What Are You Thinking? Thinking For a Change.
What Are You Thinking?
Thinking For a Change.
Sunday November 16th, 2025
Pastor Chris Byrd
This past Sunday Pastor Chris opened with a few quotes he would commonly refer to as “food for thought.”
“Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.” - Søren Kierkegaard
"Think before you act; think twice before you speak" – Sir Thomas Brown
“What you feed your mind will lead your life.” – Unknown
When you change the way you think, it will change your life. Are you willing to do your part in the covenant that God has for you? The previous week Apostle Mike’s focus was around Proverbs 23:7. Where your heart leads, your actions follow.
The brain is the control organ of your body. This is where the concept of thought, understanding, and consciousness happens. Thinking is the process of using one’s mind to consider or reason, use rational judgement, or to meditate. The more we practice a particular thought pattern, the faster our brain defaults to that way of thinking. Our minds can be changed. God can change our way of thinking if we let Him. Negative patterns can be unlearned. The brain can recognize a pattern, learn from that, solve a problem, create new ideas, and give meaning to things. Studies have proven your brain reacts before you have a conscious thought. That is our brain's habits. It is a natural process to place one foot in front of the other when walking. Our repeated decisions can become automatic, but our brain can refrain from inducing a certain decision at all. Repeatedly saying no to the negative thoughts will result in reducing the number of negative thoughts that arise. Renewing is restoring to an original state. Renovation is to change this state. Mental habits are similar. Thinking is built on the foundation of belief.
II Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Scripture affirms the truth while also provide direction and correction. We need God’s help interpreting this wisdom. We cannot rely on our thoughts alone which is why it is important to call on the Holy Spirit for revelation.
I Corinthians 2:10-12
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
If we are going to think for a change the first realization, we must come to is that everything in the Bible is true. To believe the contrary is to put your thoughts above God’s. Your brain never stops thinking. What you choose to fill your mind with can occupy your thought life. If you fill it with God’s truth that can bring you supernatural peace. Our thoughts can be contrary to God’s truth, but that is why He has given us the Sword of the Spirit to fight against intrusive thoughts.
Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
Take action to apply scripture to your life and repeat this daily.
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Philippians 2:5-7
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Being God’s bondservant comes up often in the Bible. The men claiming to be His bondservants were expressing they were no longer slaves to their sinful ways, but newly slaves to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Who do you claim to be? If you are a child of God, you know that means you were beautifully and wonderfully made in His perfect image. We need to speak these positive truths over ourselves often for them to take root. Studies have proven negative information is easier to accept than positive information. We can ask God for help with this because the Spirit is there for correction and God’s word available for improvement.
James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
God has gifted us with a measure of faith to stay focused on Him. It's our responsibility to trust Him for that faith to grow. There are times we struggle to have faith, but by the washing of the word and through the renewing of our minds He gives us the strength to preserve when trying to make changes.
II Peter 1:5-7
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
Scripture informs us of how we should live. If we accept this truth, it will bring change.
Five ways for the word to produce fruit in our lives.
Identify the negative thoughts.
II Corinthians 10:3-6
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
We must ask God to search our hearts and reveal what does not belong.
Question your assumptions.
John 16:13
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Pay close attention to your thoughts. Ask yourself; does that sound like God? Or does that sound like the enemy?
Take every thought captive.
Nehemiah 7:3
And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.”
We must guard our minds and our hearts.
Affirm God’s promises.
Psalms 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
Meditate on the word.
Have a growth mindset.
II Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
God’s grace and peace is infinite when walking with Him.
It is no easy task to take faith and add Godly behavior in the world we live in today, but He rewards us for our efforts of self-control and our desire to grow our knowledge of Him. We cannot hold onto old thinking and embrace God’s truth. We must surrender to let Him perform His perfect works within us.
II Peter 1:8-10
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Thinking For a Change.
Sunday November 16th, 2025
Pastor Chris Byrd
This past Sunday Pastor Chris opened with a few quotes he would commonly refer to as “food for thought.”
“Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts.” - Søren Kierkegaard
"Think before you act; think twice before you speak" – Sir Thomas Brown
“What you feed your mind will lead your life.” – Unknown
When you change the way you think, it will change your life. Are you willing to do your part in the covenant that God has for you? The previous week Apostle Mike’s focus was around Proverbs 23:7. Where your heart leads, your actions follow.
The brain is the control organ of your body. This is where the concept of thought, understanding, and consciousness happens. Thinking is the process of using one’s mind to consider or reason, use rational judgement, or to meditate. The more we practice a particular thought pattern, the faster our brain defaults to that way of thinking. Our minds can be changed. God can change our way of thinking if we let Him. Negative patterns can be unlearned. The brain can recognize a pattern, learn from that, solve a problem, create new ideas, and give meaning to things. Studies have proven your brain reacts before you have a conscious thought. That is our brain's habits. It is a natural process to place one foot in front of the other when walking. Our repeated decisions can become automatic, but our brain can refrain from inducing a certain decision at all. Repeatedly saying no to the negative thoughts will result in reducing the number of negative thoughts that arise. Renewing is restoring to an original state. Renovation is to change this state. Mental habits are similar. Thinking is built on the foundation of belief.
II Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Scripture affirms the truth while also provide direction and correction. We need God’s help interpreting this wisdom. We cannot rely on our thoughts alone which is why it is important to call on the Holy Spirit for revelation.
I Corinthians 2:10-12
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
If we are going to think for a change the first realization, we must come to is that everything in the Bible is true. To believe the contrary is to put your thoughts above God’s. Your brain never stops thinking. What you choose to fill your mind with can occupy your thought life. If you fill it with God’s truth that can bring you supernatural peace. Our thoughts can be contrary to God’s truth, but that is why He has given us the Sword of the Spirit to fight against intrusive thoughts.
Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
Take action to apply scripture to your life and repeat this daily.
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Philippians 2:5-7
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Being God’s bondservant comes up often in the Bible. The men claiming to be His bondservants were expressing they were no longer slaves to their sinful ways, but newly slaves to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Who do you claim to be? If you are a child of God, you know that means you were beautifully and wonderfully made in His perfect image. We need to speak these positive truths over ourselves often for them to take root. Studies have proven negative information is easier to accept than positive information. We can ask God for help with this because the Spirit is there for correction and God’s word available for improvement.
James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
God has gifted us with a measure of faith to stay focused on Him. It's our responsibility to trust Him for that faith to grow. There are times we struggle to have faith, but by the washing of the word and through the renewing of our minds He gives us the strength to preserve when trying to make changes.
II Peter 1:5-7
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
Scripture informs us of how we should live. If we accept this truth, it will bring change.
Five ways for the word to produce fruit in our lives.
Identify the negative thoughts.
II Corinthians 10:3-6
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
We must ask God to search our hearts and reveal what does not belong.
Question your assumptions.
John 16:13
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Pay close attention to your thoughts. Ask yourself; does that sound like God? Or does that sound like the enemy?
Take every thought captive.
Nehemiah 7:3
And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.”
We must guard our minds and our hearts.
Affirm God’s promises.
Psalms 1:2
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.
Meditate on the word.
Have a growth mindset.
II Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
God’s grace and peace is infinite when walking with Him.
It is no easy task to take faith and add Godly behavior in the world we live in today, but He rewards us for our efforts of self-control and our desire to grow our knowledge of Him. We cannot hold onto old thinking and embrace God’s truth. We must surrender to let Him perform His perfect works within us.
II Peter 1:8-10
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
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