“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true... and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

— Philippians 4:8

Meditation is focused intentional thought. Contemplation is to consider a matter from multiple perspectives. We want to focus on God’s Word and consider the many ways His spirit can move in our lives and empower us to manifest His fruit and promises. Meditation and contemplation are not mystical exercises where you try to leave your body and travel into Heaven to have a mysterious encounter with God. Meditation is simply when you intentionally focus your thoughts on a specific matter.

Most of us meditate all the time. We call it daydreaming, worrying, or spacing out. But more is happening than random thoughts darting around your mind. You are shaping your life in those moments. You are programming beliefs into your heart. And you are creating your future. Romans 12:2 says we are transformed as we meditate or renew our minds.

The question is, on what are you pondering? What thoughts are you allowing to create emotion and beliefs? Because you will be transformed into that image, whether it's healthy or destructive. Your life reflects your habitual thought patterns, especially when you allow your emotions to be affected by what you're focusing on. This is why the Bible gives us much instruction on how to think and what to think about.

Joshua 1:8 Keep this Book of the Law or instruction always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Ephesians 4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Thoughts are not magic, they merely determine how you respond to and feel about things, which guides your choices. The goal of meditation is to expose yourself to the Word of God to the degree that you not only agree with it and understand it doctrinally, but its promises and expectations become real to you. And even possible. If you read God’s Word and feel like the promises are far from you, you have identified where you need to persuade your heart of His power and faithfulness.

Being shaped by our habitual thought patterns is easy to understand concerning worry. How much time do you spend worrying? How do you feel afterward? Afraid probably. That sense of fear created from how you were thinking will shape your decisions and even how you interpret the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.

The solution is to meditate on, ponder, think about God's Word until it becomes believable and possible. Think about Heaven. Think about the victory of Christ. Think about God's love for you. Think about what life would be like if you were healed, prosperous, happy, and wise. Those are all things God is trying to establish in you now, so your joy may be full, and so you can be a blessing to others.

The spiritual practices of contemplation and meditation are catalysts to transformation. As we hold God's Word in our minds and hearts, His logos, His word, His logic emanates into our thinking, emotions, and choices. It's a way to reprogram our set points. “Be still and know God” becomes more than a lovely thought. It becomes a way of life to be led by God.

WHEN YOU HOLD THE WORD IN YOUR MIND AND HEART IT WILL PRODUCE FRUIT AND TRANSFORMATION

85% to 95% of your thoughts, feelings, and actions are the same as the day before. Ultimately we bypass our ability to think and change our lives and do what our environment has trained us to be and do. Our obligations, responsibilities, jobs, and relationships dictate our lives to us without thought much of the time. The body becomes the brain.

In other words, you become programmed to do what your external world has told you to do. And you don’t do anything else unless you feel like it. And most people don’t feel like doing much beyond what they have to do. The carnal world and desires become our default. You can retrain your mind to habitualize spiritual awareness and interaction. You can change your life and take control of your present and your future when you decide what you will think about and how you will cultivate a new future based on God’s possibilities.

You can discipline your mind and heart to agree with the Word of God. No matter your emotions, your feelings, or the circumstances you're in. The Word of God is spiritual and can change any circumstance. Focused intentional thought on the Word of God will produce fruit in your life. But you must allow it to create emotions and even expectations that guide you into your desired future rather than just your obligations in life.

Try it. Grab your Bible and find some good news. Focus on it and think about it until it starts to change your feelings. Then commit to believe it and live by it. Watch your life begin to reflect God's will for you. You will prove God's desire for your life through this process. His desire for you is "on earth as it is in Heaven."

I have created several Tools for Transformation that will help you focus on God's Word and cultivate the power of His Spirit in your inner man. Click the button below to browse my resources.

See My Tools for Transformation

Watch the video above for the full sermon on this topic.

Watch the Spiritual Practices and Disciplines Series on YouTube.

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