Who Controls Your Mind? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) June 12, 2026

"A mind is a terrible thing to waste". We've heard that saying for years, and it is a great saying that continues to make so much sense. Today, however, let's reflect on the subject of this adage by taking a slightly different slant that could change the way you use that mind of yours.

The Bible instructs Christians to guard their hearts because whatever lies within will determine the course of one's life (Proverbs 4:23). We also understand that what we meditate on thinking about will come out of our lips (Matthew 15:18). And because the tongue is powerful, the wrong thoughts can produce the wrong proclamations, which tend to negatively impact our lives and the lives of those we have authority to speak over (Matthew 15:19).

Now consider this: given how powerful your thought life can be, have you fully submitted it to the Lord? Does He get to impact or even change what's in your heart and what runs through your mind? Is your thought life something God has free rein over?

The reality is that most of us say we give ourselves completely to the Lord, but we maintain a tight grip over the reins of our thought life. We don't give the Lord room to influence what we see, think, and hear. We don't let Him change the desires of our hearts to what will glorify Him and bless us significantly.  We determine what we want and expect Him to cosign by a specific time. When He doesn't, we figure out how to get what we long for by our own strength. These factors explain why the word of God struggles to fully sink in and why it is difficult to practice what He wants us to do.

Some are afraid that if they allow God to control their thoughts, then their dreams and aspirations will fade to nothing. To some extent, this is correct. However, this fear ignores the fact that God does not wipe out our personalities. He gave them to us, and unfortunately, we tend not to submit them to Him. If we did, then He, and not satan, would profit from them. Besides, if we gave Him control over our thought life, then He would replace our desires with His greater vision, which would always be better than what we aspired to.

Plus, we won't have to strive so hard for it all. Proverbs 10:22 states that He gives wealth with no toil attached, right? Many think that scripture refers only to monetary provision, but God's 'wealth' is much more. It includes wisdom, which is more secure than silver or gold and produces better profits (Proverbs 3:13-18). His wisdom will provide unique ideas and strategies that we would never have discovered without Him (Proverbs 8:12 KJV).

Not letting God have His way with our thought life is dangerous. When we fail to yield our mind to the Lord, that means it is wide open for satanic influence, deception, and manipulation. Instead of focusing on God's concerns, we'll end up meditating on what the devil desires, speaking those evil desires into the world, and reaping the fruits thereof. In doing so, we would have agreed with satan, not our God. And per Job 22:21, the depths of true godly success and prosperity will evade us.

That will not be our portion, IJN Amen. The Lord will help us to submit our thought life and every other aspect of our existence to Him. All by His grace and to His glory, IJMN Amen. Why don't you invite the Lord to help you with your thought life and how you use your mind today? If you're not quite sure how to pray on this issue, please come back for fellowship at Noon EST. We will praise God, intercede for others, and prayerfully submit our thought life to Him. God bless you!

Give your life to Christ with the Altar Call below and learn more about today's topic from the following previous P&P messages:

1. Rely on God, Not Man

2. Idle Words Block Blessings

3. Rely on God

4. Careful what you say

5. 'Late' but on time

6. Give God What He Wants To Get What You Want

7. Christian, Guard Your Tongue

8. What Kind Of Messenger Are You?

9. Take Jesus At His Word

10. Did You Ask God First?

11. Why Don’t We Ask God First?

12. Desire God's More For Yourself

13. Don't Be satan's Mouthpiece

14. Depend Solely On God

15. Agree With God Not satan

16. Don't Be Easily Manipulated