2 Timothy 1.7
“The Lord did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind.”
The enemy seeks to distort your thinking by distracting you with things that you should not give your attention to. In order to avoid the traps and attacks of the enemy, you need a clear mind. He tries to lure you with deceptions and attractive lies. He tries to impair your thinking with doubt and fear.
- You can focus on the passions and lusts of the old nature, or you can focus on the things of the Spirit.
- You can focus on the things of the fallen world, or you can focus on the things of the kingdom of God.
- You can focus on complaining, or you can focus on solving.
- You can focus on the negative, or you can focus on the positive and productive.
- You can focus on self and circumstances, or you can focus on God and his truth.
The quality of your inner response (where you focus your heart and mind) determines the quality of your outer response (what you do and how well you do it).
If you see a situation through the lens of fear, anger, frustration, and complaining — then you will react to the situation directed by the emotions of fear, anger, frustration, and complaining. But if you trust God and observe through a sound mind that is focused, calm, and confident, then you will see the same situation through an entirely different lens, and your response will be much more effective.
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6)
Once again: Where your mind goes, you go. Trust God and do the inner work.
