Breakthrough In The Mind Series

Sermon 1: Breakthrough in the mind!

Thesis: We are in a war and for the most part that war is within – in our minds – it’s also in our thoughts and what we set our minds on becomes our reality – our minds dictate how we respond to life, situations and people. We need to have a renewed mind to win the war against the enemy of our spirit, soul and body.

Here are some main Scriptures making the battlefield of the mind clear:

Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 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.”

Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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.”

Introduction:

My thoughts as lead pastor of Christian Hills Church:

We (The staff) and I join a chorus of voices crying out for the condemnation and injustice of the brutal killing of George Floyd, which followed the recent tragic killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Of course, these are only the most recent examples among the long scourge of racism and brutality against black and brown brothers and sisters who bear God’s image. We lament in the fullest biblical sense the injustice that has been perpetrated towards people of color which events like the killing of George Floyd continue to expose. We do not want to remain silent on what highlighted this crisis in America but we - I also lament and mourn the loss of life from the rioting and looting – dozens have been killed and police officers have been targeted with over 150 injured – 12 policeman have been shot, run over by cars or stabbed and I know that 4 of these officers who were killed were African American officers – David Dorn a retired captain was killed in St Louis in a senseless shooting making most of the headlines. All of these tragic events and killings grieve the heart of God and should grieve all of our hearts today as Christians. I know they grieve my heart. So in light of all the recent chaos and anger that we have seen, heard and even witnessed we (the staff) – I felt we needed to dialogue as a multi-cultural church and school about these current events.

Opening panel discussion:

The tension, stress and fear of current events is wearing on all of us today – and getting a proper perspective on it all is crucial – WHY? So we approach it with a renewed mind – with the mind of Christ – with a proper perspective – with sensitivity and wisdom.

Panel: Pastor Tiffany, and myself – we will look at perspectives – at the different mindsets on these current events facing all of us and what the bible says should be our response and responsibility.

Question:

1. What is your perspective on the current events as an African American?

a. Pastor Tiffany’s Response

b. My thoughts from the Bible - God does not play favorites because all are equal in His sight – He created us all in His image! (All colors, all nations or peoples, male and female, all cultures - the word is “all” – Yes all of us are created in His image - all of us together represent the image of God together).

i. Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

ii. Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”

iii. Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

iv. We are all made in His image and all equal in His sight!