Renew your mind
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TURN TO…..ROMANS 12.
....open in prayer......
AS I HAVE STUDIED AND PRAYED ABOUT THIS PASSAGE....
I THINK THERE ARE TWO LARGE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS
I WILL DEAL WITH ONE OF THEM TODAY
AND HOPEFULLY THE OTHER NEXT WEEK…LORD WILLING
I WANT TO FOCUS NEXT WEEK ON THE WILL OF GOD
SCRIPTURE SAYS....
WE NEED TO DISCERN THE WILL OF GOD
‘THE WILL OF GOD WHICH IS PERFECT.
THIS IS A VERY COMMON PHRASE
I ACTUALLY FEEL THAT OFTEN TIMES WHEN WE USE THE TERM “WILL OF GOD”
OFTEN WE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
BECAUSE BIBLICALLY IS CAN HAVE SEVERAL MEANINGS
UNDERSTAND THIS....
IT IS A SPIRITUALLY DAMAGING THING TO USE LANGUAGE
AND NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR SAYING
OH COME ON....
OVER TIME…IT MAKES YOU A SHELL THAT IS EMPTY
AND IF YOUR NOT CAREFUL….
ALL THAT IS PRESENT WITHIN YOU IS…..
WORDS THAT HAVE NO MEANING
EITHER THERE IS NO CONTENT
OR IT IS WRONG CONTENT
THE BIBLE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT EMPTY SPACES???
THAT THEY DON’T STAY EMPTY FOR VERY LONG…
THINGS THAT ARE WORLDLY AND FLESHLY BEGIN TO MOVE IN WHEN THERE IS EMPTINESS
AND SO…I FEEL LIKE IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND….WHAT WE ARE SAYING…WHEN WE SAY SOMETHING
THAT WE NOT JUST SAY THINGS LIKE....”THE WILL OF GOD”
AND NOT REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS
FOR EXAMPLE....
ONE WILL OF GOD IS...
THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD
AND THIS WILL ALWAYS COME TO PASS…NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO
AND THEN THERE IS ….
THE MORAL WILL OF GOD
LIKE “THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, KILL, COVET, COMMIT ADULTERY
THESE ARE THE.... MORAL WILL OF GOD
AND GUESS WHAT....THESE THINGS DON’T ALWAYS HAPPEN
OH COEM ON SOMEBODY….
SO GOD’S WILL IN ONE SINCE HAPPENS PERFECTLY…ALL OF THE TIME
AND GOD’S WILL IN ANOTHER SINCE IS…
BROKEN MY MAN ….ALL THE TIME
AND THEN…THERE IS THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF THIS “LIVING A LIFE OF WISDOM”
WHERE BIBLICAL STATEMENTS DON’T APPLY VERY CLEARLY AND EASILY TO A COMPLEX MORAL SITUATION
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SPIRITUAL MIND TO DISCERN HOW TO APPLY IT
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN???
YOU CAN’T POINT EXACTLY TO A VERSE IN THE BIBLE THAT DICTATES THIS SITUATION
BUT…IS THIS THE WILL OF GOD OR NOT????
AND THEN FOURTHLY....THERE IS THIS PLACE WHERE MOST PEOPLE LIVE…….MOST OF THE TIME...
AND THAT IS…SPONTANEITY
OH COME ON SOMEBODY....
DID YOU KNOW THAT MOST OF YOUR BEHAVIOR..
YOU DO NOT PREMEDITATE???
MOST OF WHAT WE DO AND SAY IN OUR LIFE IS NOT PREMEDITATED
IT’S THE TRUTH....
WE DON’T STOP BEFORE EVERYTHING WE SAY AND ASK....NOW IS THIS THE WILL OF GOD
YOU JUST CAN’T LIVE LIFE STOPPING AND ASKING OVER EVERY LITTLE THING “IS THIS THE WILL OF GOD”
I’M NOT DOING THIS BIG MORAL ASSESSMENT EVERY TIME I STOP TO SAY HI TO SOMEONE OR CONVERSATE WITH SOMEONE
YOU JUST CAN’T DO THAT
WHAT THIS MEANS IS...
95% OF WHAT WE DO AND SAY IN OUR LIVES IS....
WRITE THIS DOWN…..
SPILLOVER
IT’S SPILLOVER FROM WHAT IS ALREADY THERE INSIDE OF YOU
CHURCH…I DONT THINK YOUR GETTING IT
THIS SHOULD DICTATE WHERE MOST OF YOUR ENERGY IS GOING...
IM TALKING ABOUT…..DEEP TRANSFORMATION
A TRANSFORMATION FROM WITHIN SHOULD BE OUR FOCUS
ANYWAYS....THAT’S ALL NEXT WEEK....LOL
TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON THIS ONE PHRASE...
THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 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.
BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND!
UNDERSTAND THIS...
WE ARE USELESS AS CHRISTIANS IF...
ALL WE DO IS CONFORM TO THE WORLD
PAUL TELLS US IN THIS PASSAGE...
THAT THE KEY TO …..NOT WASTING OUR LIVES IN PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS IS...
A RENEWED MIND
OUR GOAL CHURCH IS THIS...
TRANSFORMATION THAT BECOMES THE WORSHIP OF VERSE 1
A WORSHIP THAT IS A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO GOD
THERE IS ONE OTHER PLACE IN THE GOSPELS WHERE THE WORD…TRANSFORMED IS USED
HOWEVER IT IS TRANSLATED.....
TRANSFIGURATION
2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.
WOW.....
THE REASON I DREW THIS PARALLEL FROM SCRIPTURE IS....
I WANTED YOU TO SEE THE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY AND MIRACLE OF TRANSFORMATION
TRANSFORMATION IS NOT....
A REPLACEMENT OF A LIST OF BAD BEHAVIORS WITH A LIST OF BETTER BEHAVIORs……
JUST SO YOU CAN CALL YOURSELF TRANSFORMED
AND NOW YOU HAVE A LIST THAT YOU ARE HOLDING TO
THIS IS NOT WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING SPIRITUALLY HAS TO HAPPEN FIRST......FROM THE INSIDE OUT
THERE IS A MIRACULOUS CHANGE THAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN US
THEN....BECAUSE GOD SAVES US IN STAGES....
LATER...... THERE IS ALSO A TRANSFORMATION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE WHEN WE ARE RESURRECTED WITH CHRIST INTO GOD’S KINGDOM
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
HE PRESENTED HIMSELF AS TRANSFIGURED
KIND OF A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US AT THE RESURRECTION
AND ALSO WHAT HE WILL LOOK LIKE AT HIS SECOND COMING
BUT RIGHT NOW.....WE BEGIN THAT TRANSFORMATION...
MENTALLY, MORALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY
TRANSFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN...
SWITCHING FROM THE TO DO LIST OF THE FLESH
TO THE TO DO LIST OF MY MORAL EFFORT
JESUS REJECTED AND EJECTED THE LIST OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW
AND HE DID NOT REPLACE IT WITH A LIST OF THE WORKS OF THE SPIRIT
HE WENT FROM THE WORKS OF THE FLESH OR THE LAW
TO THE WORKS???
NO! TO THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
IT’S A NEW POWER THAT COMES FORM THE HOLY SPIRIT
6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
THE LETTER MEANING....
THE LETTER OF THE LAW
IT IS NOT BY YOUR WORKS THAT BRINGS LIFE
BUT BY HIS SPIRIT LIVING WITHIN US
THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO RENEW OUR MINDS
WHICH IN TURN BRINGS US NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
OH COME ON SOMEBODY...
I’M TALKING ABOUT....
A TRANSFORMED MIND
THE TRANSFORMATION IS THIS...
A TRANSFORMATION FROM BONDAGE INTO FREEDOM
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
WRITE THIS DOWN....
FREEDOM IS DOING WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO....IF
WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO IS WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO
TRANSFORMATION IS...
THE CHANGE OF OUR HEARTS
SO THAT....
WHAT WE LOVE TO DO IS WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO
THE FREEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE THOSE...
WHO DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY LIKE TO DO
AND WILL NOT SUFFER FOR IT IN HELL
AND THIS HAPPENS THROUGH…A TRANSFORMATION
SO WHAT WE LOVE TO DO IS WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS...
WE BEGIN TO FALL OUT OF LOVE WITH THE SINFUL THINGS WE USE TO DO
AND NOW ALL WE WANT TO DO IS WHAT PLEASES THE FATHER
OH MY LORD…ARE YOU GETTING THIS
IT IS A PROCESS OF CRUCIFYING THOSE OLD DESIRES....
AND EXPERIENCING BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
THE AWAKENING OF NEW PASSIONS AND DESIRES
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
NEW DESIRES
NEW PASSIONS
NO LONGER DO I WANT TO BE INDULGE IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD
BUT MY DESIRES HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED
BY THE RENEWING OF MY MIND
THE RENEWAL OF THE MIND IS THE KEY....
TO THIS TRANSFORMATION
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, .
HOW DO WE DO THIS???
HOW DO WE RENEW OUR MINDS SO THAT A TRANSFORMATION CAN TAKE PLACE???
I WANT TO START BY LOOKING AT 2 COR 10:5.
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The primary point in this section of 2 Corinthians is that....
AS STATED LAST WEEK...
we are in a spiritual warfare.
What leads up to the statement that “we take every thought captive” is important.
In verse 3 Paul states...
that though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh.
That MEANS...
we do not rely on MAN-MADE plans to bring victory.
TE BIBLE SAYS...
The flesh is powerless against the wiles of the devil.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
IT’S GOD’S POWER WITHIN US THAT DEMOLISHES STRONGHOLDS
These strongholds are
IDEAS,
PHILOSOPHIES
arguments,
proud opinions
AND EVERY HIGH THINGS THAT EXALTS ITSELF AGAINST GOD ACCORDING TO VERSE 5
Numerous ungodly IDEAS hold people in bondage, and those spiritual “STRONGHOLDS” need to be demolished.
“SYSTEMS OF THOUGHT”
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT war against us are “arrogant obstacles” “lofty opinions”, and “sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing” that prevent people from knowing God.
PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING FOR FREEDOM...
THEY’RE SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING OUTSIDE THEMSELVES FOR PEACE OF MIND
I WONDER...
How many spiritual prisoners labor under the requirements of Allah
and await freedom in Christ?
I WONDER HOW MANY OF YOU IN HERE ARE ALLOWING THE LIES OF THE ENEMY...
TO DICTATE THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE SPIRITUALLY
WHAT ABOUT THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE PERIOD???
I WONDER HOW MANY....
ARE ENSLAVED TO THE LIES OF ADDICTION
SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU ARE AREN’T ARMED WITH THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
I WONDER HOW MANY ARE SEXUALLY ACTIVE OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE.....
BECAUSE YOU HAVE ADOPTED THE LIE THAT IT’S FINE...
AND THAT WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE IF WERE MARRIED IN OUR HEARTS
OR MAYBE YOU FEEL UNWORTHY OF REAL LOVE
I WONDER HOW MANY OF YOU STRUGGLE WITH YOUR TONGUE
WHETHER IT’S LYING,
CURSING, OR GOSSIPING
BECAUSE YOU HAVE CONFORMED TO THE IDEA THAT NO ONE IS PERFECT AND I HAVE MY STRUGGLES TO
TRUE.....NO ONE IS PERFECT
BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RENEW THAT MINDSET???
I HAVE LISTENED TO PEOPLE IN THIS CHURCH TELL ME....
I GUESS I’LL JUST HAVE TO ANSWER TO GOD FOR MY DECISION
WHAT???
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TELLS ME???
THAT THE GOD OF SCRIPTURE IS NOT REAL TO YOU
THAT HE HAS BECOME THIS PERSON OR ENTITY THAT MAKES YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN LIFE
THIS TELLS ME THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
AND THEREFORE YOU ARE NOT ARMED WITH THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT
CHURCH.....
WE MUST TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE AND MAKE IT OBEDIENT TO CHRIST!!!
OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
YOU WANT TO EXPERIENCE FREEDOM???
IT ONLY COMES FROM THE SON SETTING YOU FREE
NOTHING ELSE YOU TURN TO
NO OTHER RELIGION
NO OTHER THING
NOTHING WILL SET YOU FREE
TRUE FREEDOM IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF...
DOING WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO ALIGNS WITH WHAT YOU OUGHT TO DO
THE DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD WITH MY LIFE.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THIS....
WE DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO
IF WE WANT TO GO AWAY…WE SAVE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN
IF WE WANT TO BUY SOMETHING NEW…WE SAVE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN
FOR SOMEONE TO SAY...
I REALLY WANT MORE OF GOD IN MY LIFE
I REALLY WANT TO RENEW MY MIND
AND THEN THEY NEVER MAKE TIME TO READ THE WORD OF GOD
THEY NEVER MAKE TIME FOR GOD OUTSIDE OF SUNDAY MORNING FOR 2 HOURS
(AND IF IT’S MUCH MORE THAN THAT WE START GETTING BOARD AND ANTSY)
YOU KNOW I’M TELLING THE TRUTH
THE FACT IS…IF WE REALLY WANTED AND DESIRED MORE OF GOD....
WE WOULD GET MORE OF GOD
WE WOULD SACRIFICE WHATEVER WE NEEDED TO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
I JUST FEEL LIKE…MOST PEOPLE LIKE THE IDEA OF MORE...
BUT DON’T REALLY WANT MORE OF HIM
AT LEAST NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY
THE REASON FOR THIS IS....PEOPLE ARE UNWILLING TO STOP CONFORMING TO THE WORLD
STOP DOING THINGS LIKE THE WORLD
CHURCH....
TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS ONLY THROUGH....
THE RENEWAL OF THE MIND
.......WORSHIP TEAM COME......
GOOD HABITS TAKE ABOUT 30-60 DAYS TO FORM
YOU DO SOMETHING REGULARLY
AND IN 1-2 MONTHS IT BECOMES HABITUAL
AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT BEGINS TO HAPPEN NATURALLY WITHOUT MUCH THOUGH
HOWEVER, FORMING BAD HABITS...
TAKES ABOUT 12 SECONDS
WHY?
BECAUSE WE ARE NATURALLY DEPRAVED
WE GET THIS PLEASURE HIT WHEN WE DO SOMETHING WRONG OR BAD
IT APPEALS TO OUR SELFISH NATURE
IT’S LIKE A DRUG ADDICTION
AND THE PROBLEM IS THIS...
THAT SINFUL NATURE IS ALWAYS GOING TO SPRING BACK
THE SINFUL NATURE IN THIS LIFE....IS NOT GOING AWAY
SO PAUL TELLS US HOW TO BE VICTORIOUS AGAINST OUR FLESH
WE HAVE TO CRUCIFY OUR FLESH
WE HAVE TO DRIVE THE NAILS INTO OUR FLESH EVERY SINGLE DAY
IT’S A DAILY CRUCIFYING OF OUR FLESH
IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO WORK AT....
SALVATION IS INSTANT.....
SANCTIFICATION IS A PROCESS THAT TAKES TIME
AND PART OF BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THIS PROCESS IS....
DAILY CRUCIFYING OUR FLESH
EVERY SINGLE DAY
BECAUSE MANY OF YOU KNOW....
HOW QUICK THAT ADDICTION OR SINFUL STRUGGLE CAN REAR IT’S UGLY HEAD
IT’S QUICK
SO...
HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF MY MIND????
YOUR LIFE EXUBERATES CHRIST
THE SPILLOVER IN YOUR LIFE IS CHRIST
EVERYTHING YOU DO
EVERYTHING DECISION YOU MAKE WOULD SHOW GLORY TO GOD
AND IT BECOMES THIS NATURAL THING THAT IS A PART OF YOUR LIFE
GODS KINGDOM COMES FIRST
THE WORDS FROM MY MOUTH WOULD ALLOW ME TO WITNESS TO AN UNBELIEVER
MY ACTIONS BEFORE OTHERS WOULD NATURALLY BE MADE IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT DISHONOR GOD OR....
DESTROY MY WITNESS
MY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND MY CHURCH
MY DESIRE IN EVERY PART OF MY LIFE IS TO GROW CLOSER TO GOD
AND TO PRESENT MYSELF AS A LIVING SACRIFICE TO GOD
THIS IS HOW YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED
YOUR LIFE COULD BE OFFERED AS A LIVING SACRIFICE THAT IS HOLY AND ACCEPTABLE TO HIM.
NOT YOUR PAST LIFE.....OR WHAT YOU’VE DONE
BUT AS A FORGIVEN CHILD OF GOD.....
MOVING FORWARD I WILL WORK TO RENEW MY MIND SO THAT....
I MAY BE ABLE TO SPIRITUALLY WORSHIP HIM WITH MY LIFE
MY ACTIONS, WORDS, AND THE FRUIT OF MY LIFE ARE PLEASING TO GOD
........STAND TO YOUR FEET.......
EVERY HEAD BOWED AND EYE CLOSED...
IF YOUR READY TO BEGIN THE RENEWAL OF YOUR MIND
TO SEEK AND PURSUE THAT RENEW
WOULD YOU JUST RAISE YOUR HAND?
THESE ALTARS ARE OPEN.....