Think On These Things

"Think On These Things" – Philippians 4:8 Peace does not come only from what God does for us, but from what we decide to think about each day. The spiritual battle almost always begins in the thought life, and whoever governs his mind strengthens his heart. The message walks through the key words of Philippians 4:8 — true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue — and joins them to Colossians 3:2, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 10:5 and Psalm 19:14 to teach how to direct the mind: to set the affection on things above, to renew the understanding, and to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

I. The church is not entertainment, and lukewarmness settles nothing.

A. The kingdom of heaven is for the valiant; only the valiant take it by force.

1. Salvation was not earned by deserving it: He paid it all, and any sacrifice of ours stands at zero.

2. There is one thing God does not tolerate, and He says He spews it out: lukewarmness.

3. In the church of Christ what is taught is the knowledge of who God is, not entertainment.

B. To have a message every day one must be wrapped up in the Scriptures.

1. Scripture is the book that sets us free: it breaks the chain and removes the curse.

2. The Holy Spirit preserved this book so that you might have it today.

II. “Think on these things”: peace begins in what is thought.

A. What you think each day is always for your own benefit.

1. We look for solutions to problems, but praying in the morning does not strike us as remarkable.

2. Thinking leads to reasoning, and the mind sends messages minute by minute.

B. The spiritual battle often begins in the thought.

1. You feel a pain and already you are dying; the future troubles you and the thought runs wild.

2. Whoever governs his mind strengthens his heart.

3. Worries must be replaced with biblical truth.

C. Filter what we hear and guard against what contaminates.

1. There are memories that oppress and paralyze; seek what edifies.

2. According to what you let into your life is how you hear the singing and the Word.

III. Directing the mind so that it produces.

A. It is not denying problems, but not letting them rule the mind.

1. No one else will harm you: it is your own mind that will harm you.

2. The mind must be led to produce peace and emotional stability.

3. The mind is what you heed least and what you must work on most.

B. Cultivate spiritual clarity: I am a spiritual person.

1. These are not empty positive thoughts: it is thinking aligned with biblical truth.

2. To align the thought is to set it in a straight line, for today it says one thing and tomorrow shouts another.

C. Paul speaks of the inner thought, not only of outward conduct.

1. “Nobody loves me”: begin yourself to love, for to love is to give, to give oneself.

2. Christ was denied and sold by His own, and did not stop loving: He gave His life on the cross.

3. What you feed your mind ends up forming your character and your peace.

IV. The key words Paul leaves us (Philippians 4:8).

A. True, honest and just.

1. True: what is neither lie nor deceit, though it is easier to dwell on deceit.

2. Honest: worthy of respect; people are to be respected.

3. Just: upright before God and men, cheating no one and not living only for himself.

B. Pure, lovely, of good report, and virtue.

1. Pure: clean in intention, with no double-minded games.

2. Lovely: the one who produces grace and kindness.

3. Of good report: that your name be mentioned for something good you did.

4. Virtue: what is worth admiring.

C. You make up the body of Christ.

1. We cannot say whatever we please nor behave as ill-bred people.

2. You do not only lose yourself: you ruin your own and the generation being raised.

V. Set your affection on things above (Colossians 3:2).

A. We have only one life; there is no second chance at it.

1. Salvation is free, but a life lived as God is pleased with will carry a reward.

2. One life: you either adorn it or you strip it.

B. Give priority to the spiritual over what is passing.

1. The values of the kingdom, the eternal purpose, the character of Christ.

2. It is not abandoning earthly duties, but not letting them govern the inner life.

3. If the mind looks at the earthly: constant worry; if it looks at the eternal: peace and purpose.

C. Make decisions thinking of the testimony and of Christian character.

1. The honest question is: does this have eternal value?

2. True success is not the material, but a life set in a straight line with what God called.

VI. The renewing of the understanding (Romans 12:2).

A. To renew the understanding is to make it new.

1. You know your mind was renewed because you are no longer the same, nor do you speak what you presume.

2. God keeps changing the way we think, feel and decide.

3. It means leaving beliefs that do not come from God and old patterns of thinking.

B. Let the Word mold the mind and the heart.

1. We say whatever comes to our mouth because we do not read the Word.

2. Truth produces liberty: the Word shall make you free.

3. The result is discernment: no one will fool you, and wiser decisions are made.

VII. Bringing every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:5).

A. It is not a physical fight: it is a fight of ideas, reasonings and thoughts.

1. An imagination is the inner excuse, the idea that contradicts the truth of God.

2. Not every thought is right merely because we feel it.

3. High things are intellectual or spiritual pride that says: I know more than God.

B. The image is military: a soldier who takes his enemy prisoner and never lets him go.

1. No one can bind you: what binds you is your own thought.

2. Not everything that comes to the mind deserves to stay.

3. The final filter: does this thought honor Christ, or does it breed fear, pride or sin?

C. The mind is not emptied: it is submitted.

1. It is not about not thinking, but about thinking under the lordship of Christ.

2. If the Holy Spirit is in your life, He will make you a knower of His mind.

VIII. The words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart (Psalm 19:14).

A. David asks not only to guard what you say, but what you think.

1. What you thought comes out of your mouth tomorrow, and you do not know whom you hurt.

2. What we speak reveals what is within; the tone counts as well.

3. The meditation of the heart is the continual thought, and God sees what no one sees.

B. My strength and my redeemer.

1. Rock: stability, refuge, firmness. Redeemer: the One who rescues, forgives and restores.

2. To think well is an act of worship; to speak well is the fruit of an aligned heart.

3. In our hands lies what we decide to take up or to pass over.