right

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

-Proverbs 23:7

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

-Philippians 4:8

What do you think? What's on your mind? Do you think you'll be able to pay all of your bills and have money left over to buy you something nice? Do you think you'll ever get out of the lower income bracket? Do you think you can continue to hold up the bloodstain banner of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or do you think you might just slip back into your former life? Do you think you'll ever amount to anything in this life, or do you think you'll probably live the rest of your life being a nothing and a nobody, never really ever making any kind of real contribution to society? Do you ever think you'll live up to what God says you are, have, and can do in Christ? Do you think you'll ever be prosperous, live above sickness, have a national ministry or so on?

Were most of your answers to these questions on the negative side? If they were, then look at your life real closely and you'll see that my scripture text is right, " For as he THINKETH in his heart, so is he..." What you think is important! As a matter of fact, your thoughts can have a very devastating effect on your life. Most folks (including Christians) don't realize just how important their thinking is. I know with so many other things that we're confronted with, it's hard to see the significance of right thinking. When you stop to think about it, very few ever really place any real value on their thinking. Thinking is the easiest thing in the world to do; we'll let things run through our minds and never ever give it a second thought. But would you give it a second thought if I told you that all that you are, have, and possess is a direct result of things you have thought on in days gone by? Would you give it a second thought if I told you that most of the people in mental institutions are there because of their wrong thinking? Would you give it a second thought if I told you that every person that is bound or possessed by a demon got that way by their wrong, or STINKING THINKING? The very first step of any case of demon possession started with one thought that went unattended. WHAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT!!! Would you give it a second thought if I told you that every person that have committed suicide did so because of his or her wrong, or STINKING THINKING?

Now I know what you're thinking, " Brother Foster how can something as harmless as thinking cause all of these things to happen in your life? " It's not really the thinking in itself that does the harm, however your mind is the door way to your spirit (or heart) and whatever gets down into your heart will control your life. " Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. " (Prv.4:23) Your mind is like a baggage checking area, things have to be approved by your mind or reasoning before you will allow it to enter into your heart, or believe it with your heart. And Jesus said whatever you would believe in your heart and say with your mouth will come to pass in your life (MK.11:23).

                                          "Right And Wrong Believing"

The reason why your thinking is important is because it will determine what you believe. The reason why you believe you can't do any better, is because that is what you think! The reason why you believe you're a nothing and a nobody is because that is what you think! What you think on long enough is what you will eventually believe, and what you believe will come to pass in you life (be it positive or negative). Look with me at Mark 11:22-23 and Romans10:9-10:

MARK 11:22 & 23
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

ROMANS 10:9 & 10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

A literal translation of what Jesus said in Mk.11:22 says, "...have the God kind of faith." Faith is simply a heart's belief in a person, place, or thing. Whatever you believe in your heart is faith. Notice that Jesus told his disciples to, "have the God kind of belief." The "kind" of faith you have, is determined by who or what you are exercising it towards. If you�re exercising it towards me, you have the "Foster Kind." If you are exercising it towards your job, you have the "job kind." Whoever or whatever you exercise that heart's belief towards, determines what kind it is. The New Testament again and again puts emphasis on believing God and His word.

In these two passages of scriptures Jesus talks about what a positive belief can and will do. Most folks don't realize that these verses of scripture have a negative side to them. Jesus said that what you believe in your heart and say with your mouth would come to pass in your life. Now I realize there are a lot of people that are not too high on the faith message, (mainly because they don't understand it) but what they don't realize is that they are exercising some "kind" of faith all the time, every day. Remember, faith is simply a heart's belief in a person, place, or thing. Whenever you believe something with all of your heart, that's faith! And your faith (positive or negative) will generate a spiritual force (God or Satan) to work on your behalf.

                                 "Believing (or faith) Is A Choice"

Now listen to this next statement I'm about to make real carefully; because if you can grab a hold to it, you will understand the "Why" of faith. You'll understand why God says it is impossible to please Him without it. You'll understand why Jesus said all things are possible to him that believes. Most people don't realize that believing is an act of their wills. They don't realize that whenever they are exercising their wills, they're giving God, or Satan a license to move on their behalf. You see, believing is a choice (and what is a choice, but an act of your will). You have to choose to believe. God won't make you believe Him, that's why He always say, "If" thou WILL BELIEVE... I will! Now get this: The devil can't make you believe either, that's why he deals in deception. He has to deceive people into thinking wrong things, so they will believe wrong things, hence giving him a license to move and operate in their lives. He knows that whatever he can get you to believe in your heart, he can cause to come to pass in your life. And most of that would be stealing, killing, and destroying. (Jh.10:10)

Let me ask you friends: What WILL you believe? WILL you believe that all of your needs are met according to His riches in glory? Or WILL you believe that you can't make ends meet, and that you'll never get ahead in life? The choice is yours! WILL you believe that you're healed by the stripes of Jesus, and that you've been redeemed from the curse of the law? (Is.53:4,5 & Gal.3:13,14) Or WILL you believe that you're coming down with the flu, or maybe that you're dying of cancer, or maybe that "you were born with it, and that you will die with it?" Is that WHAT YOU THINK? The choice is yours! WILL you believe that you're more than a conqueror, and that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you? (Rom.8:37 & Phil.4:13) Or WILL you believe that you're whipped and defeated, and can't ever do anything right? WHAT DO YOU THINK? THE CHOICE IS YOURS! WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE TO BELIEVE?!! This is why God stresses faith (heart's belief) in the New Testament; because He basically can do very little on your behalf if you don't believe. And if your thinking is wrong, it will be impossible to believe or have the God "kind" of faith or belief. For Him to do something on your behalf without your believing would be a violation of your will.

                                                 "You Believed For It"

This is also the reason why I don't believe that God gives every man "the measure of faith" that's taught wide spread through out the body of Christ. For in order for God to give you a measure of faith, (or heart's belief) He would have to override your will. For you must remember that believing is a choice. This is also why it is unscriptural to pray for more faith (or belief). Your faith is a choice and He can't make you believe more in Him, He would be manipulating your will. Now God does have a "gift of faith" that is an endowment of the Holy Spirit, but still yet, if you don't believe in the gifts of the Spirit, He can't even endow you with that kind of faith. Notice it's called "the gift of faith." It's called that because this is the only faith that can be given (gifts or given), all other "kinds" of faith men already have. The Holy Ghost specifically gives this kind right here, and the only requirement is that you believe on the Holy Ghost. But get this, if your THINKING is wrong, you won't even get that.

Listen Beloveth; faith is an expression of your will, it is an attitude of your heart; and what people don't realize is that they are exercising faith every day. It may not be the "God Kind" but yet and still they're exercising it. Now if you think I've gotten you in deep, listen to this: All that you have, all that you are, and all that you are going through, you have exercised faith for it! Stop and think about it. If you're on the bottom of the barrel, it's because that's what you've believed (or exercised faith for)! If you're living in poverty and can't make ends meet, never getting ahead in life, it's because that's what you believed for! If you're always sick and having problems out of your body, it's because that's what you've believed! If you can't sing like others, get started in your own ministry, minister like others, or even play musical instruments like others, it's because that's what you've believed!!!! How many times have you said, "I can't ever see myself doing that? " Or " I could never be as good as him or her. " Or " I'll never be a millionaire or have anything of real value." You see my friends, you are the sum totally of all that you have thought and believed! You believe everything the devil wants you to believe, so consequently it's coming to pass in your life. Your faith is actually working in reverse. I dare say that most of you believe that you will never be a millionaire, and you know what? You never will be! I dare say that most of you believe that you will never have a national ministry, and you know what? You won't! Why? Because you believe you can't, and you're getting exactly what you are believing for.

                                                 "What Do You Think"

Now here is what God is wanting us to do: He wants us to believe Him and His word so that He can have an avenue to bless us. But when we choose to believe the circumstances around us, and possibly the symptoms in our bodies, that kind of shuts Him out, and boxes us in with the devil, for him to control and manipulate our lives. Jesus wasn't making an idle statement when He said, "...all things are possible to him that believeth. " (Mk.9:23) It's a statement of fact! Whenever you choose to believe God, there will be nothing impossible to you!

Now as I close out, this is what I want you to see: The reason why your thinking is important is because it eventually controls what you believe. If you think right, you'll believe right, if you think wrong, you'll believe wrong. And rest assured that whatever you believe will come to pass in your life. If you think you can't make anything out of this life; don't worry about it, you never will! If you think you can't get out of the financial rut that your in, don't worry about it, you won't! If you think you are the scum of the earth, a nothing, and the least of all, you probably are! Stop and think about it friends: What are you believing with all of your heart? I guarantee you it's coming to pass in your life, if it hasn't already. This is why God wants us to renew our minds to what He has to say about situations and circumstances so that we can straighten out our STINKING THINKING. For so long we've been thinking and believing the wrong things. And as a result Satan has been raising havoc in our lives; as a result he's been stealing, killing, and destroying us. Let me exhort and encourage you friends; if you're not satisfied with your current status of life, check up on what you've been thinking and believing. You don't know it but you've been giving the devil a legal right to come in and bind you.

Another important thing you should know is that people influences a lot of our thinking by things they say and tell us. Whenever some one is giving you information, make full proof of it before you accept it in your thinking. I�ve seen too many people deprived out of their healing or deliverance because they accepted something someone said into their thinking and it was wrong counsel, it didn't line up with the word. Be careful what people tell you, or even what you hear preached, or read. It can effect your thinking negatively, and cause you to believe wrongly, and you never will receive from God. Whenever you hear something, always say to yourself, WHAT DOES THE WORD SAY?

So again I ask you: What do you think? What's on your mind? Do you think you are more then a conqueror through Him that loves you? Do you think that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you? Do you think that you've been redeemed from the curse of the law? Do you think that your marriage can work? Do you think that you are healed or will be healed? Do you think that you will have a national ministry, and that you can preach and sing just as good as any one else? If you do, chances are, you won't be long in seeing that come to pass in you're life! Now of course you probably said yes to all of these things. But take inventory of your social status, and what's going on around you. If it appears that you have more of a manifestation of the devil (things stealing, killing, and destroying), then you are taking his thoughts more then God's. But on the other hand, if you can see a lot of what God says you are and can do in His word being manifested in your life; then chances are you've got your mind renewed to His word and your thinking is on track. WHAT DO YOU THINK?

All scripture qoutations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated. This teaching is brought to your by Pastor David Foster and Son of God Ministries, Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the express written consent of Son of God Ministries, Inc. P.O. Box 46514, Little Rock, AR 72214.