What does it mean to think like Jesus?  1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we now have the mind of Christ.

You may be thinking, that sounds great, but if I have the mind of Christ, why am I still battling with negative, toxic, fearful, or even sinful thoughts?

After all, Jesus’ brain was calm, mine’s chaotic
His was responsive, mine’s reactive
His was others-focused, mine’s self-focused
His was purposeful, mine’s procrastinating

And I think it’s admirable when we try to be like Jesus. Jesus was obedient, so we try to be obedient, Jesus was humble, so we try to be humble.  Jesus was gentle so we try to be gentle.  But We make the mistake of trying to copy his behaviors.  Nice effort but if we really want to be like Jesus, we must first learn to think like Jesus.

Since everything begins in the mind, we would do well to not only learn how to behave like Jesus but also THINK like Jesus

Nowhere in scripture does God say he will take over our out-of-control thoughts, but he did give us specific instructions on how we can.

So, let’s talk today about the 4 steps to training your brain to think like Jesus.

Step #1. Grab your partner. 

We have been given the mind of Christ but it is the Holy Spirit who saturates it with Godly wisdom. If Jesus didn’t do this alone, what makes us think we can? These were his words in John 5:19,
“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.

We too need a partner.  And in John 14, Jesus assures us that he is sending our partner, our guide in the Holy Spirit.

It is the Holy Spirit who will lead and guide your thoughts if you let him.  We must partner with him in order to retrain our brains to think like Jesus.

If you’re like most, you have years worth of gunk and junk polluting your mind.  From vile images to negative thought patterns.  Simply telling yourself to stop thinking a certain way doesn’t work.  If it did, then all we’d have to do is tell ourselves to stop eating cookies and the diet industry wouldn’t be a multi-billion dollar industry.

The truth is, we can’t do this on our own.  We need our partner. The one who has the power to renew our minds.  Invite the Holy Spirit to be your partner on this journey and you will be guaranteed success.

Step #2. Set your mind.

I have good news.  Your mind is yours to think however you wish.  and you have the power and authority to set it in whatever direction you want.

And Phil 4:8. “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

I get it, thoughts can bombard us with such ferocity that our mind feels invaded but that’s just one of the enemy’s tactics to get you to think that you have to pick up what he’s putting down.

This isn’t true.  If God mandates us to do something, it’s not without the tools and ability necessary to accomplish it.  In other words, he isn’t going to tell us something that we’re unable to do.

You have the power to set your mind to think how you want.  Jesus did.  His mind was set on this above.  I love how he told his parents after he was “lost” Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business?

Step #3 fill your mind.

Have you ever washed a dirty bowl? I mean a bowl that was filled with leftover junk?  If you’re like most, you allow the water to first run through the bowl until the junk runs over and out. that’s what God’s word does for us.  We’re filled with the junk from this world.  old experiences, toxic thoughts, anger, bitterness, lust and we ask God to clean us up.

Eph 5:26 reminds us that we are washed in the word.  I don’t know about you but my old self needed to be cleansed.  I don’t mean a little dab with a wet nap or a tiny sprinkle with the hose, I needed and continue to need to be washed (fully immersed) in his word until every ounce of that old stuff runs over and out.

Jesus when he came to this earth had to grow in the knowledge of God’s word.  He didn’t come already knowing scripture.  He too had to fill his mind.  If Jesus had to, how much more do we?

Step #4. Challenge your mind. 

There was a lesson that I learned in my mind renewal walk and that was “you can’t always trust the thoughts you think.” That’s why 2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.  you wouldn’t let a person into your home without interrogating them, would you?  You don’t just open your front door to allow whatever and whomever to waltz in and do whatever they want in your home.  Why do we allow it with our minds?  Instead, be as diligent with challenging thoughts as you are with who you let in your home.  find out what the intention of the thought is?  is it there to give you life or destroy you?

Is it sent by God or the devil?

This is your mind, don’t let any thought be given free rein.  Jesus must have battled in a similar way because Hebrews 4:15 tells us
“Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

Step #5. renew your mind.

Romans 12:2 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.

Never did you see Jesus tolerating, giving in, sugar coating, or “fitting in”. His mind was set apart from this world.  Yes, he lived IN it but he was no OF it. And neither should we be. If we will resist the ways of this world and fix our minds on how God calls us to live THEN we will be transformed.  I love the way 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us that we are being transformed into HIS image.

My friend, it is possible to have the mind of Christ.  It is possible to think like Jesus.  My prayer is that you will begin to take the steps necessary and by the power of the Holy Spirit may you be renewed and transformed.

Are you wondering just how toxic your thoughts are?  TAKE THE QUIZ.

If you are ready to replace overreactions with calm controlled responses.  If you are ready to learn how to control the chaos in your mind, I want to invite you to join us for our online course called Renew.  Renew will help you to control your mind and transform your life with its proven 4 step method to help you gain control of your thoughts and emotions before they control you and win the battle in your mind, check it out.

For a limited time, we are offering a gift of $50 off.  This course is typical $97 but for a limited time enter coupon code ‘mygift’ and receive $50 off the cost of the program.

My friend it is my heart to help you lasso those out of control thoughts and live a transformed life.