In last week's Sunday Soul Food post, I wrote about tearing down the ungodly strongholds of wrong ways of thinking, reacting, responding and behaving in our lives and strengthening the godly stronghold of the Holy Spirit in our inner being. We do this through cooperating with God using the tool of His Word to renew our mind. Today I want to share the simplicity of God's plan on how this is done using Ephesians 4:22-25 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition).
22 Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion;23 And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude],24 And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God’s image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.25 Therefore, rejecting all falsity and being done now with it, let everyone express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another.
I hope you'll pardon me for using a simple word picture that will help you to remember these simple steps by relating the steps of renewing the mind to the steps involved in changing a baby's diaper.
Step One-Recognize that your thinking stinks and choose to take it off. (v.22) When we are born again we become a new creature in Christ Jesus. But, our body doesn't instantly change does it? Being a new creature in Christ doesn't mean we instantly become a perfect specimen of physical fitness and beauty does it? Likewise, when we become a new creation in Christ, our old ways of thinking, reacting, responding and behaving are not instantaneously transformed either. We have to cooperate with God by recognizing when our stinking thinking doesn't line up with His truth and choose to take it off. Why is this so vitally important? It's because our thoughts become our actions.
still following,
(Join me for the rest of this post on Sunday, September 9th, at Woman to Woman Ministries where each Sunday I share a bit of Sunday Soul Food!)
still following,
Elizabeth, each step you have shared is critical in the process of renewing our minds. You wisely pointed out that this is not a one and done action. It is continuous. And often is done throughout the day, all day long - much like changing a diaper - it is ongoing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joanne. It's a continual yielding of our own way of thinking and submission to God's truth-a lifelong one!
DeleteIt truly is a process for sure, but thank God he is there each day and once I have become more in tune, I do stop and think if that would be right behavior for my mind. Your comparison is great for making good points. :)
ReplyDelete