Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
How boring would be to do the same thing, every time, every day. Never changing your way of thinking, the way you move or the way you speak. The Lord is offering us a new outlook, not to be like everyone else but to be true to our self by changing the way we think. Breaking free from the me-first pattern of the world and have our minds changed in order to be able understand what God wants, which will change the way we live.
What does a renewed mind look like, how is that obtained? If someone told you to have a quiet time, you’d know what to do: read your Bible and pray. But what if they told you to renew your mind? Would you know how to renew your mind? Maybe not. The renewing of the mind doesn’t have a clear protocol like a quiet time has. Maybe that’s because it can get scrambled by the agenda for the day.
In order for it to be a true renewing of the mind experience, our thinking needs to be transformed. And in order for our thinking to be transformed, our minds need to be fully engaged.
One of the things we need in this New Year is a renewed mind, thinking the way we have in years past will no longer suffice. There are so many things we have to contend with, but when we renew our minds, we will be better equipped to Pray for healing and safety as well as the peace of Christ to rule and reign in the hearts of those affected the past two years by a nationwide pandemic or other tragedies that have plagued us. A renewed mind would ask the Lord to use these things for His glory and bring revival around the world. A renewed mind would pray for supernatural protection by the blood of Jesus.
God doesn’t want us to think like the world thinks. His word is life and health, full of promises, abundance, healing, and deliverance. This is the life He wants for us. He wants us to change the way we think so you can access everything He has for us.
A renewed mind would worship, by becoming a living sacrifice to our God, giving up seeking what we want from life and learning to know and serve what God wants. That begins with using our spiritual gifts to serve each other. We must focus our expectation on those things eternal and wait with patience and prayer for our Father to provide. We must refuse to sink to evil’s level, giving good to those who harm us instead of revenge. A renewed mind takes Philippians 4:8 to heart.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
How do you renew your Mind?
- Study and apply the word of God – The Bible is God’s manual for us. It is a guide that will help us be successful in this world if we follow it. In order to know what the guide says, we need to study it. Joshua 1:8
- Control Your Thoughts – Many people think they do not have control over their thoughts. Well, the Bible clearly states that we can take captive or dismiss any thoughts that don’t align with the word of God. II Corinthians 10:5
- Be Careful What You Feed Your Mind – We feed our minds with unintentional things which we allow in and they change us in ways that shape our lives, and we are not aware of. What are you feeding your Mind? Psalm 119:37
Charles H. Spurgeon writes “Whatever a man depends upon, whatever rules his mind, whatever governs his affection, whatever is the chief object of his delight is his god.”
New Year, New Mind should be our battle cry for 2022!
CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE, CHANGE THE WORLD!!
