Dear Partner,
What do you think about most of the time? I don’t mean during times when you’re busy or preoccupied, which means to be completely engrossed in thought. I’m talking about most of the time.
When I was young, I thought about airplanes most of the time. That thought stayed with me until every dollar I could get my hands on went toward that thought. I would draw pictures of airplanes on my textbook covers. If an airplane flew over, it got my full attention. I bought magazines about, you guessed it, airplanes. The thought of flight lessons came, here and there, until it finally came to pass. I’ve now been flying for over 60 years!
What you think about most of the time, you will become.
Let’s see what God says about it, beginning in Proverbs 23:7:
- For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Now, read Romans 12:1-2:
- I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
- 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.
Whose mind? YOUR MIND! Second Timothy 1:6-7 makes it even more clear. It says:
- Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
You stir up the gift of God. Our God, who is so good, has not given us the spirit of fear. He has, however, given us the spirit of POWER, the spirit of LOVE (which is Himself), and the spirit of a SOUND MIND. A fear-filled mind, or a worry-filled mind, is not sound. The Greek word translated sound is “disciplined or self-control.”
The Weymouth translation says:
- For this reason let me remind you to rekindle God’s gift, which is yours through the laying on of my hands.
- For the spirit which God has given us is not a spirit of cowardice, but one of power and of love and of self-discipline.
There it is again—self-control, or self-discipline!
Stop right there. Where is OUR faith in all of this? I’m so glad you asked. A sound mind must be a faith-filled mind.
We’ve just read in 2 Timothy 1:6-7:
- Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Timothy had to stir up the unfeigned faith and spiritual gift that was in him (verse 5). The New Living Translation says:
- This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
- For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Those are good translations, but I also like how the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, reads:
- That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination].
- For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
Now, you might say, “Brother Copeland, I wish I had that kind of absolute trust and confidence in God’s power, wisdom and goodness.” Well, stop wishing, and start thinking about His goodness. Start meditating on the verses we’ve just read. You have all of those wonderful things in your born-again spirit being. Begin thinking them in your heart and with your mind.
Look at what the Bible says in Hebrews 10:35-36:
- Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
- For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
“After [you] have done the will [The WORD] of God” who is so good! Now, read those verses in the AMPC:
- Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.
- For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.
Put everything negative out of your mind because what you think about will become words. Fear-filled thoughts produce fear-filled words. Fear does not belong to you!
Look at, and hold onto, what God, who is so good, said through the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:25-8:2:
- I thank God through Jesus Christ our LORD. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
- There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
- For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Remember, what you think about most of the time you will become. If your ministry or business has suffered loss at the hands of the devil through the pandemic, don’t think about that. Find scriptures on restoration and abundance, and fix your mind on those things. You not only can, but you must do it—NOW! Think faith thoughts. Think Love thoughts. Then, speak faith words and love words. That’s when real, unfeigned faith in God will rise up in your heart and in your mind.
Remember this: You and I can do whatever our covenant with God says we can do. Philippians 4:8-9 says:
- Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
- Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Verse 4 says, “Rejoice in The LORD always: and again I say, Rejoice.” And in verse 6, we’re told: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
That’s a command. Don’t be careful, or anxious, about anything! STOP IT!
As you sow the SEED of your BLESSING this month, surround it, or water it, with praise and joy, and thoughts of harvest. As the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in The LORD always: and again I say, Rejoice.” When you do that, you can’t keep from believing and confessing what Paul says later in verse 13: “I can do all things through Christ [and His Anointing] which strengtheneth me”! Stand up wherever you are and shout, “I am born of God! I am a world overcomer! This is the victory that overcomes the world, even my faith!”
Never forget the covenant you have with this ministry. You are prayed for in faith every day. God loves you, Gloria and I love you, and Jesus is LORD!
Love,
P.S. SOW IT FORWARD! Be a blessing. Pass this letter on to a family member or friend.
