The Mind Is Worth Renewing
(7 minutes)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)
Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God's will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes. (Romans 12:2 TPT)
"The mind is important or it wouldn't be worth renewing." (Pastor Tim)
But what happens when the mind isn't renewed? What happens when the mind continues to feed from the kingdom of this world?
Did you know that the first thing formed in a baby in the womb is their heart? That's significant. As important as the mind is, it was never supposed to be our true north.
"Let me tell you what happens in the spiritual realm. You're going to hear the anointing and the presence of God. It's going to strike your heart. You're moved and stirred in the innermost being of who you are. You just heard something that rattled your cage and all of a sudden you can't keep yourself from crying, and you love everybody in the room, and you love everything, and you're going to go all out for God. Then the Spirit of God takes the word that was deposited in your heart and it starts making a trip to your mind. And you're mind says, 'Oh no, we can't do that. We have a life to live. We can't be fanatical about the things of God. We still have to go to work. You can't abandon everything. You can't think about God 24/7.' And then the anointing, the Spirit, the seed that God deposits gets cut off, and nothing changes." (Pastor Tim)
This is why the mind must be renewed. Because we'll hear something from Abba and it will resonate with us and stir our hearts, but if the mind remains unrenewed it will shut down and war against the things that Abba is speaking to us. Believing happens in the heart, but an unrenewed mind can be in opposition to what our heart is trying to receive from God.
And it's not just the emotion in a room that stirs our hearts.
"Your heart hears something it was made for and it responds the way it was designed to respond, but that word has to make a trip to your mind and if your mind is not renewed it will not make it back to your heart. And a renewed mind is not designed to control your life, your mind is supposed to be used to emphasize what your heart is already saying. To make clear what your heart is already decreeing. To say 'Yes, everything you just felt is true, now these are the steps we're going to take to implement what your heart just said.' But if you don't have a renewed mind, all you see is obstacles, you your life and other concerns and cares of life. An unrenewed mind will prioritize those things over what your heart cares about." (Pastor Tim)
An unrenewed mind will always prioritize other things over what your heart is receiving from Abba. The mind is not supposed to be in control. It's supposed to support what Abba is doing in the heart. But the unrenewed mind simply cannot do that.
This is why Jesus steps into the cosmos with one message, "Metanoia! Change the way you think! Because the Kingdom of God is right here, right now." The Kingdom of God is available to anyone who's willing to have their mind changed, anyone who's willing to have their mind made new.
Soaking in the healing waters of Abba's presence will be the thing that causes our perspective, and our thinking, to shift. Our intimate encounters with Him are meant to change our perspective. It's how we see the mind renewed. Are you willing to step into those waters today? The soaking can happen anytime that you're ready to step in. Abba is waiting to take a walk with you today.
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Worship: "You Always Restore" by UPPERROOM
Honor: Give Online to The Wilderness Place
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