TRANSFORMATION THROUGH RENEWING THE MIND
Study Text: Romans 12: 1-2
Introduction:
-. Releasing your body to do the will of God and to please Him only is the most reasonable service.
-. This is because it is both acceptable to God and rewardable by Him.
-. To do this effectively, you must:
1. Resist the attempts to be comformed to the principles and practices of the world.
2. Receive the transformation of your heart through continual renewal of your mind.
-. We shall be discussing the topic under three sub-headings:
1. The Pattern of Our Sacrifice.
2. The Purpose of Our Separation.
3. The Process of Our Sanctification.
1. The Pattern of Our Sacrifice:
-. As believers, we are encouraged to consider the mercies of God towards us in Christ Jesus, and to willingly offer our bodies to God as a living sacrifice.
-. This is a unique sacrifice, because whatever is offered as sacrifice to a superior being has to be slaughtered and can not be alive again.
-. In our own case, we will still be physically alive, but spiritually, we must be dead to sins, and fleshly lusts for His honour, praise and glory.
-. Our greatest desire should be to lives of holy worship and devotion to God.
-. This requires separating ourselves from the pattern of this world and pursuing God in holy passion and focus.
-. Our bodies are to be consecrated to God for a lifetime of worship and service that will be well pleasing to Him.
-. We are to offer our bodies:
1. As Dead to Sins. Romans 6:6-8, 11.
2. As Instruments of Righteousness. Romans 6:13.
3. As Vessels unto Honour. 2 Timothy 2: 20-21.
4. As the Temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:15,19.
2. The Purpose of Our Separation:
-. There is a very real pressure to conform to the pattern of the present world system.
-. This pressure must be firmly resisted by every true believer.
Conforming to the world looks like:
1. Fashioning our lives or conduct by the thoughts and opinions of those around us, rather than on what Scripture says.
2. Trying to fit in with the behaviours or customs of the world at work, in relationships, or even in the church.
3. Placing our worship over and above anything else but Jesus.
-. Worshipping our marriages, our kids, our gifts, our talents, our material possessions and all forms of idolatry that the world praises, but God hates. (Colossians 3:5)
-. The reasons we must resist conforming to the present world system are:
1. The world is under the rule of Satan and the Powers of Darkness. 1 John 5:19, 2 Corinthians 4:4.
2. The world is hostile to God, to the people of God and to His purpose. James 4:4, 1 John 2:15-17.
3. The world is built upon human wisdom and values that has no regards for God. 1 Corinthians 1:17-25.
4. The kingdom of the world is full of Darkness, Deception and Seduction. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
3. The Process of Our Sanctification:
-. The alternative to conforming to the world values and lifestyles is Transformation.
-. Transformation results when Christ and His word renew our minds so that our vision, values and plans are governed by His revelation and eternal truth.
-. By having a renewed mind and living a transformed life in Christ, we are able to prove and affirm that the will of God is good, desirable and perfect.
- The following process may be of help towards our Sanctification and Supernatural Transformation:
1. Ask the Lord to guard and direct your mind.
- The mind is the place of intellect, reasoning, and intentions.
- Every behaviour begins in the mind, and the mind is where spiritual transformation happens (Romans 12:2).
-. You need to pray every day a simple prayer: Jesus, by your Holy Spirit, keep my mind firmly set where you want it to be focused today.
2. Recognize the source of self-focused and self-defeating thoughts.
- Given that every behaviour begins in the mind, and the mind is where spiritual transformation happens, the mind is usually the target of the Devil.
-. It is usually his favourite first attempt to distract and disarm Christians.
-. You need to know who the enemy is, and also know the only One who can defeat him.
- Recognize the enemy, and fight him with God’s power and with Scriptural truth. James 4:7-8.
3. Replace self-focused thinking with a God-focused mindset.
-. You will need to train your mind to concentrate on the things of God, or else it will be consumed by the things of this world.
- You will need to take purposeful action to set your mind on Jesus Christ, and not allowing it to go anywhere it wants to go. (Colossians 3:1-2, Romans 8:5).
4. Rest in the truth that you have accepted in Jesus Christ.
- You need to rest in the truth that you are at peace with God, free from accusation as a child of God. (Romans 5:1, Romans 8:1).
- Ultimately, God wants us to to be transformed to be like His Son, Jesus.
- When we conform to the world, we are fashioning our lives and conduct by those around us instead of living a life that resembles the life of Christ.
Conclusion:
- Transforming by the renewing of your mind is a lifelong process. But it starts right now and It starts today. Ephesians 4:23.
-. We begin to think in new ways - God’s ways - which are righteous and holy.
a. Through prayers
Philippians 4:6.
b. Through constant meditation on God’s Word.
Psalm 119:1, 11, Colossians 3:10
- The renewed mind is saturated with and controlled by God’s Word.
- When our lives are yielded to the will of God, that will is good and acceptable and lines up with our will because we are renewed in Him.
Our life becomes His. By allowing God to transform our minds, we will know the perfect will of God for our lives, and begin to walk it out.
