The last time In our THRIVE WEEK 1 Study, we started off the conversation on MINDSETS - and we looked critically at the helmet of salvation and what it represents for us as believers.

We examined the protective capacity of the helmet of salvation and why this is an important part of our gear as believers and followers of Jesus.

If you missed that episode you definitely want to go back and listen to the episode.

Today, we continue our talk on MINDSETS, and this time we move the conversation a little into WHAT TO DO TO PROTECT OUR MINDS and practical ways to KEEP OUR MINDS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

To thrive requires the right mindset and so we want to talk about HOW TO KEEP THE HELMET ON, fastened right so that it never falls off.

How do we day in day out, week in week out ensure that we are never caught unawares by the enemy - who by the way goes around, to and fro, never takes a break from trying to mess with our minds?

It is by taking some daily deliberate and intentional steps:

Let’s start from Romans 12:1-2: “Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭TPT‬‬: one of the things we must do to keep our helmets on is to be on a journey of constant renewal. Remember the Helmet of salvation? Salvation is a gift from God, but we must never forget that it requires A WORKING OUT OF YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR & TREMBLING! You must ensure that you daily renew your mind - through washing of water by God’s word. To keep your mind in the right place and your Helmet on, your mind needs to be renewed Daily.

Mount a guard on your heart so that circumstances of life stay on the outside and don’t let it get in. Let me tell you what I found out some years ago about how boats sink. I did a small study on buoyancy and I realized that if we kept out the water our boats would never sink. What sinks boats is the water that gets into the boat, not the water that’s on the outside of the boat.

The science behind floating was first studied by an ancient Greek scientist named Archimedes. He figured out that when an object is placed in water, it pushes enough water out of the way to make room for itself. This is called displacement.

Have you ever experienced displacement?

Of course, you have! Remember the last time you got into the bathtub and the water level went up? That's displacement. When you got into the tub, water got out of your way to make room for you, so the water level in the tub got higher.

When an object enters water, two forces act upon it. There's a downward force (gravity) that's determined by the object's weight. There's also an upward force (buoyancy) that's determined by the weight of the water displaced by the object.

An object will float if the gravitational (downward) force is less than the buoyancy (upward) force. So, in other words, an object will float if it weighs less than the amount of water it displaces.

This explains why a rock will sink while a huge boat will float. The rock is heavy, but it displaces only a little water. It sinks because its weight is greater than the weight of the small amount of water it displaces.

A huge boat, the other hand, will float because, even though it weighs a lot, it displaces a huge amount of water that weighs even more. Plus, boats are designed specifically so that they will displace enough water to assure that they'll float easily.

So, if you want to keep your helmet on and not get hit by the arrows of the enemy in your mind, then you can’t afford to carry any weight around otherwise you will sink. You need to MOUNT A GUARD at the door of your mind .

“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Make a conscious effort to replace negative thoughts with thoughts that are pure and true. “Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Think continually, Centre your mind and implant good things in your heart.

Distance yourself from those whose presence continually sow negative seeds in your heart and keep you anxious. It could be people, the news, social media - anyone and anything that constantly sets you on edge and makes you lose your peace.

No wonder Phil 4: 6-7 says:

“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭AMP‬‬

To THRIVE, your seed in the ground needs a good atmosphere to grow, blossom and flourish as it should.

And if we allow the cares and worries of this world to choke out those seeds there will be no growth budding, blossoming or thriving!

This week, guard your heart, let your mind be in the right place, sow good seeds in your mind because as a man thinks in his heart so he is.

Let’s pray: Lord I thank you because your desire for me is to THRIVE!

And that is what I want to set my heart on.

Today I make a fresh commitment to guard my heart from the attacks of the enemy against my heart. I make conscious effort to mount guard at the gates of my mind so that my thoughts will be aligned with your will for my life and I can truly flourish as I should by your strength.

Thank You Lord because you’re for me and I will thrive as I set my mind on the prosperity that you have designed for me. Amen

In the next episode we start off the conversation about educating yourself on the pathway to THRIVING, and it’s going to be phenomenal and you don’t want to miss it.

Until next time, keep guarding your heart and keep staying in the word!