We Have to Make Up Our Mind

With Bishop Ronald K. Powell 

“We Have to Make Up Our Mind Who or What are we allowing in our lives!” 

• Anything we agree with and allow to stay within the boundaries of our life has the right to stay! 
• If we really want to have change in our life for the better, whether the desired change is mental, physical or spiritual, we need to be able to recognize old patterns and old ways of thinking that are still within us. 
• We must come out of agreement with them in order to bring freedom and health.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 

• We have to make up our mind and decide we do not want Fear any more.
• We have to decide we do not want to hate yourself any longer.
• We have to decide we are tired of Envy and Jealousy and Bitterness rising up in us. 
• When we make up our mind that we do not want these spiritual dynamics ruling in our life and decide we want the fruit of righteousness to be in our life instead of the fruit of sin, God will meet us in that decision and make us free. 

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Today can be the day we stop agreeing with the Enemy. 

Today, why not choose life and blessings. 

• Would you stand in front of someone while they were delivering a whole heap of unhealthy, insane, abusive, damaging and disgusting versions of you and your life and listen to it? 
• The healthiest thing you could do is say, ‘I’m not listening to you’, disconnect and carry on with whatever you’re doing in the now. 
• There is absolutely no need for you to accept another’s version of you and your life unless you choose to stand there with them and take it on. 
• If you know who you are, there’s no need to try and convince another person who you are and what you stand for. If they don’t get it and don’t want to, it really is none of your business. 
• Understand if you stand there and argue with an abusive individual, you get damaged. If you do this, you have serious problems with setting boundaries. 

Know that your ego is every bit as abusive as another damaging individual. 

• If you have a ‘fight with yourself’ you’re trying to justify yourself to your ego and convince it you aren’t this person, you don’t have these fears, you don’t have doubts and you really are capable. 
• Your ego loves this because it will trick you into thinking that you can win the argument, that you can convince it and resolve the issue, and that you’ll receive peace after having this struggle with yourself. 
• This is so untrue! 
• Your ego will keep coming back at you again and again, and just like any abusive person who simply won’t get it, wants to project fears and doubts, and not find peace within. The argument will continue to resurface and never be healed. 

Think about this – how exhausting is it trying to argue and justify yourself with a person who is continually abusing you? 

• If you don’t disconnect and get away from them, you eventually give in and start agreeing with their version of you just to get some peace. 
• Inevitably if you keep hooking into your ego, you’ll end up doing the same thing. 
• Eventually you’ll be so worn down that you’ll accept and agree with the inner dialogue of ‘I’m worthless and a failure’. 

Agreements with the enemy of your soul sound something like this: 

• “I’ll never _____________________.”(have a good marriage/get out of financial trouble/get that job/loose this weight/be a good mom/etc. etc. etc. 
• I’m always_________________.” (dumb/stupid/late/worried/unqualified/wrong/ talking too much/etc. etc. etc.) 
• You get the idea.  
• This kind of thinking will always be punctuated with these types of downward thoughts. 

INSTEAD begin to make your agreements with the Scripture. 

• “I am cleaned and forgiven.” Col.1:14 
• “I am assured that God will work things out for my good and His glory.” Rom 8:28 
• “I can find mercy and grace in my time of need. “Hebrews 4:16 
• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil 4:13 
• “I can approach God with freedom and confidence.” Eph. 3:12 
• Declare your faith and believe God.  
• Let nothing move you! He is there! He is waiting for you to trust Him. Put your hand in His today in fresh renewal of your faith in Him. Believe and don’t doubt. 

James 1:6-8 tells us the person that is double-minded, believing and doubting, believing and doubting, is unstable in all he does. 

Choose carefully today where you are making your agreements and with whom. 

• Challenge your thinking.
• Find the agreements with the enemy of your soul and lay the truth of Scripture over them.
• Hold on to those truths with the tenacity of a bull dog.
• You will find stability and grace to move through your day.

Christ is your trustworthy anchor today. Rise up and begin to walk in victory today! 

 Closing Prayer

Oh Lord, May I be aware today of the thoughts that I choose to hang on to and nurse in my mind and heart today.  May I choose the truth of Your Word and walk in strength and dignity and victory! In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.