
Just A Thought – September 21, 2021
September 21, 2021
Just A Thought – September 22, 2021
September 22, 2021We’ve talked about repentance and the Biblical meaning of ‘a change of mind’. Once we understand this, we can see the power of changing our minds—toward God, not away from Him. I’m reminded of John the Baptist who proclaimed one was coming who would take away the sins of the world. He encouraged people to repent…change their mind about God, about how they could approach God. We know of the Apostles who proclaimed to people to repent and receive the gift of God’s salvation, love, mercy, and grace.
What we need to do today is change our mind (repent) of our former understanding of repentance. The problem with the past is it was man-centered teachings on being sorrow (contrition) and repentance that led people into a permanent cycle of always repenting, defeat, and yes, even hypocrisy. I recall one prominent pastor sharing he was so concerned that any time he did anything wrong, he was repenting for anything and everything. Again, the emphasis was on the person, not the Saviour who took our sins away!
When you’re a believer, you’re a new creation in Christ as 2 Corinthians 5:17 states. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” The repentance you need is to change your mind to know that God has already forgiven you, so there is no need to continue to condemn yourself but to walk in His righteous identity.
So, how do you do that? By changing your mind, by renewing your mind in God’s Word, in His truth of who you are IN Him. You don’t need to beat yourself up over thoughts that come that pull you down. Ignore them while you continue to let your heart be established in your identity in Christ. The more you concentrate on your sin, the less you’ll walk in victory.
As Joseph Prince says, ‘fill your mind with His thoughts, His living, Word, His peace, His joy, and His love’. That’s how you change your mind and walk in victory as a believer.