Romans 12: 2 (ESV) -Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” – Alvin Toffler
The bible tells us that we should have renewed minds, that renewed minds transform us. We are not to be conformed to the standards of this world. As believers we are not to think like the world thinks, act like the world acts, do as the world does. We are to be different. One of the ways to tell if your mind is renewed is to look at how you talk, how you act, how you think. Has there been a change in your life since you became a Christian.
Does a renewed mind curse, use filthy language, like dirty jokes, read dirty emails, watch music videos that clearly do NOT glorify the lord, listen to music with questionable lyrics, watch TV shows that promote values that God opposes?
We all have things we need renewed when we come to know Christ. That is why we need a savior. No matter how seemingly small or great, we all need renewing. For some of us, it will take a lot of hard work to get our minds renewed because our entire lives have been lived with the wrong perceptions, attitudes and beliefs. Many people haven had wrong values and attitudes about life, taught to them by their very own parents, all their lives. Many have gone through painful experiences that have shaped their entire lives- sexual, physical, emotional abuse, childhood trauma, broken families, rejection, divorce, wrong choices and scars caused by sin.
We have all gone through various experiences that have shaped who we are. But once we come to Christ, it’s important to note that the old is gone and all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17). We get to start again. This time our foundation becomes God’s word. What does God say about life, who does God say I am, what does God think? We no longer have to have our lives dictated by the past, by what we have always known. We can actually through Christ learn to have healthy perceptions about ourselves and life, because God wants us to have abundant lives in every area.
I grew up in an unstable home with an alcoholic, depressed father who physically abused my mum, and did not know how to be responsible. My father committed suicide when I was 17. I came from a broken home filled with strife, anger and confusion. Obviously this shaped my life growing up. I had the wrong perceptions about life, men, marriage and God. Because of my home environment, and feeling rejected and unloved, I grew up depressed, confused, suicidal, making wrong choices and hating life for many years. But once I came to Christ I became a new creation. I felt God tell me over an over that I had to renew my mind, learn things all over again, unlearn all the wrong things I learnt, and relearn life from his point of view.
Since we have been commanded NOT to be CONFORMED to the patterns of this world, but to be TRANSFOMED by the RENEWING of our minds, what are some of the things we can do to renew our minds? The following are Bible based principles we can apply to our lives everyday to constantly renew our minds:
1. It all begins with God- God is the one who does the work. To allow God to work in your life you first have to draw near to him in the way he has directed in his word. That is by accepting Jesus work on the cross that he died to save you from your sins and accept him as your lord and savior. Jesus says in John 14:6-“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
2. God’s word is KEY- God’s word is what renews us, it’s what changes us. Jesus is the very word of God. Once we have him in our life, and begin to read and meditate on his word, change starts to happen, change must happen. The bible says God’s word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The bible is not just any other book. It’s alive. The words in that book are the very power of God. They work!
Take time to read God’s word daily, be committed to it, and fall in love with it. Most times Christians take more time reading inspirational books than reading the bible. It’s the word of God that will create lasting change in your life. It will tell you what God says. Mediate upon it day and night (Joshua 1:8).
The Holy Spirit will cause the scriptures to come alive in your heart and these words will continue to change you.
This is a worthwhile equation: garbage in= garbage out, but when you put in the word of God , it will produce in you a rich harvest of righteousness.
Psalms 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word”
3. Prayer- prayer is key to walking in God’s presence and God’s will. When we pray we submit ourselves to God. Jesus told the disciples “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come…” When we pray we ask for God’s will to be done. We exalt him above our situations; we exercise our faith and allow him to move in our lives.
When we begin to submit ourselves to God in prayer and worship, giving him dominion over our lives, coupled with reading his word and praying according to his word, we begin to see renewal and change take place in our lives and hearts.
Philippians 4:6:”do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
4. Flee from sin- This is where wisdom now takes effect. We cannot be so spiritual that we expose ourselves to situations that do not glorify God and expect that it shall not affect us. To effectively keep our deliverance and transformation, we need to run away/ flee from sin and submit to God. Avoid exposing yourself to sources of sin and impropriety. Watch what you watch on TV, what music you listen to, what you read, who you hang out with, where you hang out. I can assure you that exposing yourself to things that do not please God will cause you to be very conformed to this world and no renewal will be going on!
James 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
5. Discipline- Continue to do good. Keep doing steps 1-4 above consistently in your life. Discipline produces effects and establishes our steps. Even when you don’t see immediate results, keep on doing good, because the word of God can never return to him void. It will accomplish its intended purpose (Isaiah 55:11).
Keep doing the right thing even when it’s easier to do bad. Keep meditating on God’s word and you shall see the transformation happen as your mind is renewed.
Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
In Christ,
Mwendwa
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