23 August 2014
THE TWO KINDS OF LIFE (Part 2)
2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (NKJV)
When a person is born again all their sins are forgiven. There is no sin that they would have committed that would remain. The Blood of Jesus has the power to wash away all sins that plague humanity. We are spiritual beings with a soul and live in a body. When one is born again it is the spirit that is born again. When you are born again your spirit is as righteous as Adam was before The Fall. All things would have passed away and behold all things would have been made new.
If we are made a new creation and all things have passed away, why then do most Christians struggle with their old life? Have you ever wondered why your life as a new creation is not matching the Christian Life? The messages that are preached every Sunday they inspire you and challenge you but it seems like it's hard to live the life that is being portrayed in those messages. Why do you repeat the same sins that the Bible says you have been redeemed from or you have been saved from? You are trying hard and professing to be a Christ-follower but your life is far from being a true Disciple of Christ. It's not that your sins have not been forgiven or you have not been made a new creation. You are a new creation. That scripture is True to the letter. The problem is that your mind needs to be renewed. Romans 12:1-2 says "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (NKJV)
Most of the problems that Christians have has to do with their thinking. Change a man's thinking you change his lifestyle and his entire life. The Bible says be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. True transformation can only take place when one's mind is renewed. So when one's mind is renewed it is only then that the new creation you have become will reflect in your behaviour, social life and daily living. The Bible says in Proverbs 23:5 that "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:..." (KJV). Therefore thinking makes a man. You are what you think. If you think right you will live right and behave right. If you think righteously, you will live righteously, etc. For example, a thief is a thief because he thinks like a thief. A murderer is a murderer because he thinks like a murderer. Change his thinking he will stop being a murderer.
The reason why most Christians do not grow or mature in their walk with Christ is because they are still operating on an unrenewed mind. Renewal of mind is very important to our spiritual progress and growth as Christians, to enable us to live within the realm of the ZOE God-kind of Life. If the mind is not renewed that is where you find Christians staggering between the two lives: the ZOE God-kind of Life and the PSUCHE life. It is impossible to truly walk in The Spirit if one's mind is not renewed.
Ephesians 4:22-24 says "that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (NKJV). Renewal of mind is not a change of mind, but it is a putting "off" of the former way of thinking. It is the regeneration of the mind whereby one puts off former conduct and the corrupt way of thinking according to deceitful lusts, and becomes renewed in the spirit of his mind. This is when we decide to put off all sin, fear, lust, rebellion, unforgiveness, bitterness, and pride, etc. It is a time when one decides to have the mind of Christ according to Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," (NKJV).
Scripture clearly says in Romans 7:25 "that I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." (NKJV). Most Christians always say "as the spirit leads". You ask them, what time is service ending, they say "as the spirit leads". It is good to be led by The Spirit according to Romans 8:14 but this does not mean that we park our minds and make our minds dormant. It is the same God who says "come let us reason together". God is after your mind, after the purity of your thoughts and mind. The greatest battle is in the mind. Most strongholds are in our own minds. They may have been caused by your past experiences, negative words that were said to you or by the devil himself. If you can whip the devil in your mind and conquer him in your mind in Jesus' Name, you would have whipped him out of your life, family, business, bank account, etc.
Many people have been living under the influence of the limitation and power of the words that have been spoken to them in the past. Well God wants you to be free of them, in Jesus' Name. A renewed mind says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ZOE, the God-kind of life is a life that is full of the Life of Christ, Character and His Personality. The word Christian in its truest sense means "Christ-like" because we should resemble and live the same life of Christ and at the same level that Christ lived it. So we have to put on the new man who is renewed in the knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. The level of the knowledge of The Word of God you have equals your life. The Word says the Truth will set you free. Remember, it is the Truth that is in the Word of God that you know that will set you free. This can only happen when we allow transformation to take place through the renewing of the mind. As we do so, you will begin to seek those things which are above, where Christ is seated at the Right Hand of God.
So how do you start the process of renewing your mind? Colossians 3:16 says "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.." (NKJV). Fill your mind with The Word of God for The Law of God is perfect: Psalm 19:7 "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (NKJV). The Power of His Word can renew a mind that is dark, polluted, evil and even twisted. Then transformation will take place. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (NKJV).
The Bible says The Word of God is living. Anything that is living has life and it breathes and also it grows. So The Word of God is continuously breathing and it contains Life in it. And when you allow it to enter you, it will begin to grow in you to maturity; and it contains power. By this I mean The Word of God awaits a circumstance of demonstration. It is sizzling and shimmering with power in itself. When you speak it, it will destroy anything that is contrary to The Kingdom of God. And when it is spoken in the kingdom of the devil it will explode and destroy the enemy. That is the power in the Word of God. It is sharper than any two-edged sword that it is able to divide, to put asunder the spirit and the soul. It can go where medicine can not go; and it can penetrate between the joints and the marrow. This is The Living Word of God.
So if you want to change a man, as I said before, change their thinking and the whole behaviour and lifestyle will change.
Pastor's final words:
So you see, Child of God, all those Christians that are struggling with sin, addiction, bad habits, etc... it doesn't mean that they don't love God or they are not truly born again. It is the mind that needs to be renewed so it will match the new creation, whom their spirit has become. Now an unrenewed mind can only produce a PSUCHE life which is soulish, sensory and operates and depends on our five senses. This kind of life will never please God. It is a life that loves the world; for friendship with the world is enmity with God. ZOE, the God-kind of life should operate on the renewed mind and transformation is inevitable and effortless. As we walk with God, sanctification takes place; and it's a process which will continue until we get to heaven.
God bless
To be continued
Pastor Phil
THE TWO KINDS OF LIFE (Part 2)
2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (NKJV)
When a person is born again all their sins are forgiven. There is no sin that they would have committed that would remain. The Blood of Jesus has the power to wash away all sins that plague humanity. We are spiritual beings with a soul and live in a body. When one is born again it is the spirit that is born again. When you are born again your spirit is as righteous as Adam was before The Fall. All things would have passed away and behold all things would have been made new.
If we are made a new creation and all things have passed away, why then do most Christians struggle with their old life? Have you ever wondered why your life as a new creation is not matching the Christian Life? The messages that are preached every Sunday they inspire you and challenge you but it seems like it's hard to live the life that is being portrayed in those messages. Why do you repeat the same sins that the Bible says you have been redeemed from or you have been saved from? You are trying hard and professing to be a Christ-follower but your life is far from being a true Disciple of Christ. It's not that your sins have not been forgiven or you have not been made a new creation. You are a new creation. That scripture is True to the letter. The problem is that your mind needs to be renewed. Romans 12:1-2 says "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (NKJV)
Most of the problems that Christians have has to do with their thinking. Change a man's thinking you change his lifestyle and his entire life. The Bible says be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. True transformation can only take place when one's mind is renewed. So when one's mind is renewed it is only then that the new creation you have become will reflect in your behaviour, social life and daily living. The Bible says in Proverbs 23:5 that "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:..." (KJV). Therefore thinking makes a man. You are what you think. If you think right you will live right and behave right. If you think righteously, you will live righteously, etc. For example, a thief is a thief because he thinks like a thief. A murderer is a murderer because he thinks like a murderer. Change his thinking he will stop being a murderer.
The reason why most Christians do not grow or mature in their walk with Christ is because they are still operating on an unrenewed mind. Renewal of mind is very important to our spiritual progress and growth as Christians, to enable us to live within the realm of the ZOE God-kind of Life. If the mind is not renewed that is where you find Christians staggering between the two lives: the ZOE God-kind of Life and the PSUCHE life. It is impossible to truly walk in The Spirit if one's mind is not renewed.
Ephesians 4:22-24 says "that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (NKJV). Renewal of mind is not a change of mind, but it is a putting "off" of the former way of thinking. It is the regeneration of the mind whereby one puts off former conduct and the corrupt way of thinking according to deceitful lusts, and becomes renewed in the spirit of his mind. This is when we decide to put off all sin, fear, lust, rebellion, unforgiveness, bitterness, and pride, etc. It is a time when one decides to have the mind of Christ according to Philippians 2:5 "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," (NKJV).
Scripture clearly says in Romans 7:25 "that I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." (NKJV). Most Christians always say "as the spirit leads". You ask them, what time is service ending, they say "as the spirit leads". It is good to be led by The Spirit according to Romans 8:14 but this does not mean that we park our minds and make our minds dormant. It is the same God who says "come let us reason together". God is after your mind, after the purity of your thoughts and mind. The greatest battle is in the mind. Most strongholds are in our own minds. They may have been caused by your past experiences, negative words that were said to you or by the devil himself. If you can whip the devil in your mind and conquer him in your mind in Jesus' Name, you would have whipped him out of your life, family, business, bank account, etc.
Many people have been living under the influence of the limitation and power of the words that have been spoken to them in the past. Well God wants you to be free of them, in Jesus' Name. A renewed mind says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ZOE, the God-kind of life is a life that is full of the Life of Christ, Character and His Personality. The word Christian in its truest sense means "Christ-like" because we should resemble and live the same life of Christ and at the same level that Christ lived it. So we have to put on the new man who is renewed in the knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. The level of the knowledge of The Word of God you have equals your life. The Word says the Truth will set you free. Remember, it is the Truth that is in the Word of God that you know that will set you free. This can only happen when we allow transformation to take place through the renewing of the mind. As we do so, you will begin to seek those things which are above, where Christ is seated at the Right Hand of God.
So how do you start the process of renewing your mind? Colossians 3:16 says "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.." (NKJV). Fill your mind with The Word of God for The Law of God is perfect: Psalm 19:7 "the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." (NKJV). The Power of His Word can renew a mind that is dark, polluted, evil and even twisted. Then transformation will take place. Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (NKJV).
The Bible says The Word of God is living. Anything that is living has life and it breathes and also it grows. So The Word of God is continuously breathing and it contains Life in it. And when you allow it to enter you, it will begin to grow in you to maturity; and it contains power. By this I mean The Word of God awaits a circumstance of demonstration. It is sizzling and shimmering with power in itself. When you speak it, it will destroy anything that is contrary to The Kingdom of God. And when it is spoken in the kingdom of the devil it will explode and destroy the enemy. That is the power in the Word of God. It is sharper than any two-edged sword that it is able to divide, to put asunder the spirit and the soul. It can go where medicine can not go; and it can penetrate between the joints and the marrow. This is The Living Word of God.
So if you want to change a man, as I said before, change their thinking and the whole behaviour and lifestyle will change.
Pastor's final words:
So you see, Child of God, all those Christians that are struggling with sin, addiction, bad habits, etc... it doesn't mean that they don't love God or they are not truly born again. It is the mind that needs to be renewed so it will match the new creation, whom their spirit has become. Now an unrenewed mind can only produce a PSUCHE life which is soulish, sensory and operates and depends on our five senses. This kind of life will never please God. It is a life that loves the world; for friendship with the world is enmity with God. ZOE, the God-kind of life should operate on the renewed mind and transformation is inevitable and effortless. As we walk with God, sanctification takes place; and it's a process which will continue until we get to heaven.
God bless
To be continued
Pastor Phil