The Freedom God’s Truth brings is in making us increasingly aware of the reality of the New Person we now are in Christ. Along with this New Identity comes the new relationships I talked about the other day. The vital truth we need to keep utmost in our heart and mind is, because of God’s Love, we are now IN Christ so we no longer have a relationship with sin, nor that sinful person we used to be. The Bible calls this the Flesh, and again, I call mine Jezebel. But that is not who we are anymore. In Christ, deep in our spirit joined with the Holy Spirit, we ARE changed. We must set our minds on this truth.
Dr Stanley says, “Where we set our minds determines who we follow and what we do.” (p91) If we set our minds on that old MMI person focusing on what “I think, feel and want,” then we will be following that old person. We will still give in to those old addictions and reactions and misery and so on, because we will think nothing has changed. It is like that saying: if you believe you can’t, then you are right…but if you believe you can, then you are also right. In other words, if in our minds, nothing has changed, then nothing has changed. Our minds are powerful. Question is who are we aligning our thoughts with: God or Jezebel?
Dr Stanley says, “Every sinful act is committed twice: once in our heads and once in our behavior. To win the behavior battle, we must first win the battle that takes place in our minds.” (p91) We humans focus so much on what we DO, but we miss the real power of changing our actions when we dismiss the power of who we are aligning our thoughts with. If it is Jezebel, then sin is what will result. But if it is the Holy Spirit, then holiness, and all the good that comes from it, is what we can expect.
Let’s finish up my thoughts on this great book tomorrow…
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
<>< Peace, Diane
