What Does The Bible Say About Changing your Mindset

Hey Friend!

Are you feeling stuck? Do you struggle with a worldly mindset, negative thinking, or getting caught up in all the small stuff? If this is you, get ready to be encouraged. Your mindset matters! In this blog, I dive into, what does the Bible say about changing your mindset, why it matters and how to change it. It’s time to renew your mind!

Feeling Stuck? What Does the Bible Say About Changing Your Mindset?

Mindset is very important in the Bible; the mind is mentioned over 160 times in the New Testament alone! So, what is mindset? Merriam-Webster defines mindset as a “mental attitude or inclination” or “a fixed state of mind.” It’s essential that any time we are going to alter something about ourselves, whether that is our mind, body, business, or even conversations, we’ve got to put it through the scripture filter! Instead of simply following whatever we find online, which may not be biblically based. 

We know that the mind does matter. One of my favorite verses for this is Romans 12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Not only is our mind something we should focus on as a believer, but we are also called to transform ourselves by renewing our minds.

To transform, according to Merriam-Webster, means to “change in composition or structure, to change in form or appearance, or to cause a cell to undergo genetic transformation.” Transformation in this verse means literal change, to become a new person. The renewing of our minds is so critically important because we can actually be transformed.

Why do we want to transform our minds?

What is so important that we want and need to transform our minds? Here are three reasons why we need to.

1. Impact our actions

The word mind in Greek means thoughts, reasoning, and views. So, if we allow our thoughts, reasoning, or views to be negative or worldly in any way, it can impact our actions. Because our minds control our thoughts, and our thoughts link directly to our actions. Transforming our minds allows us to move from worldly actions to God-centred actions.

2. Stop holding us captive

Our thoughts in our minds can hold us captive. Our minds have so many narratives, stories, and thoughts about why you should or shouldn’t do something, your beliefs, and even lies about yourself. It can hold you captive from God’s path for your life.

3. Stop tricking us

Our minds can trick us or others. Our minds are susceptible to strongholds, lies of the enemy, and stories about God, us, or others. 

It’s so important for ourselves and others around us we transform our minds so that we don’t fall into any of these, and put more negativity and brokenness into the world, creating poison for the people around us.

Four steps to change our mindset

1. Live according to the Spirit and let your mind be governed by the Spirit.

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires. But, those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6

Are you living flesh-forward or Spirit-forward? This means that we take the backseat, and Holy Spirit steps up; that we are Holy Spirit led. It means we surrender and actively ask for help in every area of life, from what we say, to how we act and react. 

We do this because, as this verse says, the mind governed by the flesh is death. It can’t get much clearer than that! Our minds can be controlled. So, the question is, who is governing your mind? Is it the flesh (and the world) leading to death? Or is the Spirit leading to life? 

This isn’t clear-cut for me; I’m not 100% governed by the Spirit all the time. It is a battle. We are human, and it’s okay to recognize when we aren’t being governed by the Spirit and then take it captive immediately and surrender it at the feet of Jesus.

2. Read scripture and fix it in your hearts and minds.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them to your foreheads.” Deuteronomy 11:18

If you want to change your mindset, read scripture. God tells us to fix these words of His (scripture) in our hearts and minds. For me, this means you read a piece of scripture, sit with it, journal and pray over it, and then apply it. 

I apply scripture to my life by going back to it in my prayer life and applying “God says” statements, His truth, over my life, family, and business. I also go into scripture to look for answers, asking what does God have to say about ____? 

Once we know the truth, we must fix it in our minds and hearts. This might look like writing the verses down or re-reading them to ourselves when we come up against thoughts or situations and our minds are being governed by the flesh to go back to God’s truth.

3. Let God test you and examine your mind.

“Test me, Lord, and try me. Examine my heart and mind.”  Psalm 26.2

The third step is to let God test you. We often put barriers between our thoughts, minds, and reality to not let God in. It can be icky in there, so we don’t even want to look at our thoughts. But we need to let God in! Letting God examine your heart and mind might look like praying a prayer like this:

Lord, I’ve been having this thought (or these negative thoughts). I need you to examine and prune my thoughts, pull the weeds. Show me how to release this. Please give me the resources, the books, the scriptures, the mentors, or just the peace, whatever it might be, to relinquish these thoughts and negativity. And test me, find out where the weeds are; maybe I don’t even see the weeds. Lord, please bring them to light so that I can pull them.

4. Love God fully with all of your mind.

“Love the Lord with all of your heart, mind, and soul.” Mark 12:30

So the fourth step to changing your mindset is to love God fully. The number one commandment is to love the Lord with all we are, including our minds. As the negative thoughts come in, ask yourself, am I glorifying God right now? In both your actions and your thoughts. It’s such a quick question to banish negative thoughts.

The outcome of transformation

When we combine the four steps, we get the most amazing outcome; we get to be transformed (Romans 12:2)! I feel so refreshed to know that I don’t have to live with this negative mindset, that I don’t have to be governed by my flesh. It’s freeing, peaceful, and right to know that Holy Spirit can take over and help me be transformed completely, from the inside out.  

You can renew your mind with God. By loving God with all our minds, allowing Him to examine our thoughts, fixing His words (scripture) in our minds, and living governed by the Spirit. While it is hard because we are in a battle, it truly is that simple. I pray that God will help us dig into His word more deeply, bring His words to life and internalize them in our minds so that we can live out His truth and bring glory to Him.

I pray this blesses you!

Xo,

Stef

P.S. Also, listen to podcast episode 503 for the full training on Devotional Bible Study: What Does The Bible Say About Changing your Mindset?

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Friend, are you struggling with negative thinking? Let God’s truth help you to transform your mindset and glorify the Father!

Download or print my free Spiritual Battle Plan Workbook! You can follow along in the workbook while listening to podcast episode 490.

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