Transformed By Renewal Of Your Mind

Every person needs to “be transformed by renewal of your mind”.

A reader asked:

“Would you please pray for me, I have been diagnosed with anxiety and OCD, would you please give me a Scripture for OCD”

From the National Institute of Mental Health:

“Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.”

Key words seem to stand out:
  • uncontrollable, reoccurring THOUGHTS
  • URGE to repeat over and over

So I began to wonder: THOUGHTS; URGES; what does the Word of God speak to those symptoms?

Disclaimer:
I am not a counselor…

But I am acquainted with the “Wonderful Counselor”:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

I am not a physician…

But I am acquainted with the “Great Physician”:

But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (Matthew 9:12)

Having said that:

Is not the goal of the counselor, and the physician, and the Scripture the same?

All would agree that the struggle taking place is perceived in the mind.

Indeed, this argues: “be transformed by renewal of your mind”!

Here is the entire Scripture passage:

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

I Am Not Claiming This As A Cure For OCD

Consider performing an experiment: Get up a few minutes earlier each morning, and read through the same Scriptures every day. Do this for four weeks, and notice if you begin to look forward to it.

You will not see big changes immediately. As with learning to play the piano or beginning a workout regimen to get stronger, what I am suggesting will take time.

You have nothing to lose by “renewing your mind” with Scripture each morning.

Here is a great example of how, when you have Jesus with you, He cleans up your mess!

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. (Mark 5:1~20)

Here is the point:

In the example from the gospel of Mark, Jesus was able to handle more than TWO THOUSAND demons simply by being there, and speaking to them.

That same power is built into His Word!! When we quote His Word over our situation, His spoken Word has the same result. The demons can’t tell the difference between Jesus saying it or you saying it! The power is in the spoken Word, not in the speaker!!

I’m not saying that; Jesus Himself is saying that:

He who hears you hears Me… (Luke 10:16a)

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he… (Proverbs 23:7)

9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, (Deuteronomy 7:9)

12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deuteronomy 10:12~13)

10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

28 Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 12:28)

The raw material of
the Holy Spirit of God is
the Word of God.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; (Psalm 103:11)

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:3~4)

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Psalm 62:5~8)

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25~26)

Most recently added: 04/06/2019

- Jan

 
 

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{ 6 comments… add one }
  • Jose 04/11/2019, 8:40 PM

    I have struggled with bad thoughts it was making me feel so much guilt condemnation I was in despair as I cried out to the lord he gave me ishia 41:10 the lord said just don’t pay attention when these thoughts come I had to train myself the more I don’t pay attention to these bad thoughts it started to lose it power over me

    Reply Link
    • Jan Smith 04/11/2019, 8:51 PM

      Jose, welcome to the wonderful world of obedience to Jesus! What you related is exactly what Jesus told us to do! Good for you!

      Reply Link
  • BETH MCLAUGHLIN 04/09/2019, 10:34 AM

    Thanks for this timely message. I have a terrible struggle with awful thoughts too and never quite seem to get the victory although my terrible anxiety relating to this is much better. It upsets me so much as the thoughts can keep me from God as I feel so ashamed and unclean. Thanks for all you do. U will someday know what the Lord has done through you. Beth

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  • Brooke Stough 04/09/2019, 9:30 AM

    I struggle with thoughts often. A few years back The Holy Spirit spike to my heart “ die to yourself.” That really made me think. Once a thought comes to my mind that is not of God I will cast it out in Jesus name. Then the thought is gone. Also there are times when I don’t think before I speak and I say things I shouldn’t and then I regret it. It’s a constant battle

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  • Paulette 04/09/2019, 8:42 AM

    Mr. Jan. Thank you for your obedience to God. I have enjoyed and learned so much from your writings. I have a ladies bible study and I have used the material to teach from. You know you don’t know until you know how much you don’t know. ?. Thank you

    Reply Link
    • Jan Smith 04/09/2019, 2:20 PM

      Thanks for that, Paulette. I recall an old saying: The older I get, the more I realize how little I know.
      As for me, there was a time when I didn’t know… BUT: I didn’t know that I didn’t know. (??)

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