Colossians 3:1-3
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

INTRODUCTION

Do you have problems controlling your thoughts? Perhaps you struggle with negative, ungodly thoughts. What you think determines where you end up in life, so it's vital that you learn to master your mind.

The Bible is full of truth about the importance of controlling our minds. The consequences of allowing the mind to wander for godly things are stated below:

Unbelievers set their minds on what comes naturally to humans—pursuing sensual, selfish or materialistic things

Romans 8:5-7
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things take please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God, It never did obey God laws, and it never will.

God gives disobedient people over to their depraved minds

Romans 1:28
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done.

We have to be careful that our minds aren't led away from pure devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:2-3
For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband – Christ. But I fear somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

Controlling our thoughts is a vital part of spiritual warfare

2 Corinthians 10:4-5
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.  We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

Physical power we use not, but divine power over spiritual strongholds.

Therefore brethren, how can our transformation into new creatures affect our thought lives?

The Holy Spirit enables us to walk out the Christian life. We died to our old life, and were raised to walk in newness of life. It is like turning from a caterpillar into a butterfly. We soar high on wings like eagles. We run and not grow weary. We walk and not faint. It is called inner ability to do things that are beyond our human capability. This is no illusion as some might say. This is reality. Test the Lord and see that the Lord is good.
We can learn to view ourselves primarily as children of God: born-again and citizens of heaven. We have the mind of Christ meaning that we agree with Him about what's good and evil in this world. We share His values and begin to think like Him.

2 Corinthians 2:16
To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

Back in the Roman times, during the victory march past, the captives and victors walk along the same road.  Incense and perfume was scattered along the parade route. To the captives, it meant the smell of death and gloom; to the victors, it was a sweet smell of victory. So it is with the lives of those who accept and proclaim the Good News, which either leads one to eternal life or damnation.

We have to guard our minds from the influence of the world. Example: watching soap operas, Indecency, contents of intimate nature and most especially controlling our wandering eyes. We must prepare by being alert to erroneous thinking.

1 Peter 1:13-15
So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in EVERYTHING YOU DO, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

There is an adage that goes along these lines:

"Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a destiny."

Matthew 6:33-34
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

If you want to be happy, even in difficult times, you must think rightly. How do you do that?

Screen your thoughts. Let the Word of God be the grid of your mind. Reject the thoughts that aren't compatible with the Bible. Ask yourself these questions:

What's the source?
Where will it lead me?
Is this scripturally sound?
Is this thought going to build me up or tear me down?
Can I share this thought with someone else?
Does this thought make me feel guilty?
Does this fit who I am as a follower of Jesus?

Reject ungodly thoughts. If you ask yourself the questions above and realize the thought isn't godly, choose not to think about it again. Dwell on things that are good and practice living out those thoughts

Always be full of Joy.
Be considerate in all that you do.
Stop worrying about issues, but pray to God about it.
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.

Then apply Philippians 4:9 to your life

“Keep putting into practice all you have learned and received from me. Everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Practice makes perfect. Work towards perfection and watch yourself grow into maturity and become more like CHRIST. Cultivate (promote, develop, nurture, rear, uphold, advance, cherish, support, encourage and grow) godly thoughts.

CONCLUSION

Who you will be in the future is a result of what you think in the present. If you don't like where you're headed, begin to think godly, positive thoughts, and God will change your destiny.

God bless.

.

Well done yommy. In tune with the scripture that THE TOUGHT OF FOOLISHNESS IS SIN. We need to watch our thoughts so they don't damn us.