Point Of Origin

Philippians 4:⁸ “Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” (TPT, emphasis added).

We will kick off today’s devotional with our final thoughts from yesterday. The way you think determines the way you feel. And the way you feel determines the way you act. For emotional people who need to get a grip on their lives, if they get a grip on Philippians 4:8, boom! Their problem will be solved! And it is because, for overly emotional people, their feelings are their reality. That is why some men struggle to understand their wives, because a lot of women operate from their feelings. Their feelings are their reality, regardless of what the facts on the ground say. Some ladies say, “This is how I feel, I feel you do not love me.” And the man says, “…but I love you”. So, it is a case of the facts versus the feelings. And if it is not tackled, those feelings become reality. The way we think is what will lead to the actions we take.

We need to go back to the way we think. The way we think determines the way we feel, and the way we feel will determine the way we act. Therefore, if somebody is acting poorly, making poor judgments, and poor decisions. It is based on how they feel. How they feel is based on how they think. It starts with a thought, and Paul says that, our thoughts must pass through this test. Is it true, noble, right, and pure? Most of those “rubbish” thoughts that lead to those bad decisions will not even pass this test, or survive the filter Paul gives us.

Is that thought true? Is it noble? Is it right? Is it pure? Then add the fifth one, is it lovely? And the sixth, is it admirable? Then the seventh, is it excellent? And the eighth, is it praiseworthy? You will discover that all the “rubbish” emotions that come from “rubbish” thoughts will not pass this test. When we are able to disqualify such thoughts at the thought level, they cannot filter through and become an emotion that determines the way we act. Negative emotions mess up a lot of people’s lives and relationships. The Good News Translation reads, “…fill your minds with those things…” (emphasis added). Not only should it be a test that determines what comes into your mind. But you should also be deliberate to fill your mind with the things that are true, noble, right, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. When you fill your mind with Nollywood, Hollywood, or Bollywood, you will act based on the advice given by the “woods”. As a Pastor, I see a lot of things from where I stand. People are faced with real-life situations, and they are not even going by what the Word of God says. Instead, based on what they have seen in XYZ movie, they have chosen how to “protect” and position themselves.

Prayer: Father, help me respond to life based on the truth of Your Word, in Jesus Name. Amen!