“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2
The Scriptures tell us that we can experience personal transformation through the process of bringing our thought life under control. In fact, in the letter of Paul the apostle to the Corinthians he calls our wrong thoughts strongholds of un-belief and miss-belief that we have responsibility to pull down and demolish.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“Strongholds” in this Scripture refer to wrong inner attitudes. An attitude is a state of mind, feeling or inner being with regard to some matter; a “core belief.”
- Our deep inner attitudes or core beliefs are who we really are. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”. Prov 23:7
- Our inner core beliefs control our life. They are the foundation of our thoughts, feelings and behavior.
- Strongholds (wrong inner attitudes) exalt themselves against the true knowledge of God, self and others.
- Strongholds are ‘sin holds’ “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” Matt 15:19
- Strongholds are ‘footholds’ for the enemies of our soul.
- When we change our core beliefs we change our life. “Guard your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
The Science of thought
According to researchers the vast majority – a whopping 75 to 98 percent – of illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about truly affects us both physically and emotionally. In fact, fear alone triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses in our bodies, activating more than thirteen different hormones. They call them “toxic” thoughts that, left unchecked create ideal conditions for illnesses.
Our thought, imagination, and choices change the structure and function of our brain on every level: Molecular, genetic, epigenetic, cellular, structural neuro-chemical and electromagnetic. A chaotic mind filled with un-captured, rogue thoughts of anxiety, worry and all manner of fear-related emotions sends out the wrong signal right down to the level of the DNA.
However, our thought life and our core beliefs affect not only ourselves, but our significant others and actually, everyone around us.
The Law of Entanglement
The substance of thought and energy and other unseen things are also being studied on the intriguing level of quantum physics and quantum mechanics. One thing they have discovered is called the Law of Entanglement. Researchers have found that this quantum physics law of entanglement can be observed though the study of the brain.
Quantum physics pertains to the science of studying things that are smaller than atoms and breaks into the field of particles that are not even particles but more like pieces of energy and energy waves. “Thought” has a much bigger influence upon this unseen quantum realm than previously considered.
The law of entanglement in quantum physics states that “relationship” is a defining characteristic of everything in space and time. Because of the pervasive nature of the entanglement of atom particles, “relationship” is independent of distance and requires no physical link. Everything and everyone is linked and we all affect each other. So, literally our positive and negative emotions and intentions directly affect others.
That is why Scripture states, for example:”looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;” Heb 12:15
Scripture tells us we can and should bring our toxic thoughts under control. Through simply changing our thought life we can experience personal transformation. Change is possible. Some of the characteristics used to describe our brain are Neuroplasticity and Neurogenesis.
Neuroplasticity means the brain is malleable and adaptable changing moment by moment of every day. Neurogenesis is the ongoing process of our physical brain in which it is continuously birthing new baby nerve cells and brain cells.
Scientists now know that the brain has an amazing ability to reorganize throughout life, changing it’s structure and function through thinking alone. Of course neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to change in response to thinking) can operate for you as well as against you because what ever you think about most will grow.
That means as we think we change the physical nature of our brain, As we consciously direct our thinking, we can wire out toxic patterns of thinking and replace them with healthy thoughts. New thought networks grow. When we do, we are actually increasing our intelligence, and bringing healing to our brains, minds and physical bodies.
Purposefully catching your thoughts can control the brains sensory processing, the brain’s rewiring, the neurotransmiters, the genetic expression and the cellular activity in a positive or negative direction.
So how do we start changing our toxic thinking – or what one counselor used to call “stinking thinking”?
The Scriptures tell us that we can and should take control of our thought life. “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” Philippians 4:8
- We can replace strongholds of mis-belief with truth John 8:32 :And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.:
- We can replace strongholds of hate or fear with love…1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”
- We can replace strongholds of unbelief with faith in God “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Rom 8:6
Your mind is a garden,
Your thoughts are the seeds,
You can plant flowers
Or you can plant weeds.
