1.  Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

2. Changing the Way You Think Completion Project

3. I. Captured or Captor  Colossians 2:6-10 ●Continue to follow Jesus ●Rooted in him, built on him ●Faith strong in the truth  Colossians 2:6-10 ●Continue to follow Jesus ●Rooted in him, built on him ●Faith strong in the truth

4. ●Don’t let anyone capture you ▪Empty philosophies ▪High sounding nonsense sourced in human thinking and spiritual powers of this world ●(Colossians 2:8 NASB) "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." ●You are complete through your union with Christ ●Don’t let anyone capture you ▪Empty philosophies ▪High sounding nonsense sourced in human thinking and spiritual powers of this world ●(Colossians 2:8 NASB) "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ." ●You are complete through your union with Christ

5.  2 Timothy 2:24-26 ●Gently instruct those who oppose the truth ●Perhaps they will come to their senses ▪Learn the truth ▪Escape the devil’s trap ▪Have been held captive  2 Timothy 2:24-26 ●Gently instruct those who oppose the truth ●Perhaps they will come to their senses ▪Learn the truth ▪Escape the devil’s trap ▪Have been held captive

6.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NASB) "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,"

7.  So… Captured – by empty deception, according to the traditions of men. Or…Captor – when thoughts come that are contrary to God (who is the Truth), you take it captive and don’t let it rule  Requires discernment  Two things to be acknowledge ●Battleground in the mind ●Dealing with truth vs. lies  So… Captured – by empty deception, according to the traditions of men. Or…Captor – when thoughts come that are contrary to God (who is the Truth), you take it captive and don’t let it rule  Requires discernment  Two things to be acknowledge ●Battleground in the mind ●Dealing with truth vs. lies

8. II. Battleground of the mind  1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. ●Soul – mind, will, emotions  1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. ●Soul – mind, will, emotions

9.  Taking every thought captive  Source of thoughts – (strongholds) ●The father of all lies ▪Accuser of the brethren ▪god of this world ▪World – cultural environment ●Life Experience ▪resulting conclusions ▪We call these “reality”  Taking every thought captive  Source of thoughts – (strongholds) ●The father of all lies ▪Accuser of the brethren ▪god of this world ▪World – cultural environment ●Life Experience ▪resulting conclusions ▪We call these “reality”

10. ●Resulting Strongholds ▪Fear of failure ▪Unforgiveness ▪Pride ▪Lust ▪Greed ▪Unbelief – challenging the integrity of God ●Resulting Strongholds ▪Fear of failure ▪Unforgiveness ▪Pride ▪Lust ▪Greed ▪Unbelief – challenging the integrity of God

11. ●The Father of all truth ▪John 17:17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ▪Romans 3:4 “…Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”  Escape the devil’s traps by learning the truth  Strongholds determine your response to life’s issues ●Deception results in bondage ●Truth results in freedom ●The Father of all truth ▪John 17:17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. ▪Romans 3:4 “…Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”  Escape the devil’s traps by learning the truth  Strongholds determine your response to life’s issues ●Deception results in bondage ●Truth results in freedom

12. III. Dealing with Truth  Armor of God - Belt of truth – divinely powerful weapons  Genesis 3:1-6 – battle for the truth ●If you eat of it you will die ●You won’t die ●The woman was convinced  Armor of God - Belt of truth – divinely powerful weapons  Genesis 3:1-6 – battle for the truth ●If you eat of it you will die ●You won’t die ●The woman was convinced

13.  Telling Yourself the TRUTH ●T – Trigger Event ●R – [w]Rong thinking (buy the lie) ●U – Unhealthy reaction ●T – Telling yourself the truth (take thoughts captive) ●H – Healthy reaction  Telling Yourself the TRUTH ●T – Trigger Event ●R – [w]Rong thinking (buy the lie) ●U – Unhealthy reaction ●T – Telling yourself the truth (take thoughts captive) ●H – Healthy reaction

14.  Discerning Your Thoughts  (2 Peter 1:12) "Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you." ●Established in the truth  Discerning Your Thoughts  (2 Peter 1:12) "Therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you." ●Established in the truth

16. IV. As a Man Thinks…  (Proverbs 23:6-7) "Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies; 7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you.“

17.  Transformation comes by changing the way you think ●Embracing truth ●Taking captive opposing thoughts ●Not opposing truth ●Not suppressing truth  Transformation comes by changing the way you think ●Embracing truth ●Taking captive opposing thoughts ●Not opposing truth ●Not suppressing truth

18.  Finally…Think on these things – Philippians 4:6-8 ●Don’t worry about anything ●Tell God what you need ●Experience peace beyond understanding ●Fix your thoughts…think about these things  Finally…Think on these things – Philippians 4:6-8 ●Don’t worry about anything ●Tell God what you need ●Experience peace beyond understanding ●Fix your thoughts…think about these things

19.  1 Peter 1:13 - 15 13So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

20. Interactive Time  What physical thing can you connect with taking your thoughts captive (other than spitting  )? What would help you to be conscious of thoughts and the need to discern their source?  What efforts can be made to be ESTABLISHED in the truth?  How do you see yourself being transformed by changing the way you think?  What physical thing can you connect with taking your thoughts captive (other than spitting  )? What would help you to be conscious of thoughts and the need to discern their source?  What efforts can be made to be ESTABLISHED in the truth?  How do you see yourself being transformed by changing the way you think?