Winning The War In Your Mind: Day 4

Here is the devotional:

The second tool for changing your thinking is the Rewire Principle: Rewire your brain, renew your mind.

Any trigger about money leads me to fear, thoughts of how I don’t have enough, and my need to save more to create security. When I am triggered about money, I fall into a rut—that’s the way my brain works—so I need to create a trench of truth.

The good news is that the Bible speaks to all our problems. God’s Word gives us truth that empowers us to break out of the old ruts of destruction and onto a new path that leads to life. What does the Bible say that applies directly to my fears and issues about money? Here are some of my verses:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12 NIV
“I will save you, and you will be a blessing.” Zechariah 8:13 NIV
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 NIV
God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NIV
From these I put together what I call a “declaration”—what I am declaring to be true in my battle against the lies I am tempted to believe. The goal of the declaration is to have it become my new neural pathway, my intentionally dug trench of truth.

Here’s my declaration based on God’s Word:

Money is not and never will be a problem for me. My God is an abundant provider who meets every need. Because I am blessed, I will always be a blessing. I will lead the way with irrational generosity, because I know it’s truly more blessed to give than to receive.

That’s just one of my declarations that speaks directly to a problem that has plagued me for years. These statements create a new pathway, leading to peace and generosity.

What new neural pathway do you need to create? That depends on your old pathway, right?

Draw your declarations from God’s truth and make them your own. Be creative. Write your declarations in a way that will speak to and inspire you. Put them in places where you can quickly see them and memorize them. Put them in the notes on your phone so you can immediately swipe away and scroll to them. Record them in your voice memos and listen as you exercise or drive. Repetition will dig your new trench deeper and deeper, making the new pathway easier and more accessible.

Write your declaration as if it were already true, even if you don’t fully believe it yet. With a new declaration, we are claiming the victory we have in Christ, and we need to create a neural pathway that affirms our ability to demolish the stronghold and win the battle.

All this might feel foolish at first. Remember, anything new can feel strange in the beginning. You will be saying something you want to believe, but your life will be saying something different. That’s okay. Don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up. The gravitational pull toward your old negative thoughts will likely be stronger than you can imagine. Resist those lies. Keep renewing your mind with God’s truth, and it will become true of you.

Here are the scriptures referenced:

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Philippians 4:12 KJV

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
Zechariah 8:13 KJV

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 KJV

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2 KJV

Here are Stu’s thoughts:

I will simply use me as an example for this one, if that’s ok.

Being the porn addict that I was my brain was totally jacked!

After rededicating my life to Lord a lot in my life changed. A divorce for starters. Realizing the molestation as a child and then later as a teen. But the sex….my mind was so messed up I don’t think I could even attempt to explain how I viewed sex.

I knew what it SHOULD be but porn totally rewired me. I had a lot to learn and could stand to learn more about sex and how God created it. I don’t ever want to stop learning.

I had to do a total brain redo if you will. I had to learn my root cause and the triggers that had me either looking at porn and masturbating or just having sex to just have sex.

I learned my triggers. Thank you Jesus! But I had to fight those triggers instead of giving in like I always did.

I’ll be honest I didn’t fight the triggers with just scripture. I also had to find ways to withstand the temptation so I would write a post on Facebook. Or I would call Angie and we would just talk about life.

Plus I would reach out to my accountability partner Dave.

This blog helped as I used it as an outlet at times to keep from watching porn. I had to set new pathways in my brain. And those were the pathways that worked for me.

And they worked for me.

Now I’m not saying I did not read scripture or pray during those times because I did A LOT.

I used scripture a lot. I know the power of the spoken Word of God now. I was learning that then and I put it into practice.

If you watch porn or anything negative that the Word of God declares wrong you have to spend that time, that you would normally indulge, in a positive manner.

Put in sexual thoughts and that is what stays on your mind.

Put in scripture and the devil will try everything to make you forget what you just read.

But if you keep reading and keep praying it eventually stays with you. But the point is that by reading the Word you are indeed renewing your mind. And it’s the best way to do so.

I did as the author suggests on several things.

Did you know that while your asleep you can still learn and retain things? That’s how I passed high school. I made a tape the night before a test of the things that would be on there and played it while I was asleep. I passed every test.

Move forward to present. I have the New Testament on DVD and I will play a different book while I sleep. I know a lot of scripture now, sometimes I can’t remember exactly where in the Bible it is but I know it.

I also wake up with a feeling of joy in the mornings when I do that.

So recording scripture onto your phone for playback later is not a bad idea at all. I will add that putting scripture as your home screen on your phone is a plus.

Take a scripture that deals with whatever struggle you have and write on a sticky note and put that joker everyone….bathroom mirror, refrigerator, computer screen, in your purse or wallet, your visor in the car, etc. Just have it handy.

What you are doing is creating new pathways for your brain to follow.

My declaration can be summed up by Disciple’s song Dear X, You Don’t Own Me