Study Notes

Foundation Statement: The way you think and what you have knowledge of are two different things - James 1:14-16

 

I.      What you have knowledge of and the way you think are two different things (Rom 7:14-23)

A.    He has knowledge of what’s right in his mind but he is still carnal in his way of thinking

1.      14-He knows what’s right, but says he’s carnal

a.    Knowledge is not the meter of carnality

1)       You can know a lot about right and wrong and still be very carnal; How is that?  B/C that knowledge that u have hasn’t changed ur way of thinking

2)       We’ve mistaken what we know with how we think

b.    He’s carnal in what he’s doing because he’s carnal in his way of thinking even though he has knowledge of what’s right

1)       You’re only a spiritual person of character when that knowledge that you have has changed the way you think

2)       He knows what’s right but his way of thinking hasn’t changed

2.      17,20,21-He knows what’s right but sin is still dwelling/remaining in his way of thinking

a.    Sin’s not remaining in his spirit he’s born again

b.    Sin isn’t remaining in his body; the body is an instrument through which we can sin

B.     When you do something on a consistent basis without having to think to do it that reveals your way of thinking

1.      Your way of thinking is revealed through what you say and do without having to think to say it, or to do it

a.    What you do habitually or automatically without having to think to do it reveals your way of thinking

2.      The only way to prove your way of thinking has changed  is to prove it with your consistent doing

a.    When it becomes habit to you, your way of thinking has changed

C.    When we’re talking about changing your way of thinking we’re talking about changing your subconscious mind (Eph 4:22-24)

1.      Your subconscious mind is the auto-pilot of your life

a.    It conducts 85% of your daily decisions without you knowing it

b.    It’s existing or operating in the mind beneath conscious awareness

c.     It’s what you do without having to make yourself do it (Mt 12:34)

1)       Heart –  That organ the seat of physical life, denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life; the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors; of the will and character; of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions

2.      Knowledge works in the brain, your way of thinking works in your mind

a.    Your brain is part of your physical body that goes to the grave; Your mind/soul is spiritual and it goes with you (Luke 16:20-26)

b.    Don’t be renewed in what you know or the knowledge you have, be renewed in the way you think

D.    You don’t do what you know, you do in line with the way you think

1.      He knew what to do, but his way of thinking had not changed.  Along with that he’s not directing his mind to the things of the spirit (Rom 8:5)

a.    You don’t do what you know,  you do what you direct your mind to

b.    EX: You can know talking negatively about others is wrong, but if your way of thinking hasn’t changed you’ll still do it

2.      To be people who live a lifestyle of character it’s going to take more than just knowledge in our heads, we have to change our way of thinking

II.     The Law of conceiving Sin (James 1:14-16)

A.    The law of conceiving sin – This is the process (the laws and principles) that gives birth to sin in your life and it takes place every time you miss it

1.      Many people do wrong, but didn’t see this process take place; they did it so quickly that they didn’t even have to think to do it; They didn’t see this process take place b/c their way of thinking was in line with what you did

a.    Drawn away

1)       To be drawn in a way of doing you first of all have to drawn in a way thinking that produces the doing

a)     Satan draws you in a way of thinking that is away from God and his word and then you’ll do it

2)       You don’t have to be drawn a way, if you’re already in that way of thinking; that’s already your way. (That’s not my way of thinking.  It is because you did it without having to think to do it.)

a)     You’re already over here in the way u think & consequently in the way u act

b)     Adam and Eve had to be drawn away because eating that tree wasn’t their way of thinking.  Their way of thinking were that tree was concerned was eat it and die (Genesis 2). 

c)     You don’t have to lure a fish you already got

3)       If u didn’t recognize being drawn away u must have been over there already

b.    Lust-Craving, Desire, Longing, Turn your mind upon a thing

1)       U didn’t have 2 turn ur mind upon it, it’s already on it through ur way of thinking

2)       If you didn’t recognize turning ur mind upon it, ur mind must already have been on it

c.     Tempt/Entice

1)       The devil doesn’t have to tempt or entice you to do something wrong that you’re already going to do on your own

2)       I don’t have 2 tempt a sinner to sin; he’ll do it w/o me b/c of his way of thinking

2.      This is the law of sin and death; reverse it and it’s the law of the spirit of life

a.    Every man desires to obey when he allows himself to be lured to the Word by turning his mind upon the word.  The longer his mind is on the word the greater his desire gets to do what it says.  When that thought of the Word conceives it brings forth obedience and when obedience is finished it brings forth life. 

3.      When you engage the process of changing your way of thinking this process of sin begins to slow down b/c there is a reversal taking place from automatic wrong to automatic right

B.     A working illustration: A person who doesn’t love others with their words

1.      This is a person is a believer and a regular church attendee.  At the same time they are critical of others, judgmental of others, and find fault with others on a daily basis, but never notices themselves doing it.  They don’t have to think to do it, that’s just what they do, it’s their habit.  If you asked them is it right to be critical of others, judgmental of others, and find fault with others they would emphatically say it’s wrong because they know the Bible says it’s wrong.  At the time their asked their operating out of their conscious awareness and not their subconscious.

2.      They come to church and the minister teaches on loving people with the words of your mouth.  When they hear the message it (1) confronts their way of thinking and doing because they realize they’re missing it in this area. 

3.      They (2) accept the Word of God as right, (3) acknowledge their need to change, and (4) make a decision to do so.  Immediately this process begins to slow down. 

4.      They go to work on Monday after hearing the message and first thing in morning their fellow worker wants to start in on the boss like they always do.  This person opens their mouth without even thinking and starts talking negatively about their boss.  On the way home from work that day they Holy Spirit reminds them and convicts them of what happened and they (5) repent.  Before they would have never known they did wrong.  The process is slowing down. 

5.      (6) They spend that night and the next morning meditating the Word of God.  They come to work the next day and that fellow worker is there again and they have a thought to say unlovely, but they know they shouldn’t say it so they don’t at first.  However, they turn their mind upon it and the more they think about it the angrier they get and they get up and go say it to that co-worker.  The Holy Spirit convicts them and they repent on the spot.  The process is slowing down. 

6.      They spend that night and the next morning meditating the Word and the same situation happens the next morning.  This time when the thought to say something negative comes, (7) they direct their thoughts to the Word of God with the words of their mouth and they don’t say it.  The temptation to say it rises up within them 15 more times that day, but every time it does they direct their thoughts to the Word.   

7.      They continue in this consistently and constantly for months.  When they miss it they repent and they continually are directing their thoughts to the Word of God. 

8.      One morning their co-worker comes to start in on the boss and when they are done talking this believer opens their mouth without having to think to do it and speaks words of love over their boss.  They said something lovely out their mouth without having to think to say it and their way of thinking has changed. 

9.      There’s been a total reversal from automatic wrong to automatic right.

a.    Through that process it got more taxing to get you to do wrong

III.   The process of changing your way of thinking:

A.    (1) The Word Confronts your way of thinking and doing; The Uncompromised Word will confront the carnal way of thinking

1.      A carnal mind is one that things in opposition to the Word of God (Romans 7:14, 8:7)

a.    Your thoughts are not God’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9)

1)       God’s word is His thoughts; they aren’t in line with a carnality

b.    God doesn’t speak from the standpoint of flesh, he speaks from the standpoint of spirit & your carnal mind won’t accept it b/c it thinks from the standpoint of flesh

2.      You’re going to hear things from the word that’s in opposition to your carnal way of thinking; when that happens don’t be surprised because unless you already think like God in everyway, you’re going to hear things from the Word that aren’t in line with the way you think.

a.    The carnal mind will fight what it is spiritual and what’s the Word especially if it hasn’t heard before

B.     (2) Accept the Word as right whether you like it or understand it (Ps 33:4)

1.      When the Word of God confronts your way of thinking either:

a.    You accept God’s word as right

b.    You get offended or  make excuse and turn a deaf ear

1)       Jesus preached something that confronted their carnality; they got offended and turned a deaf ear and left (Jn 6:53-67)

2)       When you make and excuse you’re trying to make wrong okay

2.      If you’re going to live a character life it begins with what you do at this stage when the Word confronts your way of thinking

a.    If you get offended or make excuse and turn a deaf ear to the right words you have no ability to think right & you won’t do right & your destiny will be effected

3.      Stiff-necked, hard-hearted, non-teachable, prideful, and rebellious people don’t accept the Word as right

C.    (3) Acknowledge your need to change in what you’re doing and in your way of thinking; the beginning of repentance (Prov 28:13)

1.      It’s at this place that you call wrong, wrong and don’t make excuses

a.    Confess – You’re acknowledging your fault and owning up to it

b.    You can’t just call the act wrong, you must acknowledge you’ve been wrong in doing it and in the way you think

c.     Don’t accept in your life what is unacceptable to God

2.      This is the beginning of repentance; I’m turning my back on that way of doing & thinking

a.    Forsake-You’re turning your back on that thing saying I never knew you  

1)       To forsake the way you have to forsake the thoughts (Isaiah 55:7)

2)       Repent-To change you mind; you’re first of all turning your mind away saying I never knew you

3.      If you hide your wrong you won’t be able to push forward and break out of it

D.    (4) You make a decisions of quality; ones from which there is no turning back (This is where the process of beings to slow down)

1.      You make a decision of quality that you’ll never quit (Galatians 6:9)

2.      You make a decision of quality to put the thing away that don’t reflect the character of Jesus

a.    James 1:21-Put away-To lay something down and to push it far away and beyond reach

b.    1 Corinthians 13:11-Put away-To cease, put an end to, do away with, to be severed from, separated from

c.     It might not look or feel like you’ve put it away, but by faith it’s away

3.      You have to make a decision of quality to cast down every thought that doesn’t line up with the Word (2 Corinthians 10:5)

a.    If you don’t make a decision to do it you won’t

E.     (5) Live a lifestyle of confession, forgiveness, and cleansing and absolutely refuse condemnation (1 John 1:9, Heb 8:12, Micah 7:8)

1.      A lifestyle of confession, forgiveness, cleansing, is one in which you’re constantly confessing your sin and receiving your forgiveness and  cleansing

a.    Confess it now; you have to call wrong, wrong to renew your mind

2.      1 John 1:9, 2:1

a.    If we – This is conditional based on what we do

b.    Confess our sins – Acknowledge, concede, not deny, admit what you’ve done

c.     Faithful – Jesus will forgive you and cleanse you every time you come to him

d.    Just – He’s justified in doing so; he has a right to do it; he’s equipped and authorized by God to do it

e.    Forgive – Canceling a debt, to release, to forfeit the right to hold captive because of a wrong, disregard and not discuss now

f.      Cleanse – Make clean from wickedness, stains, and dirty

g.    God has promised to remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12)

3.      For confession, forgiveness, and cleansing to be complete condemnation must not be present

a.    Condemnation keeps you where you are; It holds you in the past and keeps  you connected to that wrong so that you can’t grow towards your future and do right (Philippians 3:13-14, 2 Corinthians 7:2)

1)       Condemnation is one of the greatest enemies to character growth

b.    Sin separates you from God, condemnation keeps you separated

1)       You can’t grow and be separated from the vine (John 15:4)

c.     Condemnation is the pathway that will lead you to continued sin

1)       You’re seeing yourself as a sinner and that will lead to more sin

d.    Condemnation is a work of the flesh based in fear (Romans 8:1)

1)       Your life is being governed by your feelings of guilt

2)       When you confessed the sin is when he forgave you and cleansed you; not when you felt forgiven and cleansed

3)       This has nothing to do with how you feel; you might feel guilty, condemned, and bad, but the word says you’re cleansed, your forgiven, God will remember your sins no more, and you’re the righteousness of God; you have a choice to either believe the word or your feelings

e.    Refuse condemnation (Micah 7:8 – Rejoice not against me o mine enemy: when I fall I shall arise)

F.     (6) Engage the process of changing ur way of thinking by meditating the Word-Josh 1:8

1.      Meditate it so that you can do it; if you don’t meditate you won’t do it 

2.      Joshua is meditating the Word before he’s in the middle of this thing

a.    When I’m in the middle of the battle I’m not going to have time to think about my response

b.    I want what I do in training to be my automatic response in the battle

3.      You won’t win the battle without the proper training (1 Timothy 4:7)

a.    You exercise yourself unto godliness by meditating the Word and changing your way of thinking

b.    There’s an enemy out there that who you to miss it

c.     Don’t wait until the battle shows up to start training

d.    You’re radical in your training because you want change in this area more than you want your next breath

4.      How to make character you what you do habitually (Hebrews 5:12-14)

a.    They need milk because they’re babies and because they are babies they are carnal (1 Peter 2:2, 1 Corinthians 3:1)

1)       If they’re carnal in their doing, they are carnal in their way of thinking

b.    They had been taught once what’s right and therefore have knowledge of what’s right, yet they’re still carnal

1)       They got knowledge, but they never took that knowledge and changed their way of thinking

c.     They are babies still because they didn’t take that knowledge they gained and train their minds through vigorous exercise to think like that

1)       Dull of hearing – Not willing to be diligent to hear and when you do hear unwilling to train vigorously with what you heard

d.    You can train your mental faculties (Perceiver, Understander, Judger) separate God and His way from the wrong way

1)       You see the situation God’s way, you understand the situation God’s way, you judge the situation God’s way

a)     You can train your mind to do that automatically

2)       EX: The power of words and now I hear people I’m not trying to hear, but I hear it because my way of thinking has changed

3)       The more developed u are in the way u think, the more you’ll walk in character

G.   (7) Direct your thoughts with the words of your mouth to the Word of God ALL THE TIME (Romans 8:5, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5)