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Introduction:
God wants you to thrive. But many of us are just trying to survive. Maybe you feel the same way. However, God wants you to be revived and thriving. You do this by looking for opportunities to improve and maximize your life in the areas of health and wellness. Do you need a reset, a fresh start in the areas of physical, spiritual, and emotional health?
“Dear friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and are in good health, just as your whole life is going well.” —3 John 2
You may not feel like you are thriving right now because you have not been taking care of yourself. This season of life may have you feeling defeated, lost, and not knowing where to start in moving from surviving to thriving.
In this seven-week collection of talks, you are going to explore six A.C.T.I.O.N. steps toward thriving again in your health and wellness.
Text: Philippians 4:4-9 (New Testament, CSB)
Today’s Takeaway: Transforming your thinking helps transform your living.
THRIVE WEEK #4: Transformation: Changing Your Outlook
“Whether You Think You Can or Think You Can’t, You’re Right.” —Henry Ford
I. DON’T DWELL ON THE
(v. 4-7)
Understand the lies Satan will use to try and get you off track.
Lie #1 - Failure: You aren’t going to succeed.
“For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29Otherwise, after he has laid the foundation and cannot finish it, all the onlookers will begin to ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This man started to build and wasn’t able to finish.’” —Luke 14:28-30
Lie #2 - Busyness: You don’t have time to lead a healthy life.
“Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise16making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” —Ephesians 5:15-16
Lie #3 - Fear: Change is scary, so stay where you are.
“Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9
Lie #4 - Denial: You don’t need God to help you; you are fine just as you are.
“His wife said to him (Job), ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ 10’You speak as a foolish woman speaks,’ he told her. ‘Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?’ Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.” —Job 2:9-10
Lie #5 - Blame: It’s not your fault.
“The man replied, ‘The woman you gave to be with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.’” —Genesis 3:12
Lie #6 - Difficulty: It’s too hard for you.
“The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth!” —Proverbs 26:15
Lie #7 - Emotional: You won’t feel better about yourself.
“I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” —1 Corinthians 9:27
“For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.” —Romans 8:5-6
II. FOCUS ON THE
(v. 8)
“Be positive. Your mind is more powerful than you think. What is down in the well comes up in the bucket. Fill yourself with positive things.” —Tony Dungy
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. 7Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil…” —Proverbs 3:5-7a
“You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.” —Isaiah 26:3
III. UNDERSTAND CHANGE DOES NOT PRODUCE
RESULTS
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act,” —Psalm 37:5
Small steps taken consistently in the right direction will change your life.
A. Change is
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” —2 Corinthians 5:17
B. Change is
“…to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.” —Ephesians 4:22-24
C. Change produces good
“Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher. 7Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap,” —Galatians 6:6-7
D. Change is
“What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” —Romans 8:31
SMALL STEPS TO HELP TRANSFORM YOUR OUTLOOK:
- Stop procrastinating and making excuses; do something today!
- Be in the Bible every day.
- Put away negative thoughts.
- Get in a group for spiritual support.
- Read something on health every day.
- Start trusting God with your life and let Him guide you.
CONCLUSION: In what ways do you need to transform your outlook?
“Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” —1 Peter 1:14
DEEP DIVE QUESTIONS:
Review the list of lies that Satan uses to try and get us off track. Which one(s) do you struggle with the most?
What steps can you take today to start focusing on the positive? What Bible verse can you memorize to help you stay on track?
Read Ephesians 4:22-24. What are some “former way(s) of life” you need to put off in order to “put on the new self”?
Which of the 6 steps to transform your outlook do you need to focus on this week?