Shownotes
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 218 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom
7 Thought Patterns for a Rich and Satisfying Life #4
Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 218 of our Trek. We continue this week on our trek up Transformation Mountain, where I want to emphasize again how important it is for us to have the proper mindset as we begin 2016. We are exploring how we need to renew our minds so we can transform our lives. Today and tomorrow we will finish our seven thought patterns to create a rich and satisfying life. After that, we will spend a few days focusing on setting our plans and goals for this new year. If you miss any of our Wisdom-Trek episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.
We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The weekend was both relaxing and productive. Paula and I were able to complete additional work on our life/business plan, and we went to see the new Star Wars movie. We also were able to worship with our local fellowship of believers and take a nice long walk on a cool but pleasant Sunday afternoon. It was quite an enjoyable New Year’s weekend, and we are prepared to start the first workweek of 2016 with new focus and direction.
Let’s continue on our Wisdom-Trek for 2016, as we hike another trail today on the Mountain of Transformation. Personal transformation in any area of our lives first begins on the trails of renewing our minds, or it might be said, changing the way we think. The only way 2016 will be a better year is if we change how we think. Today on the trek up Transformation Mountain, we will explore the role that the Tempter has in our thought process. This is an important nugget of wisdom that is often overlooked when we consider making lasting positive changes in our life. Today we continue our exploration of the…
7 Thought Patterns for a Rich and Satisfying Life
To make significant and lasting changes, it takes consistent and persistent commitment to change the way you think. You have to consciously have a gate-keeper monitoring what you allow into your mind each day. So far we have covered the thought patterns of trust, thankfulness, truth, timing, and travail. If you missed these first three days of this current trek, please listen to them or read the daily journal to learn the wisdom contained there. Today we will explore the 6th thought pattern which is the Tempter, the evil one.
As a Christ follower, I am convinced there are very real and present evil forces in the world who influence the bad that happens in our world today. If we do not change our thought patterns through the five elements that we covered previously, it opens up the possibility to be influenced by the Tempter. You need to learn how to prevent the Tempter from influencing your thought pattern so that you can make real and lasting changes in your life. So let’s explore…
6. The Tempter
If you want your lives to be transformed, you must recognize the attacks of the enemy on your mind. The Tempter will attack your minds with thoughts of evil, accusations, rebellion, strife, defeat, unworthiness, lies, and hate. These unclean spirits wage a relentless war on your minds. You must recognize the suggestions of these evil spirits and resist them at once. When you fill your mind with the thoughts of God and refuse to entertain the thoughts presented by the Tempter, your life will be transformed. You must allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayers as you pray in the spirit and continually feed on God’s Word.
You must resist the Tempter through the knowledge of God’s word.
Matthew 4:1-10
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights, he fasted and became very hungry.
During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’ ”
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’ ”
You must resist the Tempter when he tries to get you to doubt God’s word.
Matthew [16:21]-23
From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.
But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”
Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
You must resist the Tempter when he tries to weaken your faith.
Luke [22:31]-34
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you.”
But Jesus said, “Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”
You must resist the Tempter by putting on all of God’s armor.
Ephesians [6:10]-18
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
On the first six segments of our trek up Transformation Mountain, we explored the concepts of trust, thankfulness, truth, timing, travail, and today the Tempter. All of these segments tie to each other on our trek of life and are crucial for changing the way we think and renewing our minds. If we apply the principles that we explore this week, we will change our lives by changing our thought patterns. We will invest one more day on our trek up Transformation Mountain and explore why you need to be teachable to transform your thinking. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.
That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person so they can come along with us each day.
Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
- Live Abundantly (Fully)
- Love Unconditionally
- Listen Intentionally
- Learn Continuously
- Lend to others Generously
- Lead with Integrity
- Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!