Have you ever really stopped to think about your thoughts?
I tried it; I was deeply surprised how negative my thoughts were, how judgmental I was, how I compared myself to others, and how critical I was of myself.
It took me a while to realize that I didn’t have to accept these thoughts: it was a choice.
You have the power to choose what stays in your mind. God has given you this authority and you can take back your mind.
To love God with all your mind is possible by having thoughts that please and glorify him. He wants you to love him completely.
What Does It Mean To Love God With All Your Mind?
To love God with all your mind means that you strive to keep your mind pure, honoring him.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8, NIV)
It means your thoughts should aim to be fixated on him. That your mind would be a place that worships him (and, in turn, this is the best for you also). That you love yourself by not thinking negatively about yourself—his creation—and love others as he calls you to with good thoughts towards them.
But it also means not focusing on this world, by prioritizing pleasing others or fulfilling the expectations of others.
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2, ESV)
Focus on following him, his word, and living for him. Strive for your mind to stay focused on him and his truth in the Bible.
Surround yourself in worship music when driving, watch TV shows that contain clean content and consistently read the Bible. Engrossing yourself in God can help your mind stay focused on him.
Pray for a godly perspective, to see things as he does. Allowing your mind to be stagnant gives room for the enemy to attack.
How to Love God with All Your Mind
You need to take God’s word literally when you aim to accurately understand its contents. Have confidence that you have the mind of Christ—that means that you can think like him.
“for, ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16, NIV)
Having the mind of Christ means your mind is open to his teaching and instruction. It is surrendered to him—to please him—and focused on his mission.
It is making a choice to give him control of your mind: to accept his truth, to abide in it, and to keep sinful thoughts out.
When attacks come over your mind, you surrender them to him. You are humble, knowing he will take care of everything since you have submitted your mind to him.
You want an inward life that pleases him; the state of your mind is an integral part of this.
Love God With All Your Mind
One of the main keys to loving the Lord with all your mind entails being in his word daily so your mind stays on him and not on your circumstances.
Don’t let the world, or the words of others, influence you or tear you down. You belong to God and so does your mind. The enemy has no power when you know this truth.
Here are 3 steps to keep your mind submitted to the Lord:
1. Evaluate Your Thoughts
What are your thoughts focused on? It is important to ask yourself this and examine your thoughts daily. They can reveal a lot to you about your heart, too.
Discover the pattern. Take an inventory. You need to pay attention.
What steals your peace and joy? Is it worry? What is your mind preoccupied with? Are you overthinking things? Are you believing lies from the enemy about your identity?
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)
Ask the Lord to help you do this and reveal where you need to change your thinking. Ask for a new perspective and a changed heart for a renewed mind.
The Spirit can show you the lies you are believing from the enemy. Having him do this is the start to recognizing that the battle for your mind is real and that you need to start bringing those thoughts to God that are hindering you from living in freedom.
This revolutionizes your inner thought life and makes you more connected to God. It also allows you to live in greater freedom—he wants you to walk in the complete freedom he died to give you.
Allow him to show you your thoughts and reveal how the enemy is attacking you. He knows it all, and wants you to walk closer to him and live in the abundant life he has for you, not trapped in any way.
2. Replace Unwanted Thoughts With Truth
The enemy is fighting for your mind because he knows your thoughts can determine your actions; therefore, it’s important to only allow the good ones pleasing to God to take root and produce good fruit.
You have a choice. Knowing the enemy has no power if you don’t give it to him is critical. You can right away take captive your worries, fears, etc., so you aren’t consumed by these thoughts.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV)
Take unpleasant thoughts to God right away in prayer, submitting them to him, and replace them with scripture in your mind. Meditate on his word. The truth sets you free. (John 8:32)
His word is all powerful and the enemy can’t stand against it. It will renew your mind. It will change you. The more you think about it, and keep scripture in your mind, the more you are living in truth. You’ll walk in his ways and in his righteousness.
Related post: Winning the Battle in Your Mind: 7 Keys to Victory
3. Walk In His Peace
God has given you the gift of peace and you need to claim it. It’s yours; he wants your mind to be in that state all the time.
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27, NLT)
Knowing this allows you to understand the state of mind he has for you and to seek him always as a resting place.
When you recognize the authority over your mind that you have through him—and choose to walk in it by not allowing unpleasant thoughts and overthinking to consume you—you can walk in this peace as an alternative.
Give him all the things that are in your mind so you can be in this state and focus on his peace. You can have a mind of peace when you know his power and remember that he conquered it all.
Press into that peace by continuing to win the battle of the mind and knowing that is the state he wants you in.
To love God with all your mind, be diligent to take thoughts captive, replace lies with truth, and claim his peace. You can stay focused on him.
2 Responses
Hi. I am male. I hope Its ok. I was just looking for an artcle that connects “exercising the volition over thoughts” and idea of “loving God with all thy mind”. A lot of thoughts run in our mind continously. And some, if not most, of them get processed in the brain without our will. I wanted some motivating scriptural idea to advise me about the fruit of “Subjecting and filitering thoughts to our will” as related to Loving God with all the mind.
This article is great I like it. It has encouraged me. I hope you will research and present more on the future about “controlling thoughts” from scriptural perspective.
Stay Blessed!
Abreham G (Ely Zark, pen name)
Hi, Abreham. Of course it’s okay, and I’m so thankful to receive your message!
Praise the Lord that you felt encouraged and that this article was so helpful to you. I definitely will be working on more posts about this topic, as it allows us to follow the greatest commandment.
Blessings to you, too. It’s so wonderful to connect with you!