A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste

I have a very special dictionary in my library. It’s not a politically correct dictionary but it is spiritually correct. 

Some years ago, I cut the words “quit” “try” “compromise” and “can’t” out of this dictionary. It was a symbolic gesture as I didn’t want these words to be a part of my vocabulary . . . especially the word “can’t.”

 The word “can’t” when spoken by Christians in reference to God’s will for their lives isn’t grammatically or spiritually correct. In fact, the word “can’t” is contrary to the Word and will of God.

 Philippians 4:13 says:

 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

 There is no equivocation in this verse. But yet, you might be asking, “Brother Harold, do you really believe I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength?”

 The key component of this passage is that it is in fact Christ’s strengthen that allows you to do all things.

 The verse doesn’t say you can do some things.   It says that you can do all the things you need to do.

 Is getting out of debt a thing?

 Is walking in financial freedom and abundance a thing?

 Is having a proper retirement income and investment portfolio a thing?

 Is walking in divine health a thing?

 Is having a peaceful and loving family life a thing?

 Is being free of any and all addictions a thing?

 Yes, and you can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.

 Philippians 4:13 in the Amplified Bible says:

 “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].”

 God wants you to be self-sufficient in Him.

 Are you self-sufficient when you’re broke?

 Are you self-sufficient when you live from paycheck to Prozac?

 Are you self-sufficient when you’re depending on the government, family and friends or some agency to put food on your table?

 Of course, not. Make no mistake about it. God wants you to be self-sufficient.

 Your natural (logical) mind will tell you that what I’ve just put before you from the Word of God is not possible. That is the limitation of a natural mind.  Or you might think it applies to everybody else but you. . .that is a lie straight from the pit of hell. Either belief in your mind and you lose.

 You do possess a natural mind but you must believe what the scripture says in 1 Corinthians 2:16.

 “For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart.”

 Once again, the scripture is very clear. . .you and I have the mind of Christ. Not only that but we have the same feelings, thoughts and purposes that He does.

 We must believe what the scripture says . . . if we have the mind of Christ then we can bring every thought captive to the obedience of God.

 2 Corinthians 10:5 says:

 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

 The Amplified Bible further clarifies the intent of 2 Corinthians 10:5 when it says:

 “[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”

 You see, at this point, I have a choice. I can either believe the natural mind (things that I’ve heard over the years, things that I’ve been taught by people through natural logic and reasoning, the information I’ve gathered from people who don’t accept Jesus as the Lord of their lives or are else are not living the Word either, or I can simply believe what the Word of God says is true.

 With the mind of Christ. . .I can fully accept, appreciate and activate the principles of His Word when it says that “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” and so can you.

 Here is how this process works.

 While your natural mind is saying, “No, you can’t do the things that God requires or says you can do” your spiritual mind is saying “Yes, you can! The Word says you can do all things through Christ.”

 If you say “I can’t” then you’re giving place, strength, power and authority to what you perceive to be your inabilities to achieve what God Himself said you can do.

 However, if you say “I can do all things” you are intensifying, fortifying and magnifying that ability in your life. You are choosing the spirit over the natural.

 Now I fully realize that saying “I can” doesn’t make a thing happen immediately. It does, however, bring it one step closer to making it happen. By speaking the Word of God, you are enabling or ‘feeding’ God’s thoughts and by refusing to speak negative disabling thoughts you strengthen the possibility, probability and inevitability of the thing that you’re speaking coming to pass.

 It is imperative that you begin to speak what the mind of Christ within you is saying is possible. When you speak the words that are from the mind of Christ, it unleashes a spiritual dynamic in the earth. Besides, you are not the one who is making it happen by your strength. God’s Word is coming through your mouth.

 Joel 3:10 says:

 “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.”

 The Amplified Translation says that the strong are warriors. You need to begin to speak that strength. . .it makes you battle ready.

 Now consider the words of Joel 3:9-11 in the Message Bible:

 “Announce this to the godless nations: Prepare for battle! Soldiers at attention! Present arms! Advance! Turn your shovels into swords, turn your hoes into spears. Let the weak one throw out his chest and say, "I'm tough, I'm a fighter."
Hurry up, pagans! Wherever you are, get a move on! Get your act together. Prepare to be shattered by God!”

 Not only are you preparing to destroy every enemy of your success. . .you see things through the mind of Christ.

 Romans 4:17 says:

 “As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed.”

 The Message Bible translates Romans 4:17,18 like this:

 “We call Abraham "father" not because he got God's attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn't that what we've always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, "I set you up as father of many peoples?” Abraham was first named "father" and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing. When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, "You're going to have a big family, Abraham!"

 Child of God, get a hold of this. . .God made something of Abraham when he was nothing . . . a nobody. You may feel like you’re a nothing BUT GOD can and will make something out of you. But like Abraham, you must decide not to live on the basis of what you see and think you “can’t” do. . .but rather on the basis of what God’s Word says you can do.

 For years, the United Negro College Fund had an incredible slogan which says “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” That’s especially true . . . when it’s the mind of Christ that’s in you saying that you can do all things through Him!

 Isn’t it time you begin to think like Him?