1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 2: Teach Us to Praise brought to you by Life Audio 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 2: and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. For 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 2: more inspirational faith affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio dot com. 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: If we want peaceful lives, Philippians four eight tells us 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: to think on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, 7 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: and anything worthy of praise if we want to be 8 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: transformed into the people that God is calling us to be. 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: Romans twelve two tells us that this only happens by 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,560 Speaker 1: the renewing of our minds. If we want to combat 11 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: the lies of the enemy that contradict the truth of God. 12 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: Second Corinthians ten to five tells us that we are 13 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: to take every thought that we have and make it 14 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: obedient to Christ. In today's episode, I want to share 15 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: with you three powerful points of prayer to renew your 16 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: mind so that you can think the thoughts of God 17 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: that change your Welcome back, friend, you are listening to 18 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: the Teach Us to Pray podcast, where we teach believers 19 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: practical and real life tips on how to grow your 20 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: faith and a relationship with God through the power of prayer. 21 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: I'm Christina Patterson, host of the Teach Us to Pray 22 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: podcast and founder of Beloved Women, where I encourage, equip 23 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: and empower women in the love of Jesus Christ and 24 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: the truth of God's word. Maybe you're like me and 25 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: you have thoughts popping in your head a mile a 26 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: minute of what needs to get done today, tomorrow, and 27 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: even ten years from now. Maybe you struggle with negative 28 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: thinking about yourself and must constantly fight off bad thoughts. 29 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: And maybe you're focused on what everyone else is doing, 30 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: and these thoughts leave you depleted and envious. Our thoughts 31 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: can be a very powerful guiding force in our lives. 32 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: Where our minds go, our actions will soon follow. When 33 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: we lose control of our thoughts, we are quick to 34 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: get off course and off track in our lives. So 35 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: if we want to live lives that God has purpose 36 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: for us to live, we have to be diligent about 37 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: guarding our thoughts. A renewed mind does not do the 38 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: things of the world. A renewed mind transforms us out 39 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: of the harmful patterns of the world and into a 40 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: life that glorifies God. So how can we start to 41 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: have those types of thoughts? And if that's a I shouldn't, 42 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: that's on your mind today, You're in the right place 43 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 1: because I want to show you how prayer can drastically 44 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: change your thoughts and in turn your life for the better. 45 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: That's right, you can pray about what you actually think about. 46 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: And we should be praying about our thoughts because they 47 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: are one of the most powerful guiding forces in our lives. 48 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: And so the first powerful prayer point that I want 49 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: to give you to pray over your mind is to 50 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: first pray that God will help you to become aware 51 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: of your thoughts. Now, this is so important because you 52 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: can't change your thinking. You can't transform your mind if 53 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: you aren't even aware of the thoughts that are coming 54 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: into your mind that are actually being lived out by you. 55 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: And you might be thinking to yourself, well, Christina, how 56 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: is that even possible? Let me tell you there are 57 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: so many thoughts that we subconsciously hold onto that we 58 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: don't even realize, and we find ourselves acting in ways 59 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: and responding in ways that we don't even expect, and 60 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: we think to ourselves, where did that come from? And 61 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: most of the time, it came from a thought. It 62 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: might be a thought that you weren't aware of. It 63 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: could be a thought that you internalized when you were 64 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: five years old or five years ago, but it started 65 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: as a thought that is guiding your life. And so 66 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: we need to be aware of those thoughts, and so 67 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: to pray about that and ask God, is there any 68 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 1: thought in me that does not align with your will 69 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: and your purpose for my life. Psalm nineteen fourteen says, 70 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: let the words of my mouth and the meditation of 71 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord, my 72 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: Rock and my Redeemer. Are Oftentimes we pray about our 73 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: actions and what we want to do and what God 74 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: actually wants us to do in our lives, and that's great. 75 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 1: We even sometimes pray about our words and have to 76 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: write words to say and maybe a difficult conversation or 77 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: to say to our kids. But we also need to 78 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: be praying about our minds. What are we meditating on? 79 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: What might be in our minds, in our thoughts that 80 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: are not in alignment with God? And as we pray 81 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: to God, he's faithful to bring that up and to 82 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: illuminate what those thoughts may be. So, for example, if 83 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: you're struggling making friends with other women or other men, 84 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: someone of the same sex as you, right, but you 85 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 1: have an underlying thought that women can be trusted or 86 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: men are boring, whatever the thought may be, that thought 87 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: is going to prevent you from actually pursuing fellowship with others. 88 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: If you have a thought that it's like just nobody 89 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,239 Speaker 1: can be trusted, I just can't trust anybody, You're gonna 90 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 1: have a really hard time developing intimacy in any of 91 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: your relationships. So do you see how those thoughts dictate 92 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: our actions and impact our lives. Now, if you aren't 93 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: aware of that thought in the first place, then guess 94 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: what's gonna happen. You're just gonna keep living life and 95 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: doing what you do and wondering why certain things aren't 96 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: working out for you, wondering why certain patterns continue to 97 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: happen and show up in your life. But our God 98 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: knows our minds and our hearts better than ourselves, and 99 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: so when we pray to him and say, God, please 100 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: reveal my heart and my thoughts that I may align 101 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: them with you, he is faithful to do just that. 102 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: The second powerful prayer point that I want you to 103 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: be praying over when it comes to renewing your mind 104 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: is to capture negative thoughts that don't align with God truth. 105 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: So the first step is to be aware. Pray that 106 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: God will help you become aware of your thoughts, but 107 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: then that He will give you the strength to capture 108 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: the negative thoughts. Tewod Corinthians ten to five says, we 109 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge 110 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. Now, 111 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: our thoughts are so powerful, especially when it comes to 112 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: the Gospel, because what we believe about God is going 113 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: to impact our relationship with Him and how we love 114 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: Him and how we love others. And essentially, this is 115 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: what the writer of Second Corinthians was addressing thoughts and 116 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 1: knowledge that were going around about God and the Gospel 117 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: of Jesus Christ that were not true. And he's saying, no, 118 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: we take these thoughts captive and we make them obedient 119 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: to Christ. And how do we do that We align 120 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: them with the truth of God. Whenever you have a lie, 121 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 1: it cannot stand in the truth of God. So as 122 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,119 Speaker 1: we assess our thoughts and become aware of our thoughts, 123 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: we always want to align them with the truth of God. 124 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: And ask yourself, does this thought align with God's truth? 125 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: Is that really true? Right? And so in order to 126 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: be able to do that, we have to know God's truth, 127 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: so we need to also be in prayer, but also 128 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: in Bible study. We need to know God's truth, that 129 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: God will not only make us aware of our thoughts, 130 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: but that He will bring his truth to remembrance to 131 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: us when our thoughts especially do not align with His truth. 132 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: Which then leads me to my last powerful prayer point, 133 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: to pray over your mind, which is to replace any 134 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: negative thought or any untruth thought with the truth of 135 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: God's word. This is called renewing your mind. Romans twelve 136 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: two says, do not be conformed to this world, but 137 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: be transformed by the renewal of your mind. That by 138 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: testing you may discern what is the will of God, 139 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: what is good and acceptable and perfect. There is a 140 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: pattern to this world, and it's so easy to just 141 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: fall into that pattern and do what everybody else is doing, 142 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: do what the majority says it's the right thing to do, 143 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: even if the word of God says is wrong and 144 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: the Bible is telling us that's not how we're to 145 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: think as Christians. We don't just fall in alignment with 146 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: a pattern that does not represent God's truth, even if 147 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: it is held by a prevailing majority, God's truth is 148 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 1: what should prevail in our minds. But because we live 149 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: in the world, sometimes those thoughts and those patterns can 150 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 1: come into our lives. And so we need to be 151 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: renewing our mind every day, being aware of our thoughts, 152 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: capturing our thoughts, and replacing any other truth with God's truth. 153 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: And so we need to be praying for the strength 154 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: to be able to do that, because sometimes we don't 155 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: want to believe the truth. It's easier to just go 156 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: with the pattern of the world and the way things are. 157 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: But it takes the strength of God to help us 158 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: to actually renew our minds, to accept his truth and 159 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: know that His way is the better way. And so 160 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: we need to pray that God will not only help 161 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: us to know his word, something that we need as 162 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: we capture our thoughts, but we need to believe his word. 163 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: That God will give us a conviction for a belief 164 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: in His truth that then renews our minds and transforms 165 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: our lives. Let me pray for you, dear Heavenly Father, 166 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for the minds that You've given 167 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: us so that we can know you. May our thoughts 168 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: be aligned in your truth, God, and may they glorify 169 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: you forever. In Jesus Christ's name, we pray. Amen. Did 170 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: you know that God made us all beautifully different even 171 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: in the way that we pray? That's right. Your prayer 172 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 1: personality is the unique way you are most likely to 173 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: communicate with God, and knowing which of the three prayer 174 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: personality types you have can equip you to hear from 175 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: God more clearly and overcome any obstacles to your communication 176 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: with Him. I invite you to take my prayer personality 177 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: quiz to learn how you best hear from God, how 178 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: you most likely connect with Him in prayer, and just 179 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: to have a little fun. Take the quiz now at 180 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: prayquiz dot com or find the link in today's show notes. 181 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: It is my hope that today's episode has provided you 182 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: with insightful and helpful tips on how you can pray. 183 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: We have so much more to talk about when it 184 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: comes to prayer, so I hope that if you were 185 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 1: encouraged by today's episode, you will share it with the 186 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: friend and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes 187 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 1: of the Teach Us to Pray podcast, where we will 188 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,079 Speaker 1: continue to learn how, just like breathing, prayer can become 189 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: a natural, consistent, and life giving part of your everyday life. 190 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: Until then, be sure to connect with me at Belovewomen 191 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: dot org and check out the show notes to download 192 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,319 Speaker 1: my free five day prayer guide. I also want to 193 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: invite you to study the Bible with me by downloading 194 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: the Beloved Women app, available in the Apple and Google 195 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: play stores. Thanks so much for taking time to listen 196 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: to say God Bless you, and I'll talk to you 197 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: in the next episode. Teach Just to Pray is a 198 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: production of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you like 199 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: what you heard today, please take a second to rate 200 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 1: and review this podcast in your favorite podcast staff so 201 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: that more listeners like you can find the show. For 202 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com.