Perspective
( 1 Pet. 1:13 ; Col. 3:1-3 ) Gird your mind is to control, guard, select what you are to put into it. Thus, be selective about what you read, hear and think about. All your thoughts are to please God, not self. Consciously thinking to please God allows the Spirit of God to be revealed in your spirit. We precondition ourselves by what we think, by what we believe, and by what we confess ( Prov. 4:20-23 ; Matt. 12:33-36 ).
Hope
( Eph. 4:23 ; Phil. 2:12-13 ) The spirit of the mind refers to the 'will' of the mind. By an act of my will, I will my mind to think thoughts pleasing to God, to disregard feelings, but to think on God's word only, an attitude change. Ask God to make you willing to will to do the will of God, to be strengthened by His presence.
( 1 Pet. 4:1 ; Luke 9:23-24 ) By suffering, I learn to die to self-pity, self-defensiveness, self-concern and self-interests. From that point on I am in the spirit responding to life from God's perspective, looking for opportunities to be a blessing, putting on the cross and allowing Jesus to live through me being a blessing to others. Arm self is to arm the mind, to set it do what God wants regardless of the pain: then healing comes - the Presence of God in the situation.
( Heb. 7:26 ; Heb. 9:14-15 ; Heb. 10:19-23 ) Once and forever our sins are paid for. No need to try to pay for our sins by self-pity, by promising to do better, going to church more often, giving more time and money, Jesus paid the penalty. We are free now to allow Christ to live through us, and in Him to do those things that are pleasing in His sight because our conscience is cleansed from guilt by His blood.
Change
( 2 Cor. 10:4-5 ) All things begin with a thought. A thought becomes an idea, an idea becomes an action, an action becomes a habit, and a habit becomes a character trait - good or evil. All thoughts develop into imaginations, these lead to strongholds - godly or ungodly.
( Phil. 4:6 ) When anxious moments come, let them come, just fix your mind on Jesus, replace negative thoughts with godly thoughts. Then, in time, confusion ceases, peace comes. What you sow, you will reap.
The key word is FIX :
FIX mind on what you will put into your head.
FIX mind on will, will to think right.
FIX mind to purpose, to determine, not to be moved by anything.
As Jesus set His mind to go to Jerusalem, to die on the Cross, do likewise, die to the old self thoughts, so that the new self in Christ can now live in your mind.
Work Out Your Salvation (Phil. 2:12-13)
2 Cor. 10:3-5 . Devotions on CONSTANCY : Firmness, steadfastness, determination, perseverance, resolution, faithfulness.
Takes time and repeated effort to succeed. When you fall, get-up, and start all over again, regardless of the number of failures, key is getting up and doing it all over again. God promises victory to those who patiently and through longsuffering keep on, keeping-on. Rest will come, then peace ( James 1:2-4 ). Inconstancy is a habit as well. One tries 2 or 3 times and gives up which becomes a pattern. Keep on, keeping-on until you are dominant and have control over your mind.
Example of a think-list: (See Section 5.2, “Transforming the Natural Self” )
Each time a negative thought comes, immediately think upon the blood of Jesus washing my sins away, forgiving me, and delivering me from the power of sin, making me white as snow, forgiving me, and delivering me from the power of sin. At the same time, pray for God's favor and grace also to be upon those who offended, who failed you or hurt you in any way ( Luke 6:27-28 ).
This opens the way for the Holy Spirit to be present within me to restore, to cure, and to heal my mind, my memories, my emotions, and my body ( Col. 3:10-14 ).
Continuously practicing being freed from the curse of the law, I place myself in the position to fulfill my role as a disciple of Christ by serving and meeting the needs of others ( Matt. 28:18-20 ).
God promises success and prosperity to those who read and keep His word. As I meditate on these promises, daily I am being conformed to His image, and daily I am rising above self and life's circumstances ( Joshua 1:8 ).