Power Thoughts: 12 Strategies to Win the Battle of the Mind (29 page)

In Exodus 18:13–23, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gave him great advice. Moses was becoming exhausted because he personally handled every situation, dispute, and crisis that arose among the Israelites. Perhaps he thought he had to do so, since he was the leader of the nation. Jethro said to him, essentially, “You take care of the big things, and leave the small stuff to someone else.” He went on to say, “If you will do this, and God so commands you, you will be able to endure [the strain], and all these people also will go to their [tents] in peace” (Exodus 18:23).

I’m sure your life has plenty of strain without adding anything more. When you are tempted to take on a “battle,” step back first and decide if it’s worth what it will require of you.

Think about It

Think about your current battles. Which ones do you need to walk away from and which ones are worth fighting?

Realize That You Cannot Meet Everyone’s Expectations

We all have a lot of different relationships and most people expect something from us. Moses told his father-in-law that he was judging every matter small or large because the people were coming to him. Obviously, they were coming with an expectation of getting Moses to help them. He did not want to disappoint them so he daily exhausted himself. When we do this we are pleasing people rather than pleasing God and we become ineffective. We all want people to be pleased with us, but we must also realize that they frequently have unrealistic expectations that are selfish. We cannot enjoy the moment we have if we are disobeying God in the midst of it.

Think about It

Are you exhausted much of the time due to trying to keep too many people happy?

Don’t Wait to Enjoy Yourself

Our ministry hosts a number of conferences each year and I do a lot of speaking and teaching at each one. I used to approach these events as work, as part of my job. Every time I did a conference, I thought,
This is my work, and when my work is over, I will enjoy myself.
After several years, I began to think about how much time I spend in the pulpit, and I realized that if I don’t enjoy it, I won’t have much time left to enjoy anything. So I decided to have fun while I work. This is one way I have learned to enjoy every moment.

You will need to find ways to enjoy the present moments in your life. Certainly, learning to be happy while you work may be one way, but there are many others. Begin now to think about what you can do to find more joy in every experience. The present moment is all we’re guaranteed, so don’t wait until later—until you get married, until you retire, until you go on vacation, until your children finish college—to enjoy life. Nobody knows what is going to happen next in their lives or in the world. You are alive
now,
so maximize it, embrace it, and celebrate it.

Let me close this section with an anonymous writing that has been around for years and encouraged millions of people to enjoy every day and appreciate each moment. Let it inspire you to do likewise.

If I had my life to live over, I’d try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I know of very few things that I would take seriously. I would be crazier. I would be less hygienic. I would take more chances. I would take more trips. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets. I would walk more. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. You see, I am one of those people who lives prophylactically and sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I have had my moments, and if I had it to do over again, I’d have more of them. In fact, I’d try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead each day. I have been one of those people who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, and a parachute. If I had it to do over again, I would go places and do things and travel lighter than I have. If I had my life to do over, I would start barefooted earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would play hooky more. I wouldn’t make such good grades except by accident. I would ride on more merry-go-rounds. I would pick more daisies.
¹

Although I am not suggesting that we live riotously, I do believe the little story makes a good point. Let’s be serious enough to accomplish our goals in life, but not so serious that we kill creative spontaneity.

Think about It

What are you waiting on? Get busy and enjoy your life!

Power Pack

“This is the day which the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24

“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”

John 10:10

“I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.”

John 15:11

POWER THOUGHT

11

I am disciplined and self-controlled.

“For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Hebrews 12:11

M
any people enjoy watching athletic events such as the Olympic Games, the World Series, or the Super Bowl. Even those who don’t consider themselves serious sports fans often pay attention to these contests when a prize such as a gold medal or a championship title is at stake. I believe the reason for this is that we all enjoy seeing people who work hard receive rewards for their efforts. We enjoy this on a personal level too; we like to know our training, work, and sacrifices bring benefits into our lives. I often get tears in my eyes when I see someone cross the finish line in a race. Why would I cry when I don’t even know the person? Because I know what it takes to win!

Thomas Paine said, “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.” Before we can ever receive a prize or enjoy a reward, we have to do the work required. In fact, investments of time, energy, and dedication are what make the rewards sweet. The harder we work to reach a goal, the more we appreciate finally accomplishing it. Everything I have mentioned thus far—hard work, training, sacrifices, investments of time and energy, and dedication—falls under the category of “discipline.”

I truly believe that a disciplined life is a powerful life. Learning to be disciplined and to practice self-control will keep you from laziness and excess, and will help you stay focused and productive. It will require you to make an effort, but the reward will be worth the work. A disciplined life begins with a disciplined mind. We must be able to set our mind and keep it set concerning our desires and goals.

Think about It

Do you enjoy seeing people who work hard receive rewards?

Are you willing to do whatever you need to do in order to have what you say you want?

Liberty with Limits

The apostle Paul understood discipline and wrote about it in several of his letters. In 1 Corinthians 6:12, he observed, “Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but
I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power
” (emphasis mine).

Discipline is the price of freedom. It is the door to liberation. When we are not disciplined, we become slaves; we fall under the power of things that should have no control over us. For example, when we don’t discipline ourselves to eat healthily, we become slaves to fats, sugars, and other substances that are detrimental to our physical health. I am acquainted with many people who know that eating a lot of sugar makes them feel tired and even sick, but they eat it anyway. They “wish” they did not want the unhealthy food, but they are not willing to discipline themselves to make better choices. When we do not practice self-control with our finances, we fall under the power of debt, and our indebtedness can literally keep us from doing what we want or need to do in life. Oppressive debt is often the root cause of anxiety, disease, and serious marital problems. When we do not discipline ourselves to get enough rest, we become slaves to fatigue, which makes us grouchy, prone to mistakes, and tired when we need to be energetic. Fatigue is one of the greatest thieves of creativity so we need to avoid it as much as possible. It seems to me that everyone is tired these days, and I am certain that is not God’s will for people.

Paul echoed a similar sentiment in 1 Corinthians 10:23 when he wrote, “All things are legitimate [permissible—and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but
not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]”
(emphasis mine). Notice in this verse, Paul again states that he is technically free to do anything he wants to do, but that he restrains himself from doing things that are not character-building or spiritually edifying. The Bible says, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7
NASB
). Making decisions based on whether or not it will enhance your character or help you spiritually is a wise approach to practicing discipline.

We should practice discipline in what we allow ourselves to see and hear. Our eyes and ears are gateways into our soul and spirit and as such they should be guarded with all diligence. For example, if you receive a magazine in your home, and as you page through it you find the models are dressed scantily and inappropriately, the best choice is to simply throw it away. If you are surfing the channels on television you will need to discipline yourself in what you choose to watch. Another example would be to choose not to gossip or reveal people’s secrets no matter how much you are tempted to. The power of life and death are in them so we should use great caution, discipline, and self-control concerning them.

Think about It

Have you become a “slave” to anything, or does anything have power over you?_____ If so, what is it? ______

Are you regularly disciplining yourself unto godliness?

We Need to Be Taught

It’s impossible to imagine the possibility of becoming a successful doctor or lawyer without education. I wish Christians had the same understanding concerning spiritual growth. Becoming a Christian begins with surrender and a decision to believe that Jesus is God and that He did indeed die for our sins. He took the punishment we deserved, paid the debt we owed as sinners, and He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven to be seated at God’s right hand. He is alive today and has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in the hearts of those who receive Him by faith. That is the beginning of our faith and our Christian experience, but it is far from the end.

We need to be educated concerning what belongs to us by virtue of our relationship with Jesus, how to live the new life He gives us, and how to align our thinking with the truth of His Word. We need to
learn
to think and then behave according to the new nature we have, rather than the old nature that officially went to the cross with Jesus. It’s so important to realize at the beginning of our journey that success will require time and effort—probably more than we would like! To think that this type of radical change will take place quickly and with no effort is pure foolishness. We have to be disciplined about it. God gives us great freedom; He allows us to choose what we want to think, say, and do. If we will be wise enough to put good limits on our liberty, we will see great results. The mind must be renewed. We must learn to think as God thinks if we want to have what He wants us to have.

God Has Given Us a Spirit of
Discipline and Self-control

I frequently hear people say, “I am just not a disciplined person,” or, “I just don’t have any self-control,” and they name a certain area like eating, exercising, or keeping things organized. If you are one of these people who believe you are not disciplined, then I want you to change your thinking. The apostle Paul stated that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind, and a spirit of discipline and self-control (see 2 Timothy 1:7). It is time to start renewing your mind by meditating on this power thought: “I am disciplined and self-controlled.” You will never rise above what you believe, and as long as you believe you are not a disciplined person, then you won’t be one.

Winning the Battle in the Mind

The Roman poet Horace wrote, “Rule your mind or it will rule you,” and I believe that is true. We must understand that the enemy wants our minds; he wants to control or influence as much of our thinking as possible, but we do not have to let him. Just as we have to be educated about how to think as God wants us to think, we also have to learn to resist the enemy as he tries to influence our thoughts. The key to overcoming him is learning to discipline ourselves where our thinking is concerned, and disciplining ourselves to believe we are disciplined is the beginning.