Mindsets: It's the Thought That Counts I Pastor Chadwick King I Wk 1

We kicked off Mindsets by naming what we all carried into the room: entrenched ways of thinking that steer our lives. I drew a simple line between the brain (hardware) and the mind (software), and we went to Romans 12:2 to hear God’s invitation: don’t be conformed, be transformed by renewing how you think. There’s a pull in this world to disciple our thoughts; Jesus invites us into a new apprenticeship—by his Word and Spirit—so we can discern his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Our thought life brought us here; our thought life will take us somewhere next. Like a train, every thought has a destination, so we must ask, “Where did this come from, and where does it go?”

We looked at 2 Corinthians 10 and reframed strongholds, not as spooky abstractions, but as mental fortresses built one brick at a time: thoughts become knowledge, knowledge becomes imaginations, imaginations harden into mindsets. That’s why the battle is won “one thought at a time.” I shared stories and science to show both the danger and hope: a silly dental article revealing how small habits shape whole health, Admiral Stockdale’s survival hinging on mindset, Stephen Covey’s subway moment where a single new fact reframed his judgment, and neuroscience affirming neurogenesis and neuroplasticity—your brain and mind are not stuck.

Many of us live with a new heart and an old mind (Romans 7). Salvation is instantaneous; sanctification—renewing the mind—is a process. Your chemistry isn’t your character; your identity is anchored in Christ. So we take agency: install a TSA checkpoint at the door of your mind, refuse to be discipled by digital noise, and feed on what is true, noble, lovely, praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Replace, don’t just remove: behavioral replacement means adding godly practices (prayer, Scripture, declarations, community) so the new outgrows the old. Prayer literally reshapes the brain; declarations reframe the inner narrative; repeated truth becomes the new reflex. Set your mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). Negative thoughts are bullies—name them, confront them, and don’t let them run the schoolyard of your soul.

This six-week journey is about aligning heart and mind so strength can follow. One thought at a time, we take our minds back. It’s the thought that counts.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Renewed thinking unlocks discernment A transformed mind enables us to perceive God’s will in real time, not just quote it. The world will happily disciple our thoughts if we’re passive, so we must actively submit our patterns to Scripture and the Spirit. Ask of every thought: its origin and its destination. Discernment is the fruit of renovation, not accident. [03:09]
• 2. Strongholds grow one thought at a time A stray thought becomes knowledge, knowledge becomes imagination, and imagination hardens into a mindset. Don’t chase the fortress—catch the bricks. Interrupt early, replace faithfully, and let Philippians 4:8 become your mental filter until the new structure stands. [06:07]
• 3. Align your new heart and old mind Many carry a Spirit-renewed heart but operate with unrenewed reflexes formed by history, habits, and hurt. That dissonance is where frustration lives—so don’t shame it; shepherd it. Your chemistry isn’t your identity, and your past isn’t your ceiling; let grace retrain your patterns. [16:46]
• 4. Replace, don’t merely remove, the old You don’t rip out neural pathways; you outgrow them. Add prayer, Scripture meditation, declarations, and godly practices until the new demands the brain’s real estate. Over time, the kite string becomes a cable—the new default displaces the old reflex. [42:25]
• 5. Set your mind on things above Negative thoughts are bullies; entertained long enough, they sicken the soul and body. Naming and confronting them with truth is not denial; it’s discipleship. What you rehearse, you will eventually reflex—so feed on beauty, goodness, and Christ’s faithfulness daily. [37:39]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:58] - Brain vs. Mind Defined
• [02:02] - Hardware and Software Analogy
• [02:49] - Romans 12:2: Renew Your Mind
• [05:01] - Strongholds and Thought Patterns
• [08:22] - Toothbrushing Analogy of Habits
• [10:37] - Stockdale Paradox: Mindset Matters
• [12:38] - The Mindset of Christ
• [16:21] - New Heart, Old Mind Tension
• [22:53] - Become the Custodian of Your Mind
• [24:51] - Don’t Feed on Digital Trash
• [26:51] - Think on What Is True
• [33:21] - From Kite String to Bridge
• [42:25] - Behavioral Replacement: Add the Good
• [47:11] - Prayer and Commissioning

Bible reading
- Romans 12:2 (ESV)
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Observation questions (3–4)

1. Read Romans 12:2. What are the two distinct calls in this verse (what are we told not to do, and what are we told to do)? What promise is attached to that doing?
2. What two images were used to explain brain and mind, and how does that image help you picture what "renewal of your mind" means? [02:02]
3. The sermon described a sequence from single thought → knowledge → imagination → mindset/stronghold. Where have you seen that exact sequence play out in daily life or relationships? [06:07]
4. Philippians 4:8 gives a list of things to think on. Which items on that list feel most countercultural to your usual feed or habits? [26:51]

Interpretation questions (3–4)

1. If a mind is being "renewed," how should that affect choices about what to allow into one’s daily attention (news, social media, entertainment)? Be specific about what "renewal" changes in practice. [23:15]
2. If strongholds are built "one thought at a time," what does that imply about the pace and tools of spiritual growth—fast fixes, or slow steady practices? How should that shape a plan for change? [26:33]
3. The Bible speaks of a "new heart" and an "old mind" being in tension. How does that tension shape a believer’s responsibility for behavior and for hope in change? Consider both accountability and grace. [16:21]
4. The phrase "replace, don’t merely remove" was used about habits. How does behavioral replacement work differently than simple abstinence? What practical steps make replacement stick? [42:25]

Application questions (4–7)

1. Identify one recurring negative or reactive thought you noticed this past week. Ask yourself: Where did that train of thought likely start, and where does it usually take you? Plan one small interruption you will try next time it starts. [04:27]
2. Build a simple "TSA checkpoint" for your mind this week: name one source of digital noise you will limit and one godly thing you will add (scripture reading, short prayer, a declaration). What exactly will you do and when? [23:15]
3. Choose one short Scripture or declaration to rehearse for the next two weeks to counter a specific negative belief (write the exact words and a daily time to say them). How will you measure whether that truth is shifting your reflexes? [27:36]
4. Pick one "kite-string" habit (a small repeated action that has grown into a problem). List the first three tiny steps you will take to replace it with a healthy practice (example: replace 10 minutes of doom-scrolling with 10 minutes of Psalm reading). [33:21]
5. Name one person who can speak into your "old program" (someone who knows your patterns). How will you invite them to help you notice and redirect those reactions this week? [44:12]
6. When a negative thought bullies you next time, what will be your immediate, concrete three-step response (for example: name the thought, speak a truth out loud, ask God for help/pray)? Commit to practicing that response this week. [38:36]

Notes for the group leader
- Keep the conversation concrete: ask for specific examples and practical next steps.
- Encourage accountability pairs for the two-week declaration exercise.
- Remind the group that sanctification is a process: celebrate small wins and repeat the practices.