I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [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.
ROMANS 12:1-2 KJV
We’ve been on a series considering the renewed mind and the unrenewed mind. Our case study has been Abraham and Lot, who typify believers with a renewed mind and unrenewed mind respectively. Considering Genesis 18 and 19, we concluded yesterday’s meditation by saying that God’s messages to the believer with the renewed mind are always that of revelation and responsibility which brings Joy, while His message to the believer with an unrenewed mind is always that of repentance and rescue, which brings Sorrow.
In Genesis 18, Abraham was rewarded with a unique ability to intercede for a whole nation because God could trust him. It was by this interceeding that he saved his nephew Lot. God called Abraham, His friend. As mentioned in a previous meditation, God is at home in the heart of a believer with a renewed mind, because his heart is full of faith towards God. Abraham had learned to see things from an eternal perspective. Unlike Lot who had sat at the gates of Sodom vexing his righteous soul with evil associations as 2 Peter 2:8 says, Abraham won favor with God and could bargain with God as a friend would.
In Genesis 19:4-11, the angels had just departed from Abraham and came to Sodom to observe the city and see if it was worth saving. Upon getting there, the men of the city tried to rape these angels, but Lot, still thinking carnally, offered his virgin daughters instead. You cannot erase evil by practicing lesser evil or with worldly goodness. Moving on, the men of the city refused and moved to attack him. Lot probably had no idea that his being at the gates of Sodom yielded no fruits for God until this day when the men of the city absolutely despised him. In Genesis 19:9-10 – Lot had no influence with the men of Sodom. In Genesis 19:14-16, Lot had no influence over his sons-in-law, wife, and daughters. You yield zero influence for God when you play by the rules of the world or use human strength and goodness.
You can’t influence people with heaven’s agenda if your mind doesn’t glisten like heaven. Miracles done in the space of carnal Christians are solely for the purpose of entertainment. (The sign of blindness didn’t awaken Lot’s son’s in-law, or convict Lot’s wife, it didn’t correct Lot’s daughters or strengthen Lot’s hands). In the case of Abraham however, we can see that the renewed mind uses the love of God as a valid reason to change the world. The renewed mind is so enclosed in the love of God that the entire being is expanded to contain the full expression of the fullness of God, Colossians 3:17-19. With the renewed mind the righteous increase in territory and influence as the years go by, with the unrenewed mind, the righteous decrease in territory and influence as the years go by.
In conclusion, the renewing of the mind is the work of the Holy Spirit. To the measure we yield to Him, we are transformed from glory to glory. To renew our minds, we need to read our bibles, study and meditate on it and mix it with Prayer. Open yourself to receive from the body of Christ through prophetic messages, books, and spiritual gatherings. Finally, promptly obey and practice the Word of God. Allow it to form your convictions and conversations. You must have a culture of unapologetically saying what God says – Your words must be the words of God for your days to be as the days of heaven on the earth.
Our world needs to see Jesus and it will, through men and women who have the mind of Christ! Beloved, you have the mind of Christ! Allow it have an expression in you!
Prayer for today: Heavenly Father, thank you for the cross where my flesh and carnal mind were crucified in Christ. Your Word says that I have the mind of Christ and that all who are in Christ have crucified the flesh with all of its lust. I confess that this is my reality. Help me to be diligent in studying the Word and obeying your command. I know that as I gaze at Your beauty through Your Word, I will be transformed into Your likeness. Amen.
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