Let’s start this session with an exercise. Let’s do a meditation for just 3 minutes. Get into a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Close your eyes. Pay attention to your breath. Don’t change your breath, just pay attention to it. Listen to your breath and feel your breath as you inhale and exhale. Keep your focus on your breath. As thoughts come into your mind, don’t try to block them out. Acknowledge the thought, let it pass, and bring your attention back to your breath. Continue with this process for 3 minutes. Then, open your eyes.
How did that feel? Was it difficult? easy? Did you find it relaxing or did you become anxious?
Let’s talk about chapters 5 and 6, then we will get back to meditation in chapter 7. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss being positive and thinking positive thoughts. Matthew 8:13 says, “It shall be done for you as you have believed.”
One thing that stuck out for me in chapter 5 is that the avoidance of hope sets up a negative life. (When you are afraid to hope for fear of being hurt.) Proverbs 23:7 – “For as he thinks in his heart, he is.” Positive minds produce positive lives. Negative minds produce negative lives. Positive thoughts produce faith and hope. Negative thoughts produce doubt and fear.
We need to practice positive thinking in our lives, even if our current situation is not great. We should expect God to bring good out of it, as He has promised in His Word.
When we lose hope, we are giving in to mind-binding spirits, as Joyce Meyer calls it. Mind-binding spirits are as follows:
- Unbelief in things you previously believed…
- Confusion in your mind…
- Losing your vision…
- Questioning your calling…
Spirits around us bind up our mind and prevent us from thinking clearly. This is one of Satan’s tactics. Pay attention to the condition of your mind and keep it free, peaceful, and full of faith.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
God often gives us faith for things our minds just can’t make sense of. The mind wants to understand everything, and when answers are not given by God, the mind refuses to believe what it cannot understand.
Can you think of a time when you knew something in your heart, but your mind could not believe it?
By the power of Jesus, through prayer, we will come against all evil spirits that hinder Godly thoughts. When you feel your mind is sluggish, lazy, and unable to believe, speak out and pray out against the mind-binding spirits.
Ok, now that we have talked a bit about positive thoughts and what can get in the way of those thoughts, now let’s get back to our opening activity. Psalm 119:15 says, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.”
What does it mean to meditate?
- To reflect on; ponder
- To plan or intend in the mind
- To engage in contemplation
- To primarily care for, attend to, practice, be diligent in
We need to think about God’s Word, not just read it or listen to it. The more time a person spends meditating on God’s Word, the more he will reap from the Word. If we want to do what the Word of God says, we must spend time thinking about it and meditating on it.
Now for another meditation exercise. Choose a verse in the Bible. Read it, just like you would normally read it. Think about the meaning of it, discuss it with someone if you are with someone. Now, close your eyes. Have someone read it to you while you are meditating, or listen to an audio of the verse. Sit. Let your mind absorb the words you hear. Focus your thoughts on the words. When you open your eyes, think about the connections you felt and made. What was different about your interpretation of the verse before meditation and after? Did you feel like you experienced a message from God through the meditation? Perhaps, a message that is just for you?
There are many ways to meditate on God’s Word. This is just one. I hope you enjoy trying it. If you have any other ways that you enjoy meditating on God’s Word, please feel free to share in the comments.
Thank you and God bless!
Erin
emcuomo.wordpress.com 