1.

All behavior is based on a belief

Do you ever ask yourself, “Why did I do that?” You do something that you think is kind of out of character for you and
you ask, “Why did I do that?”

You did it because you believed that was the best or most beneficial thing for you at that particular moment. You
always act on your beliefs.

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he….” (Pro 23:7, NKJV)

And when you do something, it’s because you’re believing something at that time.

If you do not apply for that job, or go after that business, or try to do something you have never done before, it’s
because you’re believing something at that time. You’re saying, “I believe that so and so is not possible – even though
God had said “with God all things are possible”.

It’s a lie – but because you believe it - you hold back.

When somebody says, “I’m leaving my husband and I’m going to marry this other man because I believe God wants
me to be happy,” they just told you about the belief behind their behavior.

It may be wrong, but they’ve come to that decision because of something - true or not – they’ve believed.

If you see somebody who is abstaining from sex outside of marriage, it’s because they have a belief that’s causing that
behavior.

If somebody is not cheating in their business or working hard to keep a promise of some kind, it’s because they have
a belief that’s causing that behavior.

So, behind every behavior - good or bad - is a belief – that’s my first point.

Because who a man or woman is comes from what they are believing in their thoughts.

2. Behind every wrong or harmful behavior is a lie or lies that we are believing

When you sin, at that moment you think the best thing to do is what you’re doing — and you’ve been deceived.

You say, “I know God says to do ‘this’ but I’m going to do ‘that.’” What are you doing? You’re believing a lie.

Behind every sin or wrong action, we take is a lie – maybe two.

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. Titus
3:3a (NIV)

If you don’t get anything else I say in today, get this:

Think of the prodigal son – what lies did he believe that led him to go ask for his inheritance from his father?

So, what is the way out? Begin to look for LIES in our head!

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3. Therefore, to change, to turn your life around, to make progress – you must start with your mind

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2b (NIV)

The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act.

If you want to change the way you act you must determine the way you think.

You can’t start with the action. You’ve got to start with the thought.

Thoughts determine your feelings and your feelings determine your actions.

THINK . . . FEEL . . . ACT

We see this in the difference between Joshua and Caleb and the other 12 spies –

“Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is
its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we
saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the
Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan."” (Num
13:27-29, NKJV)

“But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than
we." And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through
which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of
great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like
grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."” (Num 13:31-33, NKJV)

They believed that that they were like grasshoppers – it affected how they felt about themselves which in turn
determined how they acted.

“But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore
their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to
spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a
land which flows with milk and honey.' Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they
are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them."” (Num 14:6-9,
NKJV)

They believed that the enemy was like bread – and they could eat them all up!

4. The Bible term for “changing your mind” is repentance

That’s what we’re talking about here.

What do most people think of when I say the word “repent”?

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 But the New Testament word for “repentance” is a wonderful, positive word.

It is the Greek word, metanoia, which means “to change your mind.”

To Repent means: to discover the lie you are believing that is making you act in a bad / wrong way and replacing
that lie with the truth that will now make you act and live the right way.

5. So, will you “REPENT”?

Will you this evening – allow God to use the most powerful gift he has given you – your mind – to enable you put your
life on a brand new trajectory?

Take one area of your life you believe needs to change – it could be in relationship, it could be an addiction, it could
be behavior or sin – ask yourself this:

WHAT LIE AM I BELIEVING THAT IS MAKING THIS HAPPEN?

Be brutally honest with yourself because it is the only way to make progress.
Then follow that thought by asking God:

FATHER WHAT IS THE TRUTH I NEED TO KNOW AND BELIEVE TO COUNTERACT THIS LIE?

Now go ahead and REPENT by saying:

I REJECT THE LIE THAT: [Repeat the lie or lies] and I ACCEPT THIS TRUTH THAT [repeat the truth].

Can you see that this is the ONLY battle you need to fight for your life to change.

The bible calls it “the good fight of faith”

CLOSING

1. To help us get started, here some questions we could ask ourselves:

Add others.

2. Who has stories of when they rejected a lie and believed a truth from God that brought about change in their lives?.