The mind is the main communication centre of the personality. What goes on in our mind substantially determines the kind of person we are. Proverbs 23:7 says, ‘For as he thinks within himself, so he is.’ What we think determines what we do; what we do determines what we become.

The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)

Into the communication center of the mind there floods, from different sources, a whole mass of information inputs, impressions and messages. The mind is continuously analysing, evaluating and passing judgement on these inputs. Many probably the vast majority – are screened out or disregarded; others are considered and rejected; some are filed away for future reference; but the selected ones are presented to the will for decision. Those that are accepted ultimately result in behavior of one kind or another. The diagram in Figure 1 illustrates this process.

Sources of our thought life

Figure 1 also draws attention to another very important aspect of our thought life. If we want to understand the problems we face in the mind, we have to trace the flood of thoughts and impressions back to their sources. In other words, where does the raw material of our thought life come from?

[Jesus said], ‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognised by its own fruit.’ (Luke 6:43–44a)

c/f – Living in the Freedom if the Spirit – The Mind of the Christian