Winning The Battle For Your Mind

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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.” Romans 12:1-2 NKJV

This is the verse that God used to really transform my life. Being raise in a dysfunctional family; I got saved at the age of 13 and did not have a clear understanding of what salvation really was until the age of 14 when I came to live with my sister and brother-inlaw.. They were going to bible school so I jumped into bible school too. My sister and brother-in-law led me to the Lord, so I justfollowed them. I didn't know anything about the Lord or the word of God but this one scripture, Romans 12:1-2, would just jump off the page at me. Paul was speaking to the church at Rome because they were Christian but were still led by the desires of their flesh or emotions. Paul was encouraging them not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of their mind; 80% of the battle is in the mind. The mind or our soulish man is our will and emotions. That's why Paul told the church at Rome not to be conformed to this world (conform means: to act in accordance with a standard or norm; or to be or become similar in form or character; to be in harmony or accord). You can also say that you are in agreement with the word of God, but if your lifestyle doesn't conform to the word of God your are not truly in agreement with the word of God. If you are not in agreement with the lifestyle of the world, you would not try to follow them. Paul was writing to the church at Rome to let them know how a Christian should live and act. You may be saved but you can still be carnal; and what we mean about being carnal is having received Jesus as your personal savior but still living like an unsaved person. Jesus said that we are the light of the world; Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden". The unbelievers are in darkness, and light and darkness don't mix. Light should not be attracted to darkness but darkness should be attracted to light. Light dispels darkness and darkness cannot remain when light is shown.

In order for Christians to be like Jesus, they will have to get into the word of God and renew their mind, so that they can resist the attacks of the devil. 1 John 3:10 says, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother." We are light in this world so that the world may come to know Jesus as their personal savior. I know this is a bold statement but I did not write it, it's in the word of God. God loves all of mankind and John 3:16 tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Romans 5:8 says; "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." But just because God loves us that does not mean that all of us are going to heaven. Yes, there is a heaven and there is a hell and God doesn't want anyone to go to hell and be separated from Him; that is why he sent Jesus to die for the sins of the world. We see many Christian love God with all their heart but they are losing the battle for their mind, because they are not in the word of God and putting it into practice in their everyday lives. Paul told Timothy to study; "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth;" 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV.