“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 AMP
Do you not see and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so passes on into the place where discharges are deposited? 18 But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasonings and disputings and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. 20 These are what make a man unclean and defile [him]; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean or defile [him]. Matthew 15:17-20 AMP
Many people are so particular about what goes into their mouth, and yet they are not at all concerned with what comes out of their mouth. Jesus made it clear that whatever is coming out of your mouth—good or bad—is coming out of the abundance, or the overflow, of your heart. The evil and the unclean things in your life come from within you—your thought life—and that is where it must be dealt with. Jesus said in Matthew 5:28 AMP, “I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” If you retain sin in your thoughts, you can’t help but to continue to make wrong decisions and to do wrong things in your life. You need to start from within. If you deal with, and eliminate, sin in your thought life, you will begin to eradicate it from your life.
For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. 6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. Romans 8:5-6 AMP
Those who are controlled by the unholy desires of the flesh have set their minds on and have pursued those things which gratify the flesh. The carnal (fleshly) mind is hostile to God and His Word and results only in death, but the mind of the Holy Spirit is life and peace. If you want to have life, peace, and blessings, you need to seek those things, and to set your mind on those things, which gratify both the Holy Spirit and your born-again spirit. Start taking control of your thought life by renewing your mind to the Word of God and welcoming the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.
On that day when, as my Gospel proclaims, God by Jesus Christ will judge men in regard to the things which they conceal (their hidden thoughts). Romans 2:16 AMP
When Judgment Day comes, you will not be judged merely on your words and deeds, but on your thoughts and your attitudes. The things that people can’t see or hear—your thoughts—are seen and heard by God. So it is vital that you begin now to deal with your thoughts and bring them into subjection to the Word of God.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV says, “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ“ and the Amplified Version says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, 5[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one).”
The most important war we all wage is not a war with flesh and blood, but a war with our own imaginations. The worst strongholds in people’s lives are not demons from without, but they are arguments, theories, and reasonings; pride, carnality, and deception from within. All rebellious thoughts and imaginations, that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, must be brought down into captivity through obedience. By submitting yourself in obedience to the Lord and His Word; you overthrow and destroy the strongholds that once captured your mind and thought processes and you are released into freedom and peace. Make a choice to think good and pure thoughts and you will walk—here on earth—in the glorious peace that comes only from God Himself!
For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. 9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 AMP
