Week 2 – The Power of Vision Devotional by Pastor Mark Cowart
Your life is always going to follow your most dominant thoughts. The scriptures have a lot to say about how we think and what we can do to change our thinking. As you explore this with me, write down what you discover, as the Holy Spirit illuminates it to you. This is most important in getting ahold of your vision from God. And one key to that is this:
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. – Matthew 6:33 NKJV
The vision we seek is not for our own needs. This verse tells us our part is to seek that of the Kingdom, and all we need
will be “added.” We need to know this from the start and keep it in mind.
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. – Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
Then we must renew our mind. Changing your thinking is going to be one of the easiest and most difficult things you’ve ever done. It may seem at times that it would be easier to conquer another kingdom than to get your own mind subdued and controlled. Fortunately, we have in our hands the most powerful thing in the earth, the Word of God, the Bible. It is not the word of men and their opinions about God. It is the Word of God.
God has chosen His Word as the means by which He reveals himself. He has packaged His power into His Word. The scripture says that when God wants to deliver us from destruction, or he wants to heal us, He sends His Word. But then, that Word has to be received and meditated upon to become powerful rhema revelation to you. As your mind is thus renewed, you can begin to experience the power of right thinking.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:2 NKJV
The Greek word here for “renew” means to renovate, like a house that needs work but is structurally sound enough to put some resources into rather than demolish it. Never forget that God can make a message out of our mess, if we will give it to Him. God has a vision for your life, a plan that He custom designed, tailor-made for each of you.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; - Psalm 139:17-18 NKJV
The doorway to your heart is your thinking. There, at the gateway to your mind, must be the first guard post to watch over your heart. Thus, the scriptures say:
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; - I Peter 1:13 NKJV
Put on salvation as your helmet.… - Ephesians 6:17 NLT
Many people let any old thing come into their mind and enter their thinking. We live in a world right now where we are bombarded with ideas that we should not entertain. You need to understand that your mind is a holy place, a sacred place, and have discernment regarding what you let in there. We have locks on our homes to keep out what we don’t want in there. Likewise, we must reject thoughts from the world and the devil.
A powerful medium for injecting thoughts into our minds is movies. In the early days of this type of art or entertainment, Christians were the influencers in our culture that could make or break a film by way of approval or censure. In the same way, there is a movie playing in your mind that has been programmed by what you’ve allowed into your thoughts and given a place there. Again, let me remind you that your life is going to follow your most dominant thoughts. If you want to change your life, you have to change your thinking. This takes time and sustained focus.
I’ve told the story of how, as a hungry young believer, new to following Christ, I listened to radio broadcasts, cassette tape teachings and read, studied and meditated on the scriptures in between church services. Over time my mind was renovated – the ungodly thoughts removed and replaced by the Word of God.
You get your spirit full of the Word of God, and your soul, including your mind, will and emotions, gets renewed. Then you can begin to experience the power of right thinking.
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul (mind, will and emotions) and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. - I Thessalonians 5:23 KJV
Father, I ask in the name of Jesus Christ that your Spirit would bring to my remembrance everything that is necessary for my breakthrough. Help me now to overcome my own ignorance. Give me strength for the work of renewing my mind by getting my thoughts aligned with your Word. Amen.
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