle of the Mind: Week 4

Last Week: Majority of the battles we face start in the mind

  • We are not just physical beings, but spiritual beings

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV) — Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) — Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

  • What we allow to enter our mind will shape our thinking—once our thinking is shaped, we begin to live out the thoughts that we have

The Replacement Principle

  1.  Understand the Enemy
    • Liar and father of lies
  2.  Identifying the lies
  3.  Replacing the lies with truth

The Reframe and Rewire Principle

  1.  Reframe past, present and future circumstance from something negative to something positive
  2.  We have ruts in our brain, but want to dig trenches
    • This takes time—don’t give up!

Romans 12:2 (NIV) — Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

The Rejoice Principle

Philippians 4:4 (NIV) — Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

    • How do we do this?

Philippians 4:5-6a (NIV) — Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything…

    • Amygdala helps you make quick decisions in high pressure situations to keep you safe, and does it by dumping adrenaline into your brain giving you your fight or flight mentality.
    • Your Amygdala works the same way in physics threat situations as it does in mental or emotional threat situations
    • God gave us the Prefrontal Cortex which is the logical part of your brain that helps bring reason and clarity to whatever situation you are in or whatever thoughts you have

Philippians 4:6b-7 (NIV) — …but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

Prayer and Thankfulness

    • According to Dr. Caroline Leaf, “it has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an 8-week period can change the brain to such an extent that it can be measured on a brain scan.”
    • Dr. Alex Korb wrote this article called The Grateful Brain: The Neuroscience of Giving Thanks. In his article, he writes about how giving thanks can change your brain, lower anxiety levels, help you sleep and cause you to have less aches and pains.

1 Thess. 5:16-18 (NLT) — Psalm 145:17-19 (NLT) — Psalm 106:1 (NLT) — Phil. 4:8-9 (NIV)

 

Practical Application

    • Write out a list of as many things as you can think of in your life that you are thankful for.
    • Start your day out by praying for 12 minutes.

Small Group Discussion

Scriptures to Consider: 1 Kings 19:9-13 — Phil. 4:4-7 — Hebrews 4:16 — Psalm 145:17-19

Questions

  1.  When have your emotions led you to make a really good (or really bad) decision?
  2.  On a scale from 1-10, how significantly do your emotions affect your thought life? 1 being not at all, 10 being they affect all my thoughts.
  3.  What circumstances or dynamics exist in your life right now that regularly create anxiety for you?
  4.  Read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:9-13, what can you do to lean in and hear God’s whisper among all the wind, fire, and earthquakes going on around you now in this circumstance?
  5.  How do you keep your emotions in check when making decisions?
  6.  How does rejoicing or thankfulness change your perspective? How does that affect your emotions?
  7.  When are you most likely to rejoice? What makes it hard for you to rejoice?
  8.  Who do you know that is consistently joy-filled? What about them makes you say they are joyfilled?

For more resources go to: https://bit.ly/Mindbattle