Your thoughts are like water and your mind like a cup. The influence of visual and auditory stimuli on your thoughts is similar to that of the stirring action of a teaspoon in a teacup – long after the teaspoon has been removed, the agitated contents of the cup continue to move in the stirred direction. Even though the emotions triggered by these stimuli may appear to have faded, they are not dead but in reality are hibernating in the subconscious mind. If the mind is again subjected to even a mild form of the appropriate stimuli (mere allusions to these are sufficient), the buried emotions could spring back to the surface where, once in the mainstream of your thoughts, they could be potent enough to produce disastrous results.
Your eyes and ears are the doors and windows to your mind. These entry points must be guarded diligently. Careful screening of all that may be clamouring to cross the threshold of your mind is necessary. Even interpretations of scripture should be filtered with discernment from the Holy Spirit. This is because subliminal messages could be passed into the subconscious between the lines of such information when presented with perverted motives. The subconscious refers to the thoughts, instincts e.t.c in the mind of which one is not aware but which influence one’s actions. You would do well to allow only ‘selective entry’ of ideas/messages into your mind. ‘Selective entry’, or ‘s-entry’ for short, reminds one of the word ‘sentry’. A sentry is a soldier assigned to guard a point of entry. His duty is to allow only authorized persons and deny others access. This is the responsibility you hold with regard to your mind. Warped ideas, false truth and the like have no business in your mind and should not be allowed in. Only positive and mind/spirit-building information should be accepted. After external information has been ‘filtered’ by the Holy Spirit (if you will allow Him to be the sentry at the door to your mind) the residue should be disposed of while the truth that comes through should be embraced.
If you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in this process, you should soon experience the joy that comes from victorious living in your thought life. In the absence of rebellious thoughts you will have greater peace, enabling you to be more perceptive to the Holy Spirit. Your mind will be less pliable and you will have fewer distractions to contend with. In essence, you will have a better quality of life. You are, after all, what you think.
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