Seven Things I did that Transformed my Thinking

Before I share the seven things I did that completely transformed my thinking, I want to talk a little bit about what I was actually going through. I believe my testimony will resonate with many of you and my prayer is that it will inspire and encourage you to put these seven things into practice in your own life.

So here goes!

It wasn’t too long ago that I struggled with the thoughts I had about my life, my purpose and my future. 

I was a Christian madly in love with Jesus, faithful to church and every prayer meeting, and I was struggling—and I mean struggling!

After giving my life to Jesus at the age of 21, in the Fall of 2013, there was a period from 2016 to 2019 where I found myself constantly on the battlefield of my mind.

While living in Salt Lake City, UT (2015-2017) an unfortunate situation came up that had me practically homeless. I was living in an unfinished basement with cement floors and fuzzy, pink walls with plastic all over them. It was a place to live and I was grateful but it wasn’t God’s best. It was there that I found myself falling into a deep state of depression and loneliness. It wasn’t long until I began having thoughts of suicide, death and destruction. This went on time and time again—it even creeped into the first year of my marriage, it was horrible.

My thoughts were something like:

What is my purpose, why am I even here? What’s the point of being a Christian and having to go through this? Was the state of my mind the way I was supposed to live as a Christian? Was it just my “burden” to bear? The world would be better off without me! Nobody likes me or even cares about me! I’m not good at anything anyways! 

But these thoughts were a bunch of L I E S ! 

They were complete lies from the enemy, there is no other way to explain them!

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy... - John 10:10 NLT

At the time, I had no idea how to get myself out of where I had camped out in my mind. My life and my emotions made me feel  as if I were on a rollercoaster. These thoughts were just so crippling! I missed parties, church functions and even simple life tasks because I was consumed by these destructive thoughts—they had become my identity.

It wasn’t until 2019 when I realized something needed to change. There had to be something that I was missing! And if I was honest with myself I wasn’t reading my bible, hardly ever, and I was not making the time to pray. It became so clear to me that I needed to truly identify and put God’s word before me in a way that I never had before!

Come close to God, and God will come close to you... - James 4:8 NLT

With the prayers of my husband and my mind being made up that I was DONE being a punching bag for the enemy, I began to fight! 

Fight for my peace, my joy, my purpose, my life! 

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT)

For the first time in my life, I learned to fight with the word of God! I began to declare His life giving truths over my mind, my body, my thoughts, my future, and my marriage! 

"I will live and not die!" - Psalm 118:17

I knew that if I continued to allow myself to stay where I was I would be robbed of my purpose and the joyful life God meant for me to live! I knew that where I was wasn’t where God wanted me to be. This led me to put these seven things into action that completely transformed my life!

1. I put on the full Armour of God spoken about in Ephesians 6:10-20.

I did this by praying and confessing each article of armour over myself. When we pray this we are not simply speaking about physical clothing but it is translated in the spirit to the spiritual armor and power of God. I prayed these verses boldly and with authority knowing I had the right because we are no longer under the curse of the law (Gal 5:13) and like 1 Corinthians 2:16 states, we have the mind of Christ!

2. I discovered that my words and my thoughts held power.

I began to understand that my words and my thoughts went hand in hand. When it came to my thoughts I read in Proverbs 23:7 that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he… my thoughts housed my future and the way I was thinking would either hinder it or bless it. And when it came to the words I spoke about myself or my situation, death and life are in the power of the tongue… (Proverbs 18:21)—so I began to speak life!

3. I believed that God’s word and His promises were true!

I would continually remind myself of Numbers 23:19 (NLT) God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

4. I refused to give any place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27) in areas that I had before!

What I mean by this is that I honestly had a little bit of an attitude and assertiveness when feelings of sadness or depression would try to creep up on me, I was no longer playing about my peace! I did this by putting the point below into action.

5. I instantly put down any thoughts that did not line up with God’s word.

These would be any thoughts that concerned me or my future (thoughts of death, lack, fear, confusion, self confidence, etc.) and I would then replace those thoughts with what God’s word does say.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 ESV

I began to speak and meditate on truths like:

“I am the head and not the tail, I am above and never beneath” (Deut 28:13)

“I am a new creature in Christ Jesus, the old me is dead and gone!” (2 Cor 5:17)

“Who the son sets free is free indeed—I am Free!” (John 8:36)

“I walk after the spirit, not after the flesh” (Rom 8:1)

“Long life shall the Lord satisfy me and show me his salvation” (Psalm 91:16)

“I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might” (Eph 6:10)

“My gifts will make room for me and put me before great men” (Prov 18:16)

6. I renewed and washed my mind in His word (Romans 12:2).

This is where I consumed nothing but Scripture (reading and audible) and sermons from powerful preachers who focused on teaching God’s word and the authority we have in Christ as Christians just like it’s stated in Luke 10:19a Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy…

7. I prayed in the Holy Spirit. 

I understand that this may not be something everyone reading this has experienced but I can tell you that praying in God’s spirit is for today. And if you haven’t experienced being baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of praying in your own personal, heavenly, prayer language (Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-48 and Acts 19:1-7) you can experience that today too!

If it wasn’t for praying in the Holy Spirit, I don’t believe I would have come out of that dark place so full of passion and fire. God’s word transformed me and praying in the Holy Spirit built up the faith and encouragement I was obtaining from God’s word.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit - Jude 1:20 ESV

I prayed in the spirit while doing dishes, driving my car, doing chores around the house—I prayed in the spirit any moment I could!

Ah guys, praying in the Holy Spirit is so amazingly powerful! We pray perfect prayers when we pray in the Holy Spirit. We may not always understand what we should pray for or how we should pray but the Holy Spirit does—it’s beautiful!

So let me encourage you today—you can do this!

You can have freedom. You can be in control of your mind and the direction of your thoughts through the filter of God’s word. Habitually meditating on God’s word and confessing His truths, like those found in Joshua 1:8, will remind you that this Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, you will not only come out on the other side but you will be victorious, testifying of what the Lord has done within you—just like me!

Let me know if you plan to put these seven things into action for your own life; they definitely worked for me! Leave me a comment below, send me an Email or shoot me a DM on Instagram.

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Maybe this blog really resonated with you; do you want to experience freedom, do you want to live a life of peace? Maybe you have never taken the step to make Jesus your Lord and Savior, you haven’t accepted Jesus into your heart and life, or maybe you’re in need of re-dedicating your life to Him; I want to give you an opportunity to do that today! I need you to know that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), there is nothing you have ever done that God cannot forgive! God loves you, He sees you, and He wants you to be full of the life that comes from knowing Jesus. Say this prayer with me out loud, from your heart, no matter where you are!

“Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die in my place, I admit that I’ve sinned and I repent. I believe in my heart you raised Jesus from the dead and I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord and my savior. Come into my heart Lord Jesus, take out the stony heart and put in a heart of flesh. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Right now I receive forgiveness and by the blood of Jesus I am saved. I am made new. I am free. I am a child of God. In Jesus name—Amen!”

Yay! If you prayed with me today, you are a NEW CREATION - the old you is dead and gone, and the NEW YOU is alive and well! Believe it and speak it "I am made new in Jesus!" 

I JUST MADE JESUS MY LORD AND SAVIOUR! 

I want to hear from you! Leave a comment below, send me a message or shoot me a DM on Instagram; I'd love to celebrate the best decision of your life with you!

p.s. If you would like to read more on the authority we have in Christ, here is a free PDF book link to The Believers Authority written by Kenneth E. Hagin. It’s a powerful little book and such an easy read!

Love & Blessings,

Tanika