SETTING THE PICTURE RIGHT IN YOUR MIND

Words, pictures emotions and even smells cause us to have movement in our lives and created pictures in our subconscious mind. These thoughts can cause us to move forward or backward. Recollection of subconscious thoughts can cause a reaction to the present.  For example, seeing a picture brings up recollection and causes the emotion associated with the thought. People suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) say that is one of the main trigger points that causes an episode in them.

The disciples had an episode that triggered a picture of disaster in their mind… 

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  

Here we see that the disciples were asked to go on a journey with Jesus.  It seemed like a harmless care-fear adventure. I'm sure that they probably didn't have a thought that they would experience a near disaster on this little excursion with their beloved teacher.  And yet the picture of impending death by drowning was so great they were terrified.  It wasn't until awoke and changed the picture for them that fear left, and they were left with a different picture in their minds, "Who is this man, that even the wind and sea obey Him!"

Next, we see that Jesus keeps going along His way with the disciples right along with Him. They didn't stop because of a encountering a frightful event; nor, did it stop them from encountering another extraordinary event.  This naked man is living in the graveyard and is so strong that no one is able to help him.  "Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him (Mark 4:33-41; 5:1-6).

Too many times Christians gives up when they see something that they don't like and don't know how to change.  However, through these scriptures and Matthew 28:19-20, we can clearly understand three principles to SETTING THE RIGHT PICTURE in our minds so that we can keep moving forward.

1)    Jesus invited his disciples to go with Him, “…He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side’”. He invited them to be a part of the journey.  The invitation is still the same today, “Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:19). 

2)    We are not alone.  His words expressed to His disciples that they were not going on this journey alone.  He said, “Let us…”.  We see the same principle in verse 20 of Matthew 28.  “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Notice what happened to the picture in the disciples mind as they were on their journey.  They became frighten because of what they saw.  The image before them spelled disaster.  They were sure they were going to die.  He had just been explaining His teachings to them, but all they could see was what they thought to be true—death.  The devil doesn’t use a picture frame because he constantly changes the image in your mind.  When Jesus was awaken, notice that His picture of who He was did not change because of the journey nor the storm.  He SPOKE to the storm and it obeyed.

 People respond to the predominate picture.  If the new picture isn’t stronger than the previous one, it won’t replace the negativity associated with the first one.

 
3)   Take responsibility for your actions & how to respond.  Verse 40, “…Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”  Only you can change your picture.  "You have not been given a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love and a sound mind" (1 Timothy 1:7).  

We have an invitation to go on this incredible journey with Jesus to bear fruit.  On this journey, we will more than likely experience opposition.  If you don't think that you can continue the journey, then determine to change your mindset. You can. You can set the picture straight. in your mind and according to what the Word of God says.