Renewing The Mind:
Do not conform any longer 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 12:2).
Most people think we change by trying harder not to sin, to be a good person, going to church more, reading our Bibles or praying. The Bible says we are changed by renewing out minds. Renewing your mind is the process of training your mind to think about yourself the way God thinks about us. Below is a list of facts about how God sees you. These are to become your grid for viewing yourself. Everything that conflicts with these truths is a lie.
We renew our minds by learning what God says about us, and then bringing that to mind when the devil is telling us the opposite. Your mind is not renewed until you consistently live out what God says about you, even when you don’t feel like it. At times, I have had to bring these ideas to mind as many as 50 times as day. The Bible says that if we want to win spiritual warfare we must “take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5).” This is a command. Failure to control your thinking is sin.
A great way to renew your mind it to commit read this article once a week, and the Facts about Me page once a day for two weeks. After that you can decide if you want to recommit to do it again. Keep doing this until your thinking and lifestyle changes. This may take 6 months to a year.
God defines who I am:
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end (Jer. 29:11).
God knows everything. Therefore, I am not what people say I am, how I feel, my past, my thoughts, or my desires. I am who God says I am. Believing things about myself that God didn’t say, is living a lie, and partnering with the devil. Living like I am who God says I am, even when I don’t feel that way, leads to freedom. Living like I am who the devil says I am, leads to death.
God says I am Loved and Valuable:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-30).
Jesus didn’t die for trash. He died because you valuable enough to Him to lay down his life. He loves you. You are God’s child. His love radiates toward. There is nothing you can do or say that will stop this. When it doesn’t seem like it’s the case, you are deceived. When I believe I am worthless, I am believing a lie.
God Says I am Free:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1).”
You don’t control me. I don’t control you. You can’t control me, and I cannot control you because are always free. You can put a gun to my head, but I still have a choice in how I will respond to it. When I choose to allow people to manipulate me, I am allowing myself to be enslaved by fear. Giving up my freedom to appease others isn’t love, it is partnering with Satan. When I try to manipulate people, I am sinning against them by trying to ask them to give up their freedom. Healthy relationships require two free people getting their needs met, while honoring each other’s freedom.
God says I have Power, Love, and Self-control:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline ( 2 Tim 1:7).
I have power. My thoughts, words, and actions affect the world around me. I have self-control. I can tell myself what to do and do it. When I say to myself “I can’t,” I am lying to myself in order to avoid doing what is painful. I have control over my thoughts. I can choose to focus on whatever I want to. I can say what needs to be said, and do what needs to be done. I can do all things through Christ. If God says I can do something, then I can do it. My actions have consequences, and I bear the responsibility for every choice I make. Lastly, God says I l have love in me always. I can discover that love in any situation, and live from love any time I choose to.
God says I am a new Creation:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Cor 5:17
The Spirit lives in me. I am not waiting for Him to come to be with me. He is here, now with me always, whether I feel Him or not. When the Spirit entered my chest, it transformed my nature. My old heart that loves sin, was replaced with a new one. At my core is not a desire to sin, but rather one to love God and people. I am filled with the fruits of the Spirit and His power. This means I don’t have to give into temptation ever.
God says I am covered by the Blood:
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Heb 10:22).
The full wrath of God, for my sin, was poured out on Jesus. Therefore, this is no more wrath for me. When the Father sees me, He sees Jesus. When I do good, the Father sees Jesus, and when I do bad, the Father sees Jesus. God doesn’t want me to live in guilt, or shame because Jesus died to remove that. Shame and guilt are the voice of the Accuser. When he accuses me, I remind Him, “I am covered by the blood. “