Do you speak out of both sides of your mouth? Many Christians do without realizing it. On one side they claim victory in Jesus Christ: “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). On the other side, they talk about their shortcomings and failures. You do understand you get to keep what you fight for, don’t you? Clearly, there’s a need for the renewing of the our mind; otherwise, most of us wouldn’t say half the stuff we do. With Holy Spirit’s help, it may be a good idea to take inventory of the things you constantly say. Then compare them to the Word of God. You may be surprised how inconsistent some of the things are with Scripture.
This brings us to another consideration: what are the sources of information you rely on? There are many so called experts who site so called facts. Have you ever been amused by statements some have made, which turned out to be false? How interesting it is when some new study reveals something is bad for you; and then years later, another new study totally contradicts it. And yet, if we simply listen to Holy Spirit, we can do the right things while leaving the wrong things alone. This may not seem like a big deal until you realize you’ve come to believe something false. Your life is greatly impacted by your beliefs. Some of these so called studies can cause you to believe untruths which hamper your faith. Yes, there are valid studies, many of which actually reveal the veracity of the Bible. But consider Paul’s exhortation to Timothy: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).
The wisdom of man never supersedes God’s wisdom. And yet, many focus more on human opinion than His. Some cling to some self-help guru’s supposed insights, and neglect God’s Word altogether. Sure, we can gain a lot of knowledge from one another, but keep in mind that which is worthy of holding onto conforms to the Word of God; or at a minimum, does not contradict it. The majority of those in the various self-help spaces have good intentions, and many are very helpful. That being said, good intentions don’t necessarily make what they disseminate correct.
Nothing critical intended here, but consider some examples of these things. Some say, “Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic,” or “Once an addict, always an addict.” If you fight for your “disease,” you get to keep it. For a non-believer, these statements may have some validity, but how do these align with what Jesus said? “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). What does Scripture say about who you are? 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. So, which is it: are you stuck in your former lifestyle, or are you free in Jesus Christ? What do you actually believe? Having a true encounter with the Lord changes everything! Many have testified of being set free from bondage to numerous things by a single moment with Jesus. John 8:32 If ye continue in My Word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Abiding in the truth conforms our thinking to His, and that changes everything!
How many are limiting themselves, even making themselves old before their time? “I can’t!” “I’m getting too old for this!” Yes, the time will come when our bodies will completely fail. We’re all appointed to die; but until then, stand on the Word. Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Look at this statement about Moses: “And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force (vigor) abated” (Deuteronomy 34:7). Moses remained strong and vigorous until the day he died, and we have a better Covenant. To be sure, he was God’s anointed, but aren’t you as well? If you’re in Jesus, you’ve been anointed. Look it up, it’s in the Bible. Of course, how we steward ourselves affects our quality of life. If you fight for old age, you can get it faster if you like.
What are you fighting for? If you want rejection and loneliness, you can have it. If you want a “bad memory,” it’s yours for the asking. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. On a side note concerning memory: on one level, it’s more about the memory being trained or untrained. Unless something traumatic happens to the brain, there’s no such thing as a bad memory. As believers, we have Holy Spirit to bring things to remembrance. Should you ever say, “I have a bad memory,” or “I’m bad with remembering names,” think again. Consider a new thought! These are just a few examples to get the ball rolling. Do the inventory. What are you fighting to keep?
