How to Change Your Life by Renewing Your Mind | Jonathan Cahn Message

God has something better for you.

Listen to what Scripture says in 2 Timothy: God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. God’s desire is that you live with a sound mind. If you are born again, your thought life should be renewed—different from what it used to be—and it should keep becoming new.

There’s a scene in the movie Young Frankenstein (I’m not recommending it either way). The servant, Igor, is sent to find a brain for the monster. He goes into a lab and finds jars holding different brains, but he ends up choosing the wrong one—one that isn’t “sound.” That picture can relate to believers.

In a sense, you may have “chosen the wrong brain.” Tonight you’ll understand what I mean. This message is the second part of a teaching I shared on a Sunday morning not long ago—and it addresses a critical area. I haven’t shared it on a Friday night before, but it deals with something many of us assume we understand—yet the Bible reveals a truth that often conflicts with how we think, how the world thinks, and even how you may have been living.

These are keys from God’s Word that can transform your thought life—renew your mind, strengthen your emotional health, and support true mental well-being—ultimately changing the direction of your life.

This teaching is called “Secrets of the Mind: Part Two.” First, I want to highlight one foundational truth from part one, because it matters deeply: the way we think about the mind.

Many people believe, “I’m stuck. This is just my mind. My mind determines everything. That’s just how I think and how I see things.” They may say, “It’s my nature to worry… or get angry… or be negative… or fear… or feel discouraged.” Or they feel their thought life is the problem: “I don’t want to think about it, but I keep thinking about it. I’m not in control.” It can feel like thoughts are out of control.

But the Bible teaches something very different: thoughts may appear, but you still have responsibility—and you do have control. If you refuse responsibility, healing and change become impossible. You can choose what you dwell on. Yes, there are patterns and habits—things you do almost automatically. You might tap your foot without thinking, but you’re still in control of your foot; it’s simply a learned pattern. In the same way, it may be harder sometimes—and easier at other times—but you still have choice about what you continue to focus on.

James 1 shows that temptation connects to our own desires—meaning we’re not powerless. In God, you have both power and choice.

Interestingly, one Hebrew word connected to “mind” is nephesh (often translated soul). It can refer to your inner life—your desires, feelings, and also your mind. So when David says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” it can also carry the idea of “Bless the Lord, O my mind.”

And in the Psalms, David speaks to his nephesh: “Why are you cast down within me?” In a real sense, he is also speaking to his mind: “Mind, why are you so depressed? Why are you so anxious? Why are you so upset?”

This is powerful: you are not trapped by your mind. You can influence it. You can talk to your mind. You can question your thoughts, challenge them, and minister to your inner life. You can direct your mind toward what is negative or what is life-giving. In that sense, you can say: “Bless the Lord, O my mind.”

Another Hebrew word connected to mind is lev—often translated heart, but also used for the mind. It’s linked to the will: the heart and mind work together, and your deepest inner choices shape what your mind focuses on. In other words, you can choose what you will set your thoughts on.