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Authors: Casey Treat

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Qualities of the Renewed Mind
1. The renewed mind obeys the Spirit of God and the spirit of the born-again man.
Once you have been born again, you have within you more than enough power, wisdom, and perseverance to bring about the change and renewal you desire. The moment you became saved, your human spirit became united with God. According to 1 Corinthians 6:17, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” This is a tremendous revelation if we will meditate on it and press in to understand it.
No matter what your mind-set is today, no matter how entrenched in pain and negativity you might be at this moment, you have dwelling within you the very spirit of the Almighty God.
Nothing
is impossible for you. For you who are already experiencing great successes in your life, you can be assured that because you are united with Him, there remain greater heights and greater victories awaiting you. As Christians, we can live lives that are constantly climbing upward toward more fulfillment, deeper joy, and a closer walk with Jesus Christ. We can know Him more and embrace Him more by renewing our minds.
Too many Christians miss this truth because they are waiting to receive more from God. They aren’t attacking their negative mind-sets and the resulting circumstances because they believe they need to receive more of the Holy Spirit before they can engage . . . and so they wait. How can they need
more
of the Holy Spirit? When they were born again, did they only receive an arm and a leg of the Holy Spirit? I’ve never understood this kind of thinking. You either received Jesus, or you didn’t. You were either joined to the Lord and became one spirit with Him, or you weren’t.
So many churches get caught up in this “waiting.” A couple comes forward for prayer because their marriage is struggling, and the church prays in agreement for a fresh anointing on their marriage and for fresh oil to pour over their relationship. This might feel good momentarily for this couple, but what does this mean for them when they get home? They don’t need fresh oil or a fresh anointing. They just need to stop throwing things at each other. They need to decide to not walk in the flesh and start to listen to the Spirit, to obey the Spirit. They need to renew their minds so they can stop being bitter with each other and instead, begin to love each other. You have the fullness of God living on the inside of you—don’t wait! You already have everything you need.

 

2. The renewed mind is aligned with the Word of God.
When we are renewing our minds, we have beliefs that are based upon the Bible, not beliefs derived from the media or from our secular society. We are not swayed by what is popular or politically correct, and when an issue arises about which we are unsure, we go to the Word to find the answers. Consequently, we have a godly perspective about every realm of life. We see through God’s eyes of possibility and faith, not through the world’s eyes of gloom and doom.
When we have a renewed mind, our attitudes are aligned with God’s attitudes. He never sees any of His children as weak and unable. He sees every one of us as champions. Therefore, we don’t make excuses for our mistakes or our worldly behavior. We take accountability for our actions and do what is necessary to bring about the positive growth we need. We don’t pass the blame on to our culture, our race, or our parents because we see ourselves as children of God, able to overcome every circumstance.
In addition, as we renew our minds, we gain godly imaginations and ways of thinking. We utilize our imaginations to accomplish great things, to see “God ideas” that promote our businesses, to envision prosperous futures, and to propel us forward to help people. We do not desire to imagine the worldly things that are common to many of the people around us like jealousy, paranoia, greed, and lust. We strive not only to find out what the Bible has to say about how and what to think but also to actually put those beliefs into practice by exchanging our thoughts for the thoughts of God.

 

3. The renewed mind enables us to live in God’s will, which is success in life.
Our success in life comes as we fulfill God’s plan for our lives. When we know that our very lives honor our Father in Heaven, we are filled with a true sense of success in our hearts. We all want to hear God say to us, “Well done!” and when we feel we are on track with His plan, it makes our lives meaningful and productive. There exists no amount of money, sex, or earthly gain that can fulfill us on the inside like the pleasure of our Father, and it is only through a mind that is being renewed to the revelation of His Word that we can discern and accomplish His perfect will for our destinies.
We cannot think like we think today if we want to rise to a higher level in our future. This is going to take new thoughts and new understanding. In Hosea 4:6, God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge I will also reject you as My priests.” He is talking to His own chosen people, not the unbelievers in the world. If the knowledge is available to you and you do not embrace it, then you, just like the children of Israel, are rejecting knowledge. If you have at your fingertips the ability to study God’s word, but you spend all your time with your
People
magazine,
Sports Illustrated,
or with television, movies, and your Wii, then you are rejecting knowledge, and you will not be able to experience a renewed mind or God’s perfect will for your life.
Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, And in a multitude of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 24:3-6)
Notice there is nothing in this proverb that suggests we need more of God. We simply need to get our minds aligned with the Word of God, and we will receive an abundant life with great riches. Read this proverb in the New Living Translation: “Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts. A wise man is mightier than a strong man. Wisdom is mightier than strength. Don’t go to war without wise guidance; there is safety in many counselors.”
Imagine if you strategized all areas of your life through this revelation. You would find peace, prosperity, and success everywhere you turned. A renewed mind is possible, and every Christian can attain it. Take your time with the next few chapters as they break down how to renew your mind into practical, powerful steps that, if applied, can help you move forward to the quality of life you have always desired.
13
It Starts in the Soul
A
t seventeen, the last thing in my life that was prospering was my soul. I felt so empty inside, I tried to find happiness in anything the world could offer: girls, drugs, and cars—especially drugs and cars. Needless to say, combining these two in excessive amounts led to nothing less than disaster, including several hand-cuffed arrests. Once I met Julius in the drug rehabilitation program, he began to help me understand that everything about my life was conformed to the ways of the world. My mind had gone completely to the carnal and my perspective on life was an unhealthy, self-destructive outlook.
But once I received Jesus and began to learn and to apply new truths, everything in my life began to change. The Word of God became my food, and I didn’t view the scriptures merely as good suggestions; I knew they were the keys to my success, and I treated them as such. As I applied the Word in my life—not just believing it or memorizing it but actually putting it into practice in daily life—my soul began to prosper. I met Wendy, we got married, and we began to walk side by side in ministry together. All the while, this cycle of applying God’s Word, my soul prospering, and my life getting blessed continued. It was not long before the quality of my life was far beyond anything I ever could have asked or imagined, and that was decades ago! Today, that hurting, drug-addicted teenager is so far behind me, he doesn’t even seem part of my past anymore. That old Casey is more like a character in a movie than a real person that once was.
There were many other men and women who were in drug rehab with me during this time. Many who heard the same truths as I did, became Christians like I did, but today haven’t found nearly the same success in their lives as I have. Many returned to their drugs and some have died young. Many are struggling through divorces and stuck in unemployment. Why is this? They are Christians, too, so why is their outcome so different than mine? It’s not because I’m anything special. It’s because even though they heard the Word preached, they never
applied
that truth to their lives. They are saved and will live an eternity with God, but while they are walking on Earth, they will continue to live far below the quality of life God desired for them—unless they begin to renew their minds. It is only then that their souls will begin to prosper, and when that happens, everything around them will begin to flourish as well.
All change, all growth, and all of God’s promises are initiated in the realm of the soul: the mind, will, and emotions. When new truth comes into our lives, and we act upon it, our souls will begin to prosper, and as a result, all areas of our lives will start to improve. In our marriages, on our jobs, in our finances, God’s prosperity begins to flow through the health of our soul, and we find freedom in those areas that used to hold us back. John 8:31-32 says, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If we Christians can grab hold of this truth, embrace this truth, we will possess the ability to go
anywhere
we want in God’s will for our lives! When God’s truth infiltrates your soul, it begins to prosper, and you are set free from anger, debt, anxiety, fear, and addictions.
Notice Jesus did
not
say you would be a disciple if you regularly attend church or even if you read your Bible every day. There were plenty of Pharisees and other religious rulers during this time who spent hours and hours debating and poring over the scriptures. They were so busy with their religious pursuits they didn’t even recognize the Word made flesh, Jesus, standing and teaching right in front of them. They judged Him as a traitor and a false prophet, and they eventually nailed Him to a cross! Jesus said to his followers that if they would abide in His Word, or live in it, breathe it, make it an integral part of their lives, then they could become disciples. Jesus didn’t say, “Truth will set you free”; He said
the truth that you know will set you free
. Big difference. Memorizing God’s Word does not mean you have any more of a revelation of it than the unbeliever sitting next to you at work. It’s only when you seek His Word as your very life and begin to obey and to operate by it that you will begin to prosper in your soul and discover the freedom God promises.
When God’s truth infiltrates your soul, it begins to prosper, and you are set free from anger, debt, anxiety, fear, and addictions.
Consequently, as our soul prospers, our marriages start to prosper because we are being the right kind of spouses, and our kids grow up to prosper because we brought them up in the knowledge of God’s Word. Our finances prosper because we have based our money decisions on the principles of God, and regardless of the world’s economy, we consistently have more than enough. Our emotions prosper because we are trusting in God for every area of our lives, and the fear, anxiety, and depression of the world cannot hook us. No matter what comes our way, we can breathe a deep sigh of relief because the truth of God’s Word has set us completely free and we can experience total peace.
The “Right” Mind
One of the most famous parables taught by Jesus is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. It’s a story of a wealthy man who had two sons, and the younger son asked to receive his inheritance so he could go into the world and enjoy its pleasures. After a short time of drinking, gambling, and evenings spent with prostitutes, he had squandered all of his money and was reduced to working in the fields feeding the hogs. For a Jewish man, this was the epitome of hitting rock bottom, but verse 17 tells us that he finally “came to himself.” Other translations say “came to his senses” or “came to his right mind.”
It was at this point that he remembered who he was and who his father was. He says, “How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.’ ” At no time during his years of rebellion did this young man cease from being a son; he was always the son of an upright, wealthy man. But until the day he came to his right mind, he never chose to act like it. Now, he was ready to face the consequences as he humbly sought his father for forgiveness.
How many of us, although we are sons and daughters of the Creator of the Universe, live our lives small, defeated, and scared? We are afraid to go for the dreams we possess in our hearts because we think we’ll fail. We are blind to our precious value to our Father so we treat ourselves cheaply, living from boyfriend to boyfriend or offering our bodies to the addictions of drugs and alcohol. We don’t believe we can, or in some cases,
should
have abundant finances, so we live from paycheck to paycheck and from credit card statement to credit card statement, never able to be a significant part of establishing God’s covenant throughout the earth. We live under the oppression of pain, sickness, and disease because we don’t have a revelation of Jesus Christ as our healer. We must be like the prodigal son and come to our right minds, so that we may approach our Father with a willingness to change our mind-sets.
When the prodigal son returned home to his father, the Bible describes a heartfelt reunion. The father, seeing his son at a distance, recognizes him immediately and runs with open arms to embrace his lost son. He loves him, accepts him, and calls for a celebration, complete with the fatted calf and a new robe, ring, and sandals for his son. He says of him in verse 32 that it is right and fitting to celebrate because the young man “was dead and is alive again, was lost and now is found.”
What does the father mean when he says his son was dead? He wasn’t literally dead; he was out in the world partying and enjoying his sinful behavior. But remember, in the last chapter, we read the scripture from Romans 8:5-6 that says the carnal mind is death and causes exclusion from God while the spiritual mind is life and brings us in union with our Father. The son was dead because he was separated from his father’s presence, protection, and provision as a result of his carnal way of thinking and living. He had no access to the wealth and wisdom of his father because he was living his life far apart from him. Once he came to his right mind, he was alive again, and he was able to once again engage in a relationship with his father.
Similarly, many Christians live apart from God, separated from God’s supernatural protection and provision because of our carnal ways of thinking and living. We have wrong beliefs, and although we never lose our salvation, or our status as sons and daughters of God, we struggle. Sometimes we go as far as to shake a fist at God saying, “Why are you doing this to me? Why won’t you help me?” That would be like the prodigal son blaming his father for making him end up in the pigsty. How could the father be guilty? He wasn’t even there. It was the son’s choices that brought him to the pigs, and it was his absence from the ways of his father that brought him to his downfall.
My favorite part of this parable is the father’s reaction to the return of his son. Even though the son was thoroughly guilty of much sin, his father greeted him with full acceptance. He didn’t say anything that might bring condemnation, and he didn’t sentence the son for even one of his “crimes.” The father was overjoyed with his arrival, was proud of him for his conversion, and was determined to welcome him and bless him with emotional and physical gifts. This is exactly how our Father in Heaven responds to us when we come to our right minds and seek His forgiveness and His ways. No matter how small or how large our offenses have been, He
never
greets us with condemnation. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.” He is always ready with open arms to embrace each and every one of us with acceptance and blessings. No matter how far or in how many ways we have been living separated from God, let’s come to our right minds! Let’s seek God’s presence and God’s ways of thinking, and we will receive a ring, a robe, and a celebration!

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