mind monsters
MIND MONSTERS
clay nesmith | october 16
Psalm 23:1-6 (NKJV)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
In David’s day, insects like gnats would make sheep miserable, even driving the sheep to suicide sometimes. So, shepherds would create a mixture of oil and ointment and work the mixture into the sheep’s skin to keep insects away. This is where we get our word “anoint” from; it means to rub or smear. From this, anointing became a way to symbolize protection, blessing, and empowerment. Oil would keep the monsters away that would have otherwise destroyed the sheep’s life. And God’s oil mixture offers us soul control; it’s His medicine that protects us from the mind monsters we face every day. His Spirit—His oil—brings healing to our souls. In the Bible, people are often anointed to show that they are a chosen one. Does this new view of anointing help you understand the significance of this? What are some of the mind monsters you face? What battles do you have with your own mind? Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Page 1
MIND MONSTERS
clay nesmith | october 16
Whatever you give your body over to is determined by the condition of your soul. But no matter what, we don’t give our bodies to something we haven’t thought about. What we put in our minds determines the track our souls run down. It’s a daily, hourly, or even minute by minute battle every day to fight the mind monsters, but God has given us several ways to change the way we think. How can we know what we have given our bodies to? What does it mean to give our bodies to God? Romans 12:6
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.
Mind monsters will tell you that you can never be used by God for whatever reason. Maybe you think you’re not the right age or gender, or you don’t have the right “look”, or you’ve messed up too much in your life. But God has given all who believe in Him good gifts so that we can fulfill the plan He has for our lives. We all have a divine purpose from the Creator of our world, and are called to steward what we’ve been given to take the Gospel to all ends of the Earth. We’re a part of a global Church. The mind monsters say that what we see is all there is and all there ever will be, but one day, this will all disappear and God will bring a new heaven and a new Earth. And that new heaven and new Earth will be so much better that we can’t even imagine it. Through God, you have a future that is brighter than your today. He gives us hope beyond this moment, and wants to elevate us to do amazing things in and through us. But we have to allow Him to transform us and change how we think. What was a time when you believed something mind monsters were telling you? What is God’s oil that offers us peace from the mind monsters, and how can we use it?
Page 2
clay nesmith | october 16
Psalm 23:1-6 (NKJV)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
In David’s day, insects like gnats would make sheep miserable, even driving the sheep to suicide sometimes. So, shepherds would create a mixture of oil and ointment and work the mixture into the sheep’s skin to keep insects away. This is where we get our word “anoint” from; it means to rub or smear. From this, anointing became a way to symbolize protection, blessing, and empowerment. Oil would keep the monsters away that would have otherwise destroyed the sheep’s life. And God’s oil mixture offers us soul control; it’s His medicine that protects us from the mind monsters we face every day. His Spirit—His oil—brings healing to our souls. In the Bible, people are often anointed to show that they are a chosen one. Does this new view of anointing help you understand the significance of this? What are some of the mind monsters you face? What battles do you have with your own mind? Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Page 1
MIND MONSTERS
clay nesmith | october 16
Whatever you give your body over to is determined by the condition of your soul. But no matter what, we don’t give our bodies to something we haven’t thought about. What we put in our minds determines the track our souls run down. It’s a daily, hourly, or even minute by minute battle every day to fight the mind monsters, but God has given us several ways to change the way we think. How can we know what we have given our bodies to? What does it mean to give our bodies to God? Romans 12:6
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.
Mind monsters will tell you that you can never be used by God for whatever reason. Maybe you think you’re not the right age or gender, or you don’t have the right “look”, or you’ve messed up too much in your life. But God has given all who believe in Him good gifts so that we can fulfill the plan He has for our lives. We all have a divine purpose from the Creator of our world, and are called to steward what we’ve been given to take the Gospel to all ends of the Earth. We’re a part of a global Church. The mind monsters say that what we see is all there is and all there ever will be, but one day, this will all disappear and God will bring a new heaven and a new Earth. And that new heaven and new Earth will be so much better that we can’t even imagine it. Through God, you have a future that is brighter than your today. He gives us hope beyond this moment, and wants to elevate us to do amazing things in and through us. But we have to allow Him to transform us and change how we think. What was a time when you believed something mind monsters were telling you? What is God’s oil that offers us peace from the mind monsters, and how can we use it?
Page 2
