Let This Mind Be in You

A Note on Renewing Your Mind Every Single Day Faith & Word

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5 (KJV)

"Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility.]" Philippians 2:5 (AMPC)

Read that scripture again. Slowly.

Not as a motivational quote. Not as a bumper sticker. As an instruction. A daily, active, intentional instruction for every entrepreneur, founder, leader, and believer who is trying to build something in the middle of a world that is constantly pulling at your attention, your peace, and your purpose.

Let this mind be in you. That means it does not come automatically. It means you have to choose it. Every single day.

Your Mind Is a Battlefield

There is a war happening. Not just in the news, not just in the natural, but in the cosmic realm. A spiritual battle that is targeted specifically at your mind. Because the enemy knows that if he can control your thoughts, he can control your trajectory. He can get you off your God-given assignment. He can get you to come down off the wall.

If you know the story of Nehemiah, you know exactly what that means. Nehemiah was building. He had an assignment from God. And the opposition spent more time trying to get Nehemiah to stop, to come down, to engage with distractions, than they did actually trying to destroy the wall. Because they knew if they could get him out of his head and into their argument, the building would stop.

That is what is happening to you.

Every ruminating thought. Every spiral of self-doubt. Every scroll through the news that leaves you feeling heavy and hopeless. Every whisper that says you are not qualified, not ready, not enough. That is not random. That is targeted. And the only defense against a targeted attack on your mind is a daily, intentional renewal of it.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2 (NIV)

"Do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you]." Romans 12:2 (AMP)

I Know This From the Inside

From July 2019 to March 2022, I lived in the darkest period of my life.

I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Anxiety. Some bipolarism. I tried different medications, trying to find the right combination that would bring my brain chemicals back into balance. I had a mental health hospital stay. I had ruminating thoughts, the kind where you think about the same thing over and over again and cannot stop, and it was crippling. There were days when getting out of bed felt like climbing a mountain.

And in that dark space, the only thing I could do was work on my mind. The only weapon I had was submission. I had to submit my mind to Christ because I could not trust my own thoughts. I had to dig into books, podcasts, scripture, anything that would allow me to feed my mind something different than what the darkness was feeding it. It was not a quick fix. It was a daily, sometimes hourly, fight.

I came off all of the medications in September of 2022. That season, from July 2019 to March 2022, was my dark night of the soul. But being on the other side of it, I can look back and see how necessary it was. I can see why God allowed me to go through it. Because I cannot stand here and teach you about renewing your mind from a textbook. I teach it from a testimony.

And the testimony is this: renewing your mind works. Not because it is easy. Because it is obedient.

What Renewing Your Mind Actually Does

There are three things I want you to understand about what happens when you commit to this practice.

First, it allows you to hear God more clearly. You cannot have a real relationship with God and hear His voice clearly if your mind is cluttered with fear, noise, and the opinions of everyone around you. Renewing your mind through His Word creates the clarity you need to hear Him. And hearing Him is the foundation of everything else you are trying to build.

Second, it helps you crucify your flesh daily. That is not comfortable language, but it is biblical language. When you renew your mind, you get closer to exhibiting the character and the attributes of Jesus. You begin to pray more targeted prayers. You begin to speak words that edify and uplift instead of words that tear down. And you develop the ability to take every thought captive, to recognize when a thought is not of God and cast it down before it takes root.

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

"We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 (AMP)

Third, it fixes your focus on God things. There is so much happening in our world right now. Local news. National news. International news. It can become genuinely depressing if you let it consume you. And I believe a lot of what we are seeing is spiritual warfare. It is a battle for our minds. It is a psychological attack designed to keep us anxious, distracted, and paralyzed. You can get a therapist. You can pray. You can intercede. All of those things matter. But before you do any of them, you have to give your mind over to Christ. You have to let Him rest, rule, and abide in your thoughts.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

"Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God's word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]." Philippians 4:8 (AMP)

Whatever is lovely. Whatever is pure. Whatever is of good report. Think on these things. That is not a suggestion. That is a prescription.

How I Do It Every Day

It is not easy. I want to be clear about that. Renewing your mind is not a walk in the park. Thoughts are constantly coming and going, and keeping hold of what enters your mind requires intentionality and discipline. But here is what it looks like for me practically.

The first thing I do when I realize I am awake and alive for a new day is I tell God thank you. Before I check my phone. Before I look at my calendar. Before I do anything else. I say it out loud a few times. Thank you, God. I am alive. I am awake. I am well. Gratitude is the first act of renewal.

The second thing I do is find something positive to hear or to read. That should be scripture. But it can also be a devotional, a worship song that is already in my spirit, or a message that feeds my faith. I lean into something good before I let the noise of the day in.

The third thing is keeping record of my gratitude. I have been doing it off and on for years and I am committed to getting more consistent with it. Writing down what God has done, what I am thankful for, what is good in my life, keeps my mind focused and stayed on the things that are true and lovely. Especially on the days when everything around me is trying to tell a different story.

You Cannot Build from a Broken Mind

Whatever God has called you to build, whether it is a ministry, a business, an organization, a mentorship program, a coaching practice, anything, you need to build it from a place of clarity and renewal. You do not want to build from burnout. You do not want to build from brokenness. Because when you build broken, you bleed on the people you are called to serve.

It starts with the mind. It always starts with the mind.

Your thoughts become your actions. Your actions become your life. So if you want a better life, if you want to build something that lasts and reflects the God who called you to build it, you have to start by giving your mind to Him every single day.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Not once. Not when it is convenient. Every. Single. Day.

Maleeka Hollaway is the founder of SAVEDpreneur Media and Lead & Influence. She is a faith-driven entrepreneur, professor, and advocate for whole-person wellness who teaches from testimony, not just theory. Follow her at SAVEDpreneur.com.