Recently, my Bible study group came across the verse: “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom. 12:2b, ESV).
Certainly, this isn’t an obscure verse. If you’ve been in the church for even a little while, you’ve likely heard it. It’s often used by we preachers as the one-size-fits-all answer for just about everything.
Fearful? “Renew your mind!”
Tempted? “Renew your mind!”
Stressed, frustrated, discouraged, condemned? “Renew your mind!”
But when someone in my Bible study asked, “How do you actually renew your mind?” and all the others looked at me in equal bewilderment, I realized that the specifics of how to do it are rarely explained.
The ‘How To’s’ of Mind Renewal
“How to renew your mind” is answered by understanding two words in Romans 12:2: “transform” and “renew.”
“Transform” is “metamorphosis,” which is the process of something old into something new. Think caterpillar into butterfly. And that’s the purpose of renewing your mind: It’s to manifest the new life of Christ in you.
This brings us to “renew,” which means to “resume to an original position after an interruption.” Simply put: when you said yes to Jesus and were born again, you became a new person in Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:17). This means Jesus’ identity became your default, original position: made new, made right, made whole and made holy. Anything contrary to who Jesus is, such as fear, temptation, stress, condemnation and so on, is an interruption.
Interrupting the Interruptions
Renewing your mind, then, is simply the process of getting back to your original position in Christ by interrupting the interruptions. And you do this by thinking on and speaking God’s truths.
For example, to renew your mind from feeling fearful, think on and declare 2 Timothy 1:7: “I have not been given a spirit of fear, but I have power, love and a sound mind.” Or to renew your mind when confronted with condemnation, think on and declare a verse like 2 Corinthians 5:21: “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.”
There are truths in God’s Word for any interruption you face. If you need help finding one, download my Shut Up Devil! app and browse through the categories that I’ve filled with Scriptures and declarations personalized to you. Or look to the back of your Bible for an index of Scriptures related to all kinds of topics.
Give Yourself Grace
One last thing. Though renewing your mind really is as simple as interrupting the interruptions with God’s truths, remember that metamorphosis is a process. A caterpillar doesn’t turn into a butterfly overnight, but over time. So you have to be diligent and patient. Your mind has to be rewired from years of old patterns.
That’s what thinking and speaking truth does—it rewires or renews your brain, which takes time. So be sure to give yourself plenty of grace! {eoa}
For the original article, visit kylewinkler.org.
Kyle Winkler is a practical Bible teacher, author of Silence Satan and Activating the Power of God’s Word, and creator of the popular Shut Up, Devil! app. Through his teachings, Kyle is known for using his own story to boast in the power of God’s Word for victorious living.
Read articles like this one and other Spirit-led content in our new platform, CHARISMA PLUS.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.