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Greetings!
In all the years that I have studied the message of redemption, seeking to really know and experience the deeper side of our union with Christ, the one thing that I am certain of and that is, until we are transformed by the renewing of the mind we will only be able to go so far in our pursuit. We have to be willing to let go of everything that ties our thinking to the world's way of thinking and become engaged in the mind of Christ. |
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TRANSFORMATION
RE-WIRING YOUR SPIRITUAL HARD DRIVE |
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Thessalonians 5:23
When Paul talks about being sanctified wholly, he mentions all three areas of our makeup being sanctified; our spirit, our soul, and our body. The word "wholly" implies a complete and entire work in all respects. In other words, God wants every part of our being to be separated from the world and set apart for his divine purpose.
When you and I became born again, our spirit underwent a change. We became a new creature. The Bible tells us that "...old things passed away; behold all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). Within that work, God sanctified us by his Spirit (1 Pet. 1:2). This is what is meant in Hebrews chapter ten, "...through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, we have been sanctified once for all" (Heb 10: 10). Christ has now become our sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30).
We also know that when Jesus returns to gather the saints that we will go through another change. This time it will be with our body. Paul talked about this in his first letter to the Corinthians: "Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51, 52). To the Church of Philippi, he also describes this same change: "Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Phil. 3:21).
So, we have a work that has been done in us, in our spirit, and a work that is promised to be done in our body when he returns. However, I find it very interesting that the only change mentioned about our soul is something we must seek to do now, in this life! In other words, once we become born again and become a new creature, our whole life on this earth should be spent growing in the knowledge of God, and allowing the Word to change our thinking. Of course, we know we are to keep our body under subjection to our spirit and that we are to crucify our flesh. But really, our success in accomplishing all that hinges on how successful we are at doing something with our minds.
BEING ENGAGED IN A LIFE OF TRANSFORMATION REQUIRES BEING FULLY DETACHED FROM THE WORLD'S WAY OF THINKING AND EMBRACING THE MIND OF CHRIST...
The key to transformational living really boils down to one thing: the renewing of the mind. Until we do something with our mind we will never experience any depth of transformation. Most Christians are hard-wired to resist any deep change. How can I be so sure of that? Because, most of the time when folks go through a powerful experience of prayer or a wonderful church service, and they get all pumped up spiritually, it is only a matter of time when things return to the way they were before. Listen, transformation is not about having a spiritual tune up where you get your spiritual battery all charged up again. Transformation is about re-wiring your entire spiritual hard drive, so that deep change occurs in your life and in your thinking, and it ultimately brings about a permanent change.
When you experience transformation it impacts your thoughts, your actions, your desires, your ambitions; everything becomes radically altered! You step into a life of conviction, a life of commitment! You make your own self accountable to one thing: being in the center of God's will. No one has to encourage your walk! No one has to remind you of being faithful! No one has to talk you into doing something for the kingdom! You have become willingly engaged in God's way of doing things, and the only thing that matters is looking to satisfy the heart of God.
Every one of us knows that God has promised in his Word that a great move of his Spirit is coming, that a great revival is about to take place. If you really understand the meaning of revival, then you know it has to do with a great awakening. Revival is a reviving of that which has lost it vigor. It is awakening from a state of slumber or sleep. If we know that is the case, then what is it that will maintain such a state of reviving? What is going to keep folks from falling back into a state of slumber again, and returning to the way things were before? I am absolutely convinced it will only come through transformational living, which is the result of a renewed mind.* |
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PRAYER
Father, I thank you for what you have done in my spirit. I thank you for the promise that one day my body will be changed. But I am asking you today, help me change my mind. Help me renew the spirit of my mind so that I think like you think. I desire to be empowered with the mind of Christ, to see as heaven sees, to think as heaven thinks. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. |
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CONFESSION
I purpose to be transformed. I will not be held in bondage to a natural mind that is limited to think like the world. I put on the mind of Christ. I will let his mind be in me. I will rise to a new level of thinking where I live by the convictions of the reality of the unseen realm. I will become acutely aware of thinking the thoughts of God and not the thoughts of men. |
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DEFINING MOMENTS...
The Bible tells us, "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Not only is he greater in power and strength, but he is greater in every aspect of life. He is greater concerning purpose. He is greater in wisdom and counsel. He is greater in how he moves, how he thinks, and how he strategizes to bring about our success. We need to become more acquainted with the Greater One. Make a decision today to let his life in you influence your thinking until you are changed into his image, even in your thoughts and purposes!
In His Grace,
Pastor David
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The Revelation of Righteousness