“Brain washing”#4
by Pastor George Lehman
Many people would rather believe their doubts and doubt their beliefs.
Previous sermons
#1 Realize where the war is
#2 Get a grip on your mind, get a grip on your life
#3 Remove stumbling blocks that will prevent your destiny
It’s in the application, not information.
It’s not to condemn you or make you feel guilty or like a failure. It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to convict you to change what need to change.
Change is not change until you change
James 1:5-8 (NIV) – 5If any of you lacks wisdom*, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault; and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
(we cannot receive wisdom from God when we doubt)
*Wisdom is the ability to use the KNOWLEDGE you’ve acquired WISELY
Therefore, you need to get the word into your mind and into your life, you can’t use what you don’t have!!
#4 Don’t let double-mindedness destroy you.
Have you ever thought – what produces the “up-today”, “down-tomorrow” mentality and many times an unsure, insecure, intimidated feeling about tomorrow?
What causes people to be in the church today, shouting, praising, confessing their faith in Jesus AND end up missing church and cells and many times no longer involved at all?
The answer is “doublemindedness”.
“Double mindedness is a very dangerous and destructive state of mind. That’s why we need to be brain washed to make sure we are single minded.
James 1:8 says, “That it causes people to be UNSTABLE in ALL their ways. All you do. (Inconsistency is when our actions and our thoughts are not consistent with God’s word)
It’s like being in a rowing boat without OARS on a rough sea.
Up and down without control over your direction.
It’s interesting to note the term “doubled-minded” in James 1:8.
In Greek it is = “Dipsuchos”, which means vacillating (Wisselvallig) (fluctuate in opinion or purpose or resolution*).
*Resolution: temper or character (make promises you can’t keep) Divided loyalty between God and worldly desires.
No wonder people change ministries, marriages, jobs – They’re not in it long enough to prosper and fulfil their God-given destiny.
I have a newsflash for you…
“Doublemindedness” will lead to failure and destruction. A double-minded life will get you nowhere twice as fast.
When your mind doesn’t know which way to go AND you’re not preparing it for action:
(1 Peter 1:13 – Prepare your mind for action.)
– You become prone to deception. To believe you ok with what’s not ok.
– You’re an easy mark for the devil (like a wounded animal to prey, they isolate and attack).
He will influence you with his deceptive devices of doubt, fear, worry and anxiety.
Your mind becomes a dumping ground, so you receive the opposite to TRUTH = which is A LIE.
Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death.
“Double-mindedness” will cause you to:
– Lose, when you could win!
– Cry when you could laugh!
– Doubt when you could believe!
– Be bitter & unforgiving when you could forgive and be free.
Churches and ministries are being held back from experiencing the supernatural because of a LARGE number of its ranks are indulging in “doublemindedness”.
How does it work?
The process:
Once “doublemindedness” has (infiltrated) entered the territory of your mind in your sub-conscious or conscious thought patterns.
Instability is created.
You become a victim of your own mind.
You begin to lose control and the ability to make clear, productive decisions.
The end result: FAILURE and defeat.
The Good news is, Praise God, in Christ Jesus we don’t have a “double-mind”, we have a SOUND MIND.
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV) – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a SOUND MIND.
A sound mind is not split between TWO opinions but is secure and stable. It’s single-minded.
By brainwashing our minds with the thoughts from the Word of God you can live like winners.
It is the Word of God that you discipline your mind to think and meditate on that prospers your life.
The more you train your mind to stay focused on God and His word, the more peace and security you will experience.
Isaiah 26:3 (Amp) – You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose MIND [both its inclination and its character] is stayed* on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
*stayed = Prop: Support that holds things up.
That’s why it is so important that once you have received the Word of God in your mind, only you can make a determined decision not to allow negative thoughts of doubt, fear, worry, anxiety or confusion to steal, kill or destroy or override your word thoughts and trick you into “doublemindedness”.
Continual study of Gods word, prayer and exposure to the anointed, spoken Word, faithfulness to church and cell attendance will help guard against “doublemindedness”.
After hearing this word, you realise that you have allowed your mind to float in and out, back and forth and up and down in “doublemindedness”. It’s not too late, you can change.
Firstly, you must be willing to see and admit that you’ve been unstable in your thinking.
Secondly you must be willing to receive correction.
(Don’t let double-mindedness lead you to stubbornness and rebellion and a hardened heart).
The enemy wants to keep your belief system unstable.
James 4:7-8 (NIV) – Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your heart, you who are double-minded.
Paul gave specific instruction on how to identify and resist the enemy’s thoughts:
Philippians 4:8 (KJV) – Finally, brothers, whatever is TRUE, whatever is HONEST, whatever is JUST, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is of GOOD REPORT, if anything is excellent and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Every time one of those 650 000 approx thoughts comes into your mind, check it against this: Here’s the measuring stick:
Is it true? Honest? Just? Is it pure? Lovely? Is it of a good report?
If it matches – let it in. If it doesn’t – kick it out.
Refuse entrance to anything that does not agree with the measuring stick.
When you allow discouragement, depression, fear, doubts, worry, anxiety, frustration to camp out in your life, “doublemindedness” will be the result AND it will destroy you.
In closing: By brainwashing your MIND.
Romans 12:2 – Don’t be conformed but transformed by the renewing of the mind, “so that you may prove for yourself what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His sight for you).
The longer you maintain a positive, productive thought trend, the greater your chances are for success, prosperity, victory and walking and living in the destiny God has already purposed for your life. You destroy “doublemindedness”.
This is not for a select few to achieve; it’s for everyone who will come. Most of us are growing even with the very little bit of effort we put into our bible study, prayer life, our commitment to the ministry and lifestyle God has called us to.
Le us aim to be Single-Minded, by brain washing our minds with God’s truths.
