Phil 4:8 (NIV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. What you allow yourself to think makes all the difference in the world. If you think bad, negative, sinful, unbelieving, or selfish thoughts, you are filling your heart and life with hurtful and damaging principles. Your heart believes you when you ponder things that you shouldn’t. It doesn’t have the ability to doubt you, evaluate you, or judge you. Once you get it set up with those things you spend your time thinking about the most, it enforces those principles with powerful feeling that are no longer under your control.

What is always true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, AND praiseworthy? Those principles you find in the Bible fall into this category! Jesus is leading you into a safe and secure life that is a blessing, healing, exciting, and joy filled life because it only contains those things listed in Philippians 4:8. Once you allow Jesus to teach and empower you to only think Philippians 4:8 things, your thoughts will direct you in making decisions, setting goals, and laying out plans that fulfill this criteria.

Rom 1:28 (NIV) Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the KNOWLEDGE of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. How do you retain the knowledge of God? You give your mind over to those types of thoughts found in Philippians 4:8. But, those who choose not to retain the knowledge of God, He allows them (gave them over) to go on down the path into the alternative lifestyle they want. He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

You may not believe this, but, if your mind is allowed to just think anything it wants, the “natural” path it gravitates toward is: Romans 1:29-31 (NIV) They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. A person doesn’t start out fulfilling this list. Your mind starts with the “not so bad ones” and gradually adds additional ones as time goes on.

The previous statement: “if your mind is allowed to just think anything it wants, the “natural” path it gravitates toward is:” has a wonderful gift from God that is pushing you away from the type of thought life He turns evil people over to. You have a conscience; and, it is your contact with God. The Bible calls the third person in the trinity, the Holy Spirit. He came after Jesus went back to heaven. He is doing His ministry here in a similar way Jesus did when He was here. John 16:8 (NIV) When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment. The way He makes you feel guilty is to influence your conscience.

The Holy Spirit speaking to your conscience is influencing you and trying to keep you from heading down the Romans 1:29-31 path. When you do or say something that God calls sin, the Holy Spirit makes you feel bad about it. When that happens, He is giving you thought pressure that is pushing you away from Romans 1:29-31 and pushing you toward Philippians 4:8. BUT, you have a God-given free will. You have the God-given right to think whatever you want. What Jesus is trying to do right now is to help you see the importance of filling your mind with things that will bless you, heal you, and lead you into the wonderful things of God. Are you convinced?

If you commit yourself to asking Jesus to help you only think on those things that fit the pattern of Philippians 4:8, the more and the longer He helps you do that, the more it will change your heart. Rather than feeling negative, depressing, doubting, and worse-case-senario things, it will start sending you Galatians 5:22-23 things. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (NIV). The more you allow Jesus to help you dwell on Philippians 4:8 type thoughts, the more your emotions will become loving, joyous, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and under self-control.

Philippians 4:8 is the Biblical principle that other incredible verses are built on. Your thoughts are your only way of influencing your heart as far as you controlling it. Controlling your heart is important because your heart controls your mouth: Mat 12:34 (NIV) You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil SAY anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. And your mouth steers your behavior of your body: James 3:2 (NIV) We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he SAYS, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.