What does your spiritual diet look like? Are you as diligent about what you allow to feed your spirit as you are about what you feed your physical body? Are you aware that a healthy mind sustains and supports a healthy body? Listen to what Paul told the Philippian church about a healthy diet for the mind.
“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 NKJV
Let’s examine each dietary supplement. The first one is Truth (true) that implies that we can think on lies. What truth is Paul referring to here? The truth of God’s Word. Whatever situations you may be challenged by always have a cause, find the truth in God’s Word and meditate on it, bringing the lie into focus and destroy it with biblical truths. The next thought is noble. Noble indicates a higher standard of thinking and living. Rising above the negativity and put down of self and others. Taking the high road in thought and deeds. Think of what is just. What is morally right and fair, not by the world’s standard but God’s justification for what is holy and righteous. We call evil evil and good good. Meditate on what is pure. Again biblical purity is not the same as what the world considers pure. Not mixed or contaminated through compromise. Religion is a mixture of flesh and spirit. The Word of God is pure. It covers every topic yet compromises on none. God has a set standard for how His children should conduct their lives. Meditate on what is lovely. Exquisite and beautiful. See Jesus then see others through Him. This will help us avoid judging and comparing. Meditate on the good. The news is filled with negativity and violence even though there’s good news it’s never reported. The good report is the good news of scriptures. Share that, think about that. The only news worth sharing today is found in the finished work of Jesus Christ. He concludes the list by saying if there is any virtue in what you’re thinking of, if it will transport you to a higher standard of living, if it’s praiseworthy, if it will lift up Jesus and His faithfulness to you, think away. Meditate your heart out!
Psalm 37 encapsulates all those virtues in this way.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and FEED ON HIS FAITHFULNESSES.”
Psalms 37:3 NKJV
To feed on His faithfulness is to meditate on the virtues of Philippians 4:8. We will only think on what causes us to delight ourselves in Him. No matter what life throws at us, it will never disrupt the meditation of the Word in our minds. The Word will set the standard for how we’ll respond in every situation. Only what we feed will grow. Our spiritual health must be maintained by a daily dose of what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. If we are deficient in those areas our minds will become a breeding ground for the exact opposite. We’ll be like leaves shaken by the wind. We won’t be able to stand up in the day of testing. But if we feed on His faithfulness, meditate on His Word we’ll be spiritually healthy all the days of our earthly lives.
Has the Lord been good to you? Then when the contrary winds of doubt start blowing, think on the ways He has been faithful. We seem to have selective amnesia these days. He’s faithful then, now and forever! He never ceases being faithful. What are you thinking or meditating on? Your bills, the doctor’s report, your employment or lack thereof? Your broken relationship or wayward children? Covid and its variants? The answer to all those problems is in the Word of God. We were not created to worry. See Morning Messages December 20, 2021. We were created to glorify Him and feed on His faithfulness in the land He’s placed us to dwell in.
Let’s begin by allowing the Holy Spirit to expose the lies we’re telling ourselves. The lies that have become our daily meditation. Whatever He exposes, repent and replace it with the Truth of His Word. Create a new download for your mind, I know you can find a thought for every word in our focus scripture. And they’re all connected to His faithfulness in your life. I can almost see a smile forming on your face as you think on the first time
that you read this truth.
“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” Isaiah 43:25 NLT
Or this truth:
“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”Isaiah 40:8 NLT
“Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.”
Jeremiah 31:3 NLT
Yes! Think on, meditate on and feed on His faithfulness. God is not slack concerning His promises. So don’t feed on the poison fruit of the enemy’s thoughts. Build your mind up with the whatsoever things of Philippians 4. Death and life is in your tongue. You are the only person that can change the trajectory of your life by renewing your mind. This is only possible with the Truth of the Word. Will you change diets today? Your spiritual, mental, emotional and physical life depends on it.
“The Lord your God will delight in you if you obey His voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it. “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.”
Deuteronomy 30:10-15 NLT
What will you choose? 2022 will be a good year for those who will feed on God’s faithfulness, those who will live with expectancy. Whatsoever things are…think on these.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
December 29, 2021