2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The mind is a very important component of the human make-up (body, soul, and spirit), perhaps just as important as your heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us that “all the issues of life flow out of the heart”, so why would the mind be just as important?
It’s because whatever fills the mind is what fills the heart.
Paul tells us in 2 Timothy that we have received a “sound mind” from the Lord. Now look at the context: Paul is saying that he has a “pure conscience” (2 Timothy 1:3). That's an incredible statement when you consider Paul’s background. He was the most vehement persecutor of Christians and ordered many to be put to death. So how can Paul have a pure conscience?
The answer to this question is also the key to a sound mind.
Paul understood what Christ had done for him. 2 Timothy 1:2 reveals the gospel is about grace, mercy, and peace. And when you understand that you have received the grace of God through His mercies, His peace will guard and protect your mind and heart (Philippians 4:6-7).
Many of God’s promises are past tense. “I have blessed you…”. “I am worthy…”. "I have surrounded you with favor as a shield…”. All of these are past tense and our role is to bring our thinking into agreement with God. But because we might not feel blessed, or feel surrounded with God’s favor, we have a tendency to think and speak about what we feel rather than what God says.
When God placed Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37), He told him to prophesy over those bones commanding “life” to come into them. Ezekiel was surrounded by dry bones. But rather than describe the deadness of the circumstances that surrounded him, he agreed with God and declared what God said.
Likewise, we need to learn to agree with God and declare what God’s Word says about us.
This is the posture of a “sound mind”. It agrees with God. It is a mindset that doesn’t go to fear, but goes to faith saying;
If God’s Word says I am blessed, then I am, regardless of my surroundings.
If God’s Word says I am worthy, then I am, regardless of my surroundings.
If God’s Word says I am surrounded by God’s favor, then I am.
Today rise up with that sound mind and agree with God’s Word.