Power of a changed mind Part 1

Whatever controls your soul/ mind drives your life!

Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he...

Every man becomes a product of their thoughts. I heard it said once that we will always move in the direction of our most dominant thoughts.

Who are you?

1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are in three parts:

• Spirit 
• Soul 
• Body 

Our spirit, soul and body are connected and work together. Our spirit is the part that communicates with God. Our spirits are to be in charge. Under this spiritual headship is our soul, which is our mind, emotions and will. 

Our soul, in agreement with our spirit and God's Spirit, tells the body what to do. We were originally created to live from our spirits in full submission to our Lord. 

Normally, our spirit is connected to our soul, which is connected to our body, which is in turn connected to the world. 

What went wrong? 

After disobedience, Adam and Eve died spiritually:

Genesis 3:6-7
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

The new birth

The new birth only regenerates the human spirit; the soul and the body are not regenerated.  As a believer you still have battles with the devil, the world and your flesh – only that you have God’s ability to overcome (1 John 4:4).

How do we change the soul (the mind) from the old to the new? 

By renewing our mind:

Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 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. (Emphasis added).

What is to be conformed?

• To be similar or identical; also: to be in agreement or harmony
• To be obedient or compliant - usually with to; conform to another's wishes
• To act in accordance with prevailing standards or customs. 

What is to be transformed?

The word transformed is translated from the Greek word metamorphoo, from which we get the English word metamorphosis. 

How are we to be transformed? What is the process of metamorphoo?

Romans 12:2 says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. The word renew could also be translated to to renovate. The moulding of God's word brings transformation, by the renewing of our minds. 

Why do we need to renew our mind?

1. Power of choice

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

Life is choice driven. Your soul is your mind, emotions and your will. Your soul is where you make decisions to live or die. Therefore, your destiny and the quality of life are determined by your soul. Satan knows that whoever controls the soul of a person will control the experience and destiny of that person. This is why the Word stresses that you must be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

Your life today is as a result of decisions you have made in the past. The devil and his demons influence your decisions through circumstances and your physical environment. Demons introduce thoughts to your mind and get you focused on what your five physical senses can perceive.  

2. Thoughts affect your perspective

Let us look at two men who did not allow what they saw to affect their thoughts, and thus perspectives, versus 10 who allowed their thoughts to be intimidated by what they saw and thus got negative perspectives:

Caleb

Numbers 13:30

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” 

Joshua 

Numbers 14:9

"Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."

The 10 Spies

Numbers 13:31-33

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Lessons to learn:

• They all spied the same country
• They saw the same people
• The 10 negative spies saw everything from their defeated mindsets

Effects of perception

• "What you believe about yourself creates your world
• NO human being can live beyond the limit of their beliefs
• Your beliefs are a product of your thoughts
• Your thoughts create your beliefs
• Your beliefs create your convictions
• Your convictions create your attitude
• Your attitude controls your perception
• Your perception dictates your behaviour
• The result is that your life is what you think it should be!" Dr. Myles Monroe.  

3. The mind is the target of every poison. 

Acts 14:2

But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. 

Some of this poison includes: unbelief, fear, bitterness, unforgiveness, pride, offence, anxiety, etc. The devil wants to poison your source because: 

a) Our soul is the source of every temptation and trap

James 1:13-15

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (Emphasis added)

b) To sow seeds of discord

Proverbs 16:28

A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends. 

Why is unity important? 

# God only commands a blessing where there is unity! 

Psalm 133
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

# Unity prevents confusion and demonic doorway

James 3:16

For where  envy and self-seeking exists, confusion and every evil thing are there. (Emphasis added). 

# A polluted soul cannot receive the Word that brings growth

1 Peter 2:1-2

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. (Emphasis added). 

# A polluted soul hinders prayer

Mark 11:25-26
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Ephesians 4:14

..that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting..

c) It is the mind that the devil blinds

2 Corinthians 3:13-15

But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. (Emphasis added).

2 Corinthians 4:4

..whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (Emphasis added).

Ephesians 4:17-19

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Emphasis added)

Why does the devil blind the mind?

a) To shield people from getting understanding.

Psalm 119:130

The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 

The devil will steal every word that you do not understand!

Matthew 13:19
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside (Emphasis added)

The word gives divine direction, which is why the devil is so keen on stealing what you do not understand. Without the understanding of the word, you have no sense of direction in life. 

Psalm 100:105

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Emphasis added)

b) God can only guide us through the heart and has to pass through the soul

Proverbs 20:27

The spirit of  a man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the inner depths of his heart. 

Once your soul is blinded, the lamp which can only be illuminated by the word is not possible. Therefore you tend to remain in darkness, as the lamp remains off.

c) From receiving the truth

John 8:32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Emphasis added)

God's Word is truth!

John 17:17

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (Emphasis added)

Psalm 119:160

The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. 

Your freedom is dependent on the truth you know. Ignorance is not excusable! Ignorance is mankind's greatest enemy.

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... (Emphasis added)


To be continued...


~ Apostle Dr. David Karanja. 

Apostle Dr. David Karanja is the visionary of Africa Transformation Mission, a ministry under Christ Harvesters Ministries. 

Psa