Dear Partners and Friends,
What goes through your mind when you hear the phrase, “renewing your mind”? What does it mean to renew the mind? Is it something you do once or regularly? What steps must be taken to accomplish this renewal? What is the reason for renewing my mind?
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God.” – Romans 12:2
Brother Hagin preached that renewing your mind is like combing your hair. It has to be done every day. You are receiving thoughts from the commercials on television and the newspaper that need to be put in place. This world system is constantly attempting to control the way we think with wrong ideas presented as truth. We need to keep our minds clear of the clutter of wrong mental processes.
Renewing the mind is more about governing the mind with God’s Word than it is about learning loads of new information. Renewing the mind is a process of cleaning out every wrong thought and analyzing every remaining thought to ensure it is a thought God wants us to allow. Renewing the mind is gaining the complete governance of your thought life and placing every thought process under the control of God’s Word. This is not hard. The ability to do this is in the Word of God! He gave us the weapons to win in this arena.
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” – II Corinthians 10:4-5
These weapons are in our possession. They are not for God to use on our behalf when our minds are bombarded with fear, doubt, or worry. We use these weapons to bring thoughts into captivity. With these weapons, we cast down imaginations and every thought that tries to come against God’s knowledge. We can even pull down the wrong thinking that we have practiced over years such as strongholds of racism or fear with the weapons God has provided.
But recognize our part in this. God has provided the weapons. Our part is to use the weapons to police our thought processes. We have to use God’s Word and govern what is taking place in our mind. There are thoughts we should not allow. There are ideas that we should cast down the minute they are presented to us. We have to pull our weapons and take thoughts captive.
If we don’t utilize the authority and weapons God has provided, there is not much else God can do to help us. He will not override our participation in worry. He cannot stop us from being anxious. The Lord cannot make us think right. That is our responsibility.
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” – Isaiah 26:3
This verse lets me know that it is possible for us to keep our minds on the things we choose. We can keep our minds focused on the promise of God no matter how loud the circumstance is screaming for us to think about the problem. This verse also shows me that God’s ability to keep us in peace is connected to our staying focused on Him. If our mind is a problem-ruled mind, then God’s peace cannot operate correctly. If the thoughts that direct our mind are coming from the emotions, then that emotion will dominate.
No! We can choose to place God’s thoughts as the primary fuel of our mental process and gain His results every time. Psalms 119:130 in God’s Word Translation declares, “Your word is a doorway that lets in light.” A Word-governed mind is full of light. There is no confusion about the direction we are going. There is no stumbling around trying to find our way. We are walking in the light because our mind cooperates with God’s way of thinking!
