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•A Prayer to Set Your Mind on Things Above•By Anthony Valente👉 “Set your mind on things above, not on things of this world.” (Colossians 3:2)Thinking about “things above” sounds fantastic in theory. It would keep our minds from constantly dwelling on the local news, world pandemics, political controversy, or even the mundane life tasks in front of us.But how is one to possibly think about thoughts from above, when we are inundated with thousands of thoughts all day? Research shows we can think up to 60,000 thoughts each day. 80% of those thoughts tend to be negative.In today’s verse, Paul instructs the Colossian church to think on things above. He means, keep a heavenly perspective as you go about your day. How can we do this when our natural tendency is to think from an earthly perspective?Paul encourages us to think about what God is thinking about. To see life from God’s perspective and not the world’s perspective. To do this, we must go to the source of God’s thinking: the Word. We must put God’s Word above the world’s word each day, all throughout the day. We see life from God’s perspective when we know His Word above all else.If we don’t have God’s “word so engraved on the tablet of our heart,” as Proverbs 7:3 says, then the world’s perspective on our lives will soon overtake us, overwhelm us, and ultimately become what we think about and begin to believe as truth.In a world full of negative thoughts and evil ideas thrown at us every day, let’s be warriors for our minds, and to do so, let’s know the Word. Let us know God’s “living, breathing and active word” (Hebrews 4:12) more than we know the world’s word. We must fill up with the truth of God’s Word over the lies of the world, for the world is led by the enemy and he is “the father of all lies.” (John 8:44)So, let’s take Paul’s instructions today, and begin to think about things above, things that our Creator thinks about and His purposes, rather than what we can see in the world around us.Let’s pray.✝️ Heavenly Father,We need You. We need Your strength to be aware of our thoughts. We need Your discernment to bring Scripture to our mind, to fill our minds with Your truth. We need the reminder that anything that contradicts Your Word is a lie. And if what we are thinking about doesn’t align with Your Word that You speak to us in the Bible, help us to see it for what it is and to stop thinking about it. Thank You that You left us with the Bible to walk through this world, so that we don’t have to walk around aimlessly. Thank You for leaving us with the Holy Spirit to guide and continually lead us back to Your truth. We ask that You would prompt us throughout every day to ask ourselves with every thought that enters our mind if it is from Your Word or the world’s word. We want to be servants for You and warriors for You, and there is a battle for our minds, and we ask that You remind us that we serve You — the one who conquered this war years ago by sending Your son to die on the cross for us defeating death (Colossians 2:15). Thank You for giving us the “power and authority to tramples on snakes and scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19), and to overcome the battle for our thought life. We are victors though You. We trust and love You, Lord.In Jesus’ name,AMEN 🙏 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.(1 John 2:15-17)“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.(Matthew 6:19-21)Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”(Matthew 16:23)So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.(Romans 8:6-10)But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.(John 14:26)Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.(Colossians 3:5)They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.(Philippians 3:19-20)And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?(Luke 16:11)In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.(Proverbs 23:5)I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.(Philippians 1:23)Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.(Romans 8:26)So dedicate your hearts and lives to serving the LORD your God. Start building the holy place of the LORD God so that you can bring the ark of the LORD's promise and God's holy utensils into the temple that will be built for the LORD's name."(1 Chronicles 22:19)Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.(Hebrews 5:14)For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.(Hebrews 4:12)(pic verse)If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.(Colossians 3:1-4)