MINDSETS AND BEHAVIORS OR GETTING UN-STUCK

By Pastor Sharron I. Scott

7/31/13

We often struggle with mindsets contrary to God's will for us. These mindsets may manifest themselves in negative behaviors. Let's look at the source of this problem. These are definitely tools of the enemy:

	7 DEADLY SINS		MINDSETS		BEHAVIORS	TIED TO:
1	ANGER	A	SUPERIORITY		VIOLENCE
2	ENVY	B	INFERIORITY		THEFT
3	GLUTTONY	C	SELFISHNESS		OBESITY
4	SLOTH	D	HOPELESSNESS		FILTH
5	PRIDE	E	DESPAIR		DEPRIVATION
6	LUST	F	ENTITLEMENT		DECEIT
7	GREED	G	POVERTY		BETRAYAL
		H	FEAR		CONTROL
		I	“RETIRED”		DEPRESSION
		J	USELESSNESS
		K	FATALISTIC		PHYSICAL:
				L	AGGRESSIVENESS
				M	PROFANITY

You may have a few mindsets and behaviors to add. But let's take each list, column by column, and see what God says about it all.

What does God do with our sins when we ask for forgiveness?

Ps 51:7--Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Psalm 103:3--who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,

Ephesians 1:7--In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 

1 John 1:9-- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 103:12-- so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 38:17--Surely it was for my benefit
    that I suffered such anguish.
In your love you kept me
    from the pit of destruction;
you have put all my sins
    behind your back.

Isaiah 43:25--“I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions, for my own sake,
    and remembers your sins no more.

Isaiah 44:22--I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me,
    for I have redeemed you.”

Isaiah 53:6--We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

Jeremiah 50:20--In those days, at that time,”
    declares the Lord,
“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,
    but there will be none,
and for the sins of Judah,
    but none will be found,
    for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

Ezekiel 18:22-- None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.

Ezekiel 33:16--None of the sins that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.

Hebrews 10:17“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.

Micah 7:19--You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

John 1:29--The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Romans 4:7-8--“Blessed are those
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
⁸ Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

Colossians 2:14--having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

Revelation 1:5-- and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,

1 John 1:7--But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Sin

We must be convinced that our Lord and Savior does indeed mean exactly what he says. We must believe in His saving grace. We must FIRST acknowledge our sins to Jesus. Ask His forgiveness. Repent, moving forward in His forgiveness. If you have not yet done so, receive His salvation. Ask Him to be your Savior. Believe that His agony and death and resurrection and ascension has healed and saved you.

Mindsets

So what about Mindsets? Other words for “Mindsets” are Mentality, outlooks, attitudes and mental attitudes. Our attitudes (mindsets) are extremely important. What we dwell upon we manifest. So these mindsets we have listed may determine our success or lack of it, our self-image, our environment, and many other important aspects of our lives.

First we must pray. Ask for help from the Holy Spirit, to whom we have access:

Ephesians 1:13-14—And you were also included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.

Read scripture, sinking in and soaking in the word, and find the mindsets of God. Then choose to adopt them as your own, replacing old, sinful mindsets with God's. Seek counsel and guidance from mature Christians. Look to someone you respect and trust, and ask them for help in your walk. Seek counsel and help from mature Christians. Find prayer partners you feel you can trust with confidences.

This journey is not so much about following a set of rules or steps, but about learning the character of God, and your own identity as heir to His Kingdom.

Behaviors

These behaviors we have listed and others are symptoms of not knowing who you are in Christ and believing the lies of the enemy, partnering with him instead of God.

Learn your identity in Christ, by asking mature Christians who know you. Who do they see you to be? What are your giftings? If you know someone who is gifted prophetically, ask them what God says about you.

It would be nice to say that all negative behaviors will disappear once you have received Jesus as your Savior. But it isn't always that easy. We all carry “who we were”, our worldly identity, with us. But who and what we were and did is only valuable if we use it as a positive reference point of the glory of God.

If we decide to truly believe we are saved, healed and delivered—redeemed by the blood of Jesus, then we must also totally believe and ACCEPT that we are “a new creation”:

2 Corinthians 5:17—Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Old sins, mindsets and behaviors are a thing of the past.

Ephesians 2:8-10—For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepered in advance for us to do.

We were:

Chosen:

• Ephesians 1:5-- In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
• Ephesians 1:11—In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will

Redeemed:

• Ephesians 1:7-- In him we have redemption through his blood

Forgiven:

• Ephesians 1:7a-- ... the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
  Included:

• Ephesians 1:13-- And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit

Created for a purpose:

• Ephesians 2:10-- For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We must believe to receive this. And we must have faith that God always does what he says he will. He never lies. And his word applies to you. Always has, always will.

Thinking that old habits or behaviors die hard is believing a lie of the enemy:

Philippians 4:13—I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

FIRST, PRAY. Ask God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit to help you. Learn your authority over the enemy: 

Luke 10:18-20—He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given YOU authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome ALL the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Accept your identity and the responsibility it carries. For this you must also find an accountability partner who loves you as Jesus does, and respects your journey and won't attend a “pity party”. Learn what your calling looks like. Learn by reading, listening to teachers, and by personal connection with mature Christians in the Body of Christ. Then begin to carry it out. Gain the skills and knowledge needed. DO YOUR PART. Do your best, and let God do the rest. Remember, God will NOT drive a parked car!

Always remember to pray and listen. Continue in the Word at every opportunity. If opportunities are slim, make more. Carve out time, because NOTHING is as important as the Word of God. Yes, it's easier to veg out in front of the tv. But our life on earth is very short, and we will all answer to God for our every decision.

Every second of every minute we live is borrowed time, a gift from God. Are we wasting His time? Many of us spent too much time NOT walking in our calling. Some by choice, and some because they didn't know any better. Let's use the time we have left on this earth—10 seconds or 10 decades-- to edify the Body (Christ's, not our own) and GLORIFY GOD!

Sins, mindsets and negative behaviors are a waste of God's time. So let's get in, buckle up, start the engine, and take it out of P!

Just as Abraham didn't know where God was sending him (but he still stayed obedient and moved forward); so we must be obedient and trust in God and MOVE FORWARD.

Remember: WE are in charge of our own actions, reactions, mindsets and behaviors. As Christians we cannot say “I'm only human”. Nor can we allow “the devil made me do it” to be sufficient. WE must choose to change.

For only in finding Christ's truth, walking in His light can we find true freedom. Yes, that requires surrender. But surrender is the true source of ABSOLUTE FREEDOM. No fear. No rage. No anxiety. Just you and Jesus.

May God bless you in your decision.