Mind Games: Conquering Anxious Thoughts
Movement Live Notes
Family and friends, we have spent the last few weeks discussing mind games. During these discussions, we have seen many who tell themselves, "I am not good enough" or "God can't use me." Brothers and sisters, it is essential for us to remember that what we confess with our mouths, we will believe in our hearts. We have been talking about as we think, so our actions will be. In the same way we must guard our hearts, we must guard our thoughts.
Our narrative scripts have an impact on our thought processes. Many of us have allowed our thoughts to push us toward things that are antithetical to the will and way of God. It is crucial for us to take those thoughts captive so that we can purposefully move in the direction of Christ Jesus. Our lives will always move in the direction of what our most substantial thoughts are. Take a moment and consider what you are thinking about right now. Truly consider it. The fact of the matter is whatever you were thinking about most, your body will move towards that said thought.
Often times our thoughts create anxiety within us. Life itself, along with where our world is politically and civilly, causes anxiety. Many factors participate in increased anxiety. This happens for most people, including believers. Many of us ask the question, "how do we conquer our thoughts and anxious thoughts?" Scripture says in Matthew 6:27, "And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?" Anxiety and worry are products of duplicitous minds. While remembering the battle that we must fight constantly is in our minds, we cannot allow our minds to be duplicitous, saying we trust God on the one hand, but we are worried on the other.
So, how do we deal with anxiety? Philippians 4:6-9 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything, worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” This is how we are to manage our anxiety. Paul laid it out for us so that we would be able to combat those thoughts that lead us away from the direction of Jesus.
Over the last few weeks, we have been working on rewiring our brains. It is of the utmost importance that we remember to be anxious for nothing and to pray about everything. "It's been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer, over an eight-week period, can change the brain to such an extent that it can be measure on a brain scan." Brothers and sisters, it has been proven that prayer really does change things. Our encouragement this week is to implement this practice. Let's be intentional to have those 12 minutes of unadulterated prayer time with God so that we can be better equipped to calm our anxiety and conquer our thoughts.
It is our prayer that this Movement LIVE experience and those in this series have been beneficial in helping us all rewire our brains and create new, better ways of dealing with mind games. Grace and peace.
