Guided by the Spirit: Overcoming Deceptive Thoughts

 

Summary

In our journey through life, we often encounter deceptive brain messages that distort our perception and lead us away from the path of righteousness. These messages, characterized by rumination and brooding, can hinder our ability to act rightly. However, we are not left without resources. Jeffrey Schwarz, in his book "You Are Not Your Brain," introduces the concept of the "wise Advocate," which he equates to the Holy Spirit. This Advocate is the part of our attentive mind that sees the bigger picture, recognizes our inherent worth, and encourages us to make decisions based on our best values.

The Holy Spirit, as our wise Advocate, helps us discern these deceptive messages and guides us towards truth and love. When our minds are disconnected from God, they tend to dwell on negativity and vulnerability, leading to fear and anxiety. Schwarz explains that our brain's warning center, comprising the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate, triggers these fear responses. This "uh-oh" center can lead us to unhealthy habits as we seek relief from discomfort.

To counteract this, we must become aware of these deceptive messages and dismiss their faulty logic. By refocusing our attention on God's presence, we can cultivate power, love, and self-control. This involves a conscious effort to breathe out fear and breathe in the Spirit of God, allowing His power to fill us and guide our actions. Through this practice, we can break free from old habits and embrace a life led by the Spirit, characterized by love and self-control.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Role of the Wise Advocate: The wise Advocate, or the Holy Spirit, is our internal guide that helps us see beyond deceptive brain messages. It encourages us to value our true selves and make decisions based on our best values, leading us towards a life of righteousness and peace. [03:09]

2. Understanding the Brain's Warning Center: Our brain's warning center, including the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate, triggers fear responses that can lead to unhealthy habits. Recognizing this can help us understand our reactions and seek healthier ways to cope. [05:46]

3. Breaking Free from Deceptive Messages: By becoming aware of deceptive brain messages and dismissing their faulty logic, we can refocus our attention on God's presence. This shift allows us to cultivate power, love, and self-control, breaking free from old patterns. [07:42]

4. The Power of Breath and Spirit: Breathing is not just a physical act but a spiritual one. As we breathe, we can invite the Spirit of God into our lives, allowing His power to fill us and drive out fear, leading to a life of love and self-control. [08:40]

5. Living with God's Presence: Embracing the presence of God in our daily lives empowers us to overcome fear and timidity. By inviting His Spirit into our minds and bodies, we can experience His power, love, and self-control, transforming our lives. [10:50]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:25] - Introduction to the Journey
[02:38] - Deceptive Brain Messages
[03:09] - The Wise Advocate
[04:10] - The Holy Spirit as Advocate
[04:29] - The Mind Separated from God
[05:00] - Brain's Warning Center
[06:02] - The Uh-Oh Center
[06:34] - Autopilot and Unhealthy Responses
[07:24] - Awareness and Refocusing
[08:18] - Breathing and Spirit
[09:39] - Breathing in Power and Love
[10:27] - Embracing Self-Control
[11:15] - Prayer for God's Presence
[11:36] - Closing and Resources

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 14:16-17 (NIV) - "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
2. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) - "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

Observation Questions:
1. What does the term "wise Advocate" refer to in the context of the sermon, and how is it connected to the Holy Spirit? [04:10]
2. How does the sermon describe the brain's "warning center," and what role does it play in generating fear responses? [05:46]
3. What are some of the deceptive brain messages mentioned in the sermon, and how do they affect our behavior? [07:24]
4. How does the act of breathing relate to inviting the Spirit of God into our lives according to the sermon? [08:40]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of the "wise Advocate" as the Holy Spirit help believers in discerning truth from deceptive brain messages? [04:10]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our brain's warning center can lead to unhealthy habits, and how can awareness of this help us? [05:46]
3. How does the practice of refocusing on God's presence help in cultivating power, love, and self-control, as mentioned in the sermon? [07:42]
4. What is the significance of breathing as a spiritual act in the context of the sermon, and how does it relate to overcoming fear? [08:40]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by fear or anxiety. How might inviting the Holy Spirit as your wise Advocate have changed your response? [04:10]
2. Identify a deceptive brain message you often struggle with. What steps can you take to dismiss its faulty logic and refocus on God's presence? [07:42]
3. Consider the role of the brain's warning center in your life. How can you become more aware of its influence and choose healthier coping mechanisms? [05:46]
4. Practice the breathing exercise described in the sermon. How does consciously breathing in the Spirit of God affect your sense of peace and self-control? [08:40]
5. Think about a specific area in your life where you need more self-control. How can you invite God's Spirit to empower you in that area this week? [10:27]
6. How can you incorporate the practice of breathing out fear and breathing in God's power into your daily routine? What changes do you hope to see as a result? [09:39]
7. Reflect on the presence of God in your daily life. What practical steps can you take to embrace His presence more fully and overcome fear and timidity? [10:50]

Devotional

Day 1: The Wise Advocate's Guidance
The concept of the "wise Advocate," as introduced by Jeffrey Schwarz, is a profound reminder of the Holy Spirit's role in our lives. This Advocate is not just a passive presence but an active guide that helps us navigate through the deceptive messages our brains often send. These messages can distort our perception and lead us away from our true values. The Holy Spirit, as our wise Advocate, encourages us to see beyond these distortions and recognize our inherent worth. By aligning our decisions with our best values, we are led towards a life of righteousness and peace. This guidance is crucial in helping us maintain a clear vision of who we are meant to be and the path we are called to follow. [03:09]

"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, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to invite the Holy Spirit to guide you in seeing beyond deceptive messages and aligning with your true values today?


Day 2: Recognizing the Brain's Warning Center
Understanding the brain's warning center, which includes the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate, is essential in recognizing how fear responses are triggered. These responses can often lead us to develop unhealthy habits as we seek relief from discomfort. By becoming aware of how this "uh-oh" center operates, we can better understand our reactions and seek healthier ways to cope. This awareness allows us to pause and evaluate our responses, rather than automatically falling into patterns that do not serve our well-being. Recognizing the brain's warning center is the first step in transforming our reactions and choosing a path that aligns with our values and faith. [05:46]

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

Reflection: Can you identify a recent situation where your brain's warning center triggered a fear response? How might you respond differently next time with awareness and faith?


Day 3: Breaking Free from Deceptive Messages
Deceptive brain messages can often lead us astray, but by becoming aware of them and dismissing their faulty logic, we can refocus our attention on God's presence. This shift in focus allows us to cultivate power, love, and self-control, breaking free from old patterns that no longer serve us. It requires a conscious effort to recognize these messages for what they are and to choose a different path. By inviting God's presence into our lives, we can transform our thoughts and actions, leading to a life that is more aligned with His will and purpose. [07:42]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: What deceptive messages have you been believing about yourself or your circumstances? How can you refocus your attention on God's truth today?


Day 4: The Power of Breath and Spirit
Breathing is not just a physical act but a spiritual one that can invite the Spirit of God into our lives. As we breathe, we have the opportunity to breathe out fear and breathe in the Spirit of God, allowing His power to fill us and drive out fear. This practice can lead to a life characterized by love and self-control. By consciously engaging in this spiritual act, we open ourselves to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, which can guide us in our daily lives and help us overcome the challenges we face. [08:40]

"The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." (Job 33:4, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate the practice of spiritual breathing into your daily routine to invite the Holy Spirit's power and presence into your life?


Day 5: Living with God's Presence
Embracing the presence of God in our daily lives empowers us to overcome fear and timidity. By inviting His Spirit into our minds and bodies, we can experience His power, love, and self-control, transforming our lives. This involves a conscious decision to live with an awareness of God's presence and to allow His Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions. By doing so, we can experience a profound transformation that leads to a life of peace, joy, and fulfillment. [10:50]

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in your life and allow His Spirit to guide you?

Quotes


This is the aspect of your attentive mind that can see the bigger picture, including your inherent worth, capabilities and accomplishments. The wise Advocate knows what you are thinking, can see the deceptive brain messages for what they are, understands how you feel physically and emotionally, and is aware of how destructive and unhealthy your habitual automatic responses have been for you. [00:03:15]

The wise Advocate capital W capital A wants the best for you because it loves you and cares for you so it encourages you to value your true s and to make decisions in a rational way based on the best values. Now What Jeffrey told me he doesn't mention in this book this is not a explicitly faith-based book is that the wise Advocate is the name he uses for the Holy Spirit. [00:03:47]

When our mind is separated from God it will tend to run along the lines of things are bad uh I'm not going to be okay I am vulnerable and and that leads to these deceptive brain messages uh Jeffrey lays out how our brains generate these in a way that I found quite helpful he says there are primarily three parts of your brain the amydala and that's what's responsible for generating the fear response. [00:04:30]

Collectively he says you can think of the amydala, insula and anterior singulate as the warning center of the brain or what we like to call the uhoh center uh-oh you know you learn how to say that when you're a tiny little baby and it stays with you your whole lifelong uhoh as the overpowering sensation of uh oh arises you experience an incredibly uncomfortable state. [00:05:38]

When we run on autopilot and our life is governed by these deceptive brain messages they come up and then that creates these very uncomfortable Sensations uh oh from the uh oh Center we feel that in our gut our minds race our heart beats quickly and then that will tend to produce unhealthy responses and I think I got to have a drink or I got to have more to eat. [00:06:32]

Instead of that the goal is to become increasingly aware of those deceptive brain messages I get better and better at detecting that ruminating brooding quality and then I dismiss the faulty logic we talked about that yesterday that's all or nothing thinking that's catastrophizing it's a faulty comparison I recognize the faulty logic but then I refocus my attention on the presence of God. [00:07:32]

Take a deep breath remember when we breathe now that word for breath is also the word for Spirit God fills us with breath God fills us with his Spirit God is with you right now the spirit God gives To You Right Now does not make you timid does not say uhoh is not filled with fear so as you breathe out right now I want you to breathe out your fears. [00:08:24]

Breathe out fear and then Breathe In Love love for God love for the people that you meet today love for creation Love Of Being Alive even in the midst of pain breathe out fear breathe in self-control the ability with God's help to be reled release from Old Habits old patterns of thought and action and choose what is healthy and what is good what is wise. [00:09:53]

God thank you that you are with us this day God be in my mind today be in our minds today Deliver us God from that Spirit of timidity and fear and uhoh fill our bodies with your power and Your Love Your Capacity to give us self-control we pray through the power of our everpresent wise advocate in the name of our friend Jesus amen. [00:10:47]

The wise Advocate, or the Holy Spirit, is our internal guide that helps us see beyond deceptive brain messages. It encourages us to value our true selves and make decisions based on our best values, leading us towards a life of righteousness and peace. [00:03:09]

Our brain's warning center, including the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate, triggers fear responses that can lead to unhealthy habits. Recognizing this can help us understand our reactions and seek healthier ways to cope. [00:05:46]

By becoming aware of deceptive brain messages and dismissing their faulty logic, we can refocus our attention on God's presence. This shift allows us to cultivate power, love, and self-control, breaking free from old patterns. [00:07:42]

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Transcript
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