Renewing your mind
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Imagine the mind to be a very long passenger train of which you are the train driver. Each compartment of the train (TRAIN OF THOUGHT/S) are holding cells for millions of thoughts, like passengers constantly getting on and off at different stations. The journey of our life is full of stops and starts (stations) at different stages and events that take place in our lives. The journey of this life begins when you are born and does not stop till your dead physically. In this journey of life, we can’t get on and off by ourselves but passengers (thoughts) do. What gets on and off depends on where the train takes you in life. Sometimes, the train tracks get derailed or blocked by events and by the devil. This causes more thoughts and imaginations to get into our minds that can change the course of our lives. At all times, both good and bad thoughts get on and off but allowing them in or out is within our control. This essentially is the power (our will) to change and renew our minds.
However, due to the nature of this world, one does not always get to control their thoughts because of situations that can make them go haywire or desires that can cause them to fall into pits. Yet, the sane mind is dependent on many factors that educate the thought life. So, the journey through life from birth is dependent on who influences our minds (God, man, devil) and by what methods they do it. Once we become adults and can think for ourselves, we are expected to train our minds to suit our lives accordingly. It is in the knowledge of God that we must realise how much more we need to train our minds because of what the world does not offer in the spiritual. The spiritual realm is superior to the natural realm and so must be understood differently in order for one to access the benefits and know the ramifications of a life of darkness that is influenced by the devil. This is where the child of God is expected to do some practical things concerning their mind. This will help them to understand what the Supreme Creator has prepared for them individually in a life that is lived out in this world till death do us part. The advice therefore is: Rom_12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I am always intrigued by the mind because it has so much control over a human being that it can make or break them just by thoughts. One such incident is reported in the Bible of the Gadarene. It says he was possessed by a legion of demons who had taken over his mind and through that used him to inflict wounds upon himself. They were causing him to self harm which no one in their right mind will do. We know he had lost his mind to demonic forces because Jesus cast out thousands of demons named Legion from him. The Bible also records that after he was set free, he was sitting down in front of Jesus in his right mind. This tells me that the mind is a place of great importance that needs constant renewing and must be protected from events and evil thoughts.
Not only does the mind have to be trained to understand secular things but it has to be trained to understand spiritual things. The mind is the seat of the intellect and therefore a part of one’s soul. Added to the mind are connections to both the physical and spiritual side of a person. The emotions and will of person which are also parts of the human soul are deeply and intricately connected to the mind. The development or lack of development of the soul (mind, will, emotions) can have serious outcomes for an individual and even for a society at large. Imagine a Hitler being produced every generation. There would be no humanity left to speak of. The truth is, many are rising up like Hitler (anti-christs) and are even widespread around the world right now frequenting our generations. So many of them of recent, have been put down by powerful nations of this world, in order to maintain some sense of sanity in this world.
The development of a soul can only be done effectively if we have moral grounds for spirituality, which has the power to develop and keep a mind in check to something more powerful than itself. We know this to be God. The question is; which God? The answer is simple to those of the faith in Jesus but very complicated to those whose minds have been blinded. 2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. Hence, we need to renew our minds each time to know the good, acceptable and perfect will of God. This is critical for spiritual growth and also for sanity. There have been times when we have accessed God only to find out that the things that happen to us can drive us to near insanity. There is no one to explain the darkness that surrounds us when we do follow Christ and we often get desperate in our situations and circumstances in life. Yet, God wants us to act mature and train our minds to be renewed in His will. Many Christians believe God should be a sugar daddy and that is all He should be good for. They want this concept of God in their minds so that they can live a life of blessing and carry on in their sin. What they do not want to realise is the power of an exacting God who will exact His due at our cost. There is a price to pay for our lives; called upon as a debt we owe. This is called submission and surrender to His will.
Jesus represented us to God and lived amongst us to pay the price we could not pay. His mind had to be renewed in God to know the will of God. So, Apostle Paul wrote this: Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: When Jesus knew He had to live and die like a man, He renewed His thinking and became humble and obedient to His Father. We too must have the same mind. To do this, we must discipline ourselves to walk in God’s will and not our own will. When we do this, we will see the blessings of God upon our lives because God delights in humility and obedience more than sacrifice.
Letting in thoughts and letting out thoughts on life’s journey is dependent on how we train our minds to think. Thoughts come and go and not all will be beneficial to us but we can retain what are and through that build a strong and sound mind. Rom_7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.Rom_8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. This is where we need to cast down imaginations that come into our train of thinking that are perpetrated by the journey through an evil life. Many have come out of their dark depression, situations of birth that have affected them, sicknesses and even their near death situations by the renewing of their thought life to acknowledge the word of God and not what the circumstances dictate to them. This is a condition of the soul and so one must be aware of such things that come to destroy the soul. Therefore the instruction to young Timothy was as follows. 2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Many Christians miss out on a life that is blessed with soundness because their minds are fixed on what they are surrounded through their natural senses. If we as humans could look into the supernatural realm of God through our spiritual senses, we could train our minds to receive what is of God who created both the spiritual and the natural realms. It is obvious that God intended that we have access to both realms and so sent Jesus to provide us that access through the Holy Spirit. If we can understand this, we will renew our minds to see and receive what is spiritual and be able to get rid of worldly thoughts that are harmful to the soul. They are harmful because they operate in a realm that is limited, evil and does not produce good things.
However, if we are mindful of the things of God, we do not have to be concerned about what our minds tell us because we have renewed our spirits to receive what is of God. So, we begin to train our thoughts to think on Godly things. Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, 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. The connections of the heart and mind determine the outcome of anxiety and fear. If we overcome these by the renewing of our minds and thinking on good things and praise worthy reports we will find ourselves rid of what man’s report is.
Pro_6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? The answer is obvious but can a man love God and be blessed? The answer is obvious. Deu 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul,(will, emotions & mind) and with all thy might.
Lots of love
Pastor Noble
03/06/2018