Sunday, 10/18/2026

“Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind”

Romans 12:2 (ESV)“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed

by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will

of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Paraphrase: “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but let God

transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

God is far more interested in changing your mind than in changing your

circumstances.

Nothing lasting changes in life until the mind is renewed.

Transformation begins with the way we think.

Three Reasons

A. Because my thoughts control my life.

Every action begins as a thought.

Proverbs 4:23 (TEV) “Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your

thoughts.”

Thoughts (true or false) shape destiny.

Feelings do not shape life; beliefs do.

B. Because the mind is the battleground for sin.

Pride, lust, bitterness, hatred, anger, fear, resentment, envy, and worry all

live in the mind.

Romans 7:22-23 “I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is

concerned; but there’s something else deep within me that is at war with my

mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin within me. In my

mind I want to be God’s servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to

sin.”

There is a continuous war in the brain.

Whatever gets your attention gets you.

C. Because managing the mind is the key to peace and happiness.

Romans 8:6 “If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death… But if

the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.”

II. Three Daily Choices for a Healthy Mind

You can control your thoughts.

Neither Satan nor God will control them for you—only you can.

A. Feed my mind with truth.

John 8:32 “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Matthew 4:4 “People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on

every Word of God.”

The Bible is soul food and the owner’s manual for life.

Examples from David:

Psalm 119:147 “I rise early to cry out for help and to put my hope in your

Words.”

Psalm 119:97 “Lord, how I love your Word. I think about it all day long.”

Psalm 16:7 “Even in the darkest of night your teachings fill my mind.”

Psalm 119:95 “When wicked people hide to ambush and kill me, I quietly

keep my mind on your decrees.”

There are over 7,700 promises in Scripture.

B. Free my mind from destructive thoughts.

Three enemies team up against mental freedom:

My old nature

Romans 7:23 “I see in my body a principle at war with the law of my mind,

taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells inside of me.”

Romans 8:5 “Those who are dominated by their sinful nature think about

sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about

things that please the Spirit.”

Satan

He cannot force a believer (Greater is He who is in you – 1 John 4:4), but

he constantly suggests negative, tempting, or condemning thoughts.

“Don’t believe everything you think.”

Satan’s schemes include bitterness and unforgiveness, which give him a

foothold.

The world’s value system

1 John 2:16 “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes

and the pride of life… is not of the Father but is of this world.”

How to fight and free the mind:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “Though we live in the world we do not wage war as

the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the

world… our weapons have divine power to demolish strongholds. We

demolish any argument and every pretension that sets itself up against the

knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to

Christ.”

A stronghold is a lie you believe (about God, yourself, happiness,

forgiveness, identity, etc.).

Take every thought captive (bring under control) and make it obedient

(bring into submission) to Christ.

Your will must command your mind.

C. Focus my mind on the right things.

Three life-changing focuses:

Think about Jesus

Hebrews 12:3 “Think about Jesus’ example. He held on while wicked people

were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying.”

You become like what you think about most.

Think about others

Philippians 2:4 “Don’t just think about your own affairs but be interested in

others too and what they are doing.”

Hebrews 10:24 “Let us think about each other and help each other to show

love and do good deeds.”

Think about eternity

Colossians 3:2 “Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things

down here on earth.”

(KJV: “Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth.”)

God is far more interested in transforming your mind than in rearranging

your circumstances.

Manage your mind daily by the three choices:

Feed it with truth.

Free it from destructive thoughts.

Focus it on Jesus, others, and eternity.