An act of the Will (Changing Your Thought Patterns part 3)

We find a good illustration of this in Paul’s words, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Eph. 4:28).  How does a thief stop being a thief?  Is it just by not stealing anymore?  Not quite.  Certainly that is part of it.  That’s saying “no” to a negative, destructive habit.  It’s building the “dam.”  But it’s not enough.  In order to change, the thief is told to get a job and earn money honestly.  Then he is to give to others in need so that perhaps they won’t be tempted to steal.  Now the process is complete.  The negative habit has been dealt with by an act of the will which chooses to stop it.  But the will must also choose to replace that with the corresponding constructive action in order that the change in thought patterns may be completed.

And so it becomes clear that in order to change these thought patterns we must do two things.  First, we must build the dam, that is, refuse to allow wrong thoughts.  Second, we must redirect the flow and develop a new way of thinking.  Eventually the old patterns will fade.  They may never disappear, but they will fade and will become less and less influential in controlling our thinking.

We need to realize that this takes place by an act of the will, not by wishful thinking and not solely by devotional meditation and prayer.  Meditation and prayer are necessary, but we must move beyond that to an act of the will.

Paul gives us some helpful thoughts on the subject, “Set your minds on things above” (Col. 3:2) a declarative statement that involves an act of the will.  You set your mind.  “Put to death … whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires” (vs. 5),  “You must rid yourselves” (vs. 8), “Put on” (vs. 12).  Changing thought patterns is not just “putting away” by building dams, but also “putting on” by building new patterns.  It is not just suppressing, but redirecting our thoughts into healthy, positive ways of thinking.

What does “put to death” (vs. 5) mean?  The old thought patterns do not just die naturally; it would be great if they did and we never again had this desire or that temptation.  But because “the heart is more deceitful … and is desperately sick” (Jer. 17:9), and because the flesh/sin nature is the flesh/sin nature and lusts against the Spirit, these battles go on continually.  Therefore, the statement “put to death” requires a continual action.  We must put old thought patterns to death every time they rear their heads.  We cannot just put immorality to death, and then no longer have immoral thoughts.  They will continue to come up and every time they do, we have to stop them right at the headwaters with the dam.  Every time!  The more times we put those wrong thoughts to death and put on the new ones, the less our thoughts tend to flow in the wrong direction.

Paul commands us to develop healthy, positive, spiritual ways of thinking (Col. 3:12).  We are to “put on” certain positive thought patterns as we “put off” the wrong ones.  These two steps are essential if there is to be genuine change.  We have looked at the illustration of the changed thief (Eph. 4:28).  In the same passage Paul gives another helpful illustration of “putting off” and “putting on.”  He states that the liar is to stop (put off) lying, but immediately reminds us that he must speak (put on) the truth (4:25).  Not only does the liar stop lying, but he begins telling the truth.  The two steps are clear – “put off” and “put on.”

Paul deals with this concept in his letter to the Romans (chapters 6-8).  It helps to have some one-word titles for these passages.  Romans chapter 6 describes our “provision.”  We have been delivered from the power of sin.   “Our old self (the control of the sin nature) was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin” (vs. 6).  “Because anyone who has died has been freed from sin” (vs. 7).  “Sin shall not be your master” (vs. 14).  “You have been set free from sin” (vs. 18).  “Provision” has been made so that we might overcome the power of sin.

“Struggle” is the key word in chapter 7.  We struggle all the time.  We struggle about how to get the provision of chapter 6 into our lives.  The solution is the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 25).

He is always the final answer.  We all believe this.  We preach sermons on it.  We teach it.  But too often we have not told people how to experience it in a practical way.

Chapter 8 tells us how.  One phrase is repeated several times.  Different versions state it in different ways, but the idea is the same.  They all refer to “setting the mind.”  Those who are according to the flesh/sin nature set their minds on the things of the flesh/sin nature, but those who are according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit.  For the mind set on the flesh/sin nature is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh/sin nature is hostile toward God (vv. 5-7).

Add to that these words of Paul, “Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others.  Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about” (Phil. 4:8).

There, in essence, is the whole concept of right thinking: “fix your thoughts.”  It is a statement of command which requires a response of the will – to fix our thoughts – to set our minds on these things.

The practical application of this concept is this:  “Continue to work/live out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to do what pleases Him” (Phil. 2:12,13).  This statement presents the chronological process of the effective out-working of Rom. 6-8.  Another version states, “For God is the Energizer within you, so as to will and to work for His delight” (vs. 12, New Berkeley).