The first part of this message explained the principle of the mind of Christ and its experience in an individual. It also explained the concept of intellectualism and humanism. Finally, it concludes by revealing God’s creation of man to be an extension of His presence which purpose is undermined when we live by our senses rather than by His Spirit. In the concluding part more of the mind of Christ as a liberating experience as well as dealing with misconceptions about the place of the intellect will be addressed.
The mind of Christ is the exercise of our kingship role on the earth. God is not interested in the physical rulership (as the Jews clamoured after in Jesus time) for that does not bear much fruit but to bring “His kingdom” into our hearts. When the Holy Spirit reigns in a heart, the influence of God impacts the world to bring fruitful and extraordinary results. This has always been God’s unchangeable plan even though the process has changed with the entrance of sin.
Before the fall, Adam didn’t need the Holy Spirit for he was sinless and had a perfect fellowship with God. But the consequence of the fall was a spiritual disconnection which can only be restored IN CHRIST through the Holy Spirit. He brings the experience of the mind of Christ to us.
“And you have made them a kingdom (royal race) and priests to our God, and they shall reign (as kings) over the earth! Revelation 5.10 Amplified.
Our power and authority IN CHRIST is a spiritual form not known to subduing people to submission. But it is influential as LIGHT to bring them into the true knowledge and experience of GOD IN CHRIST for spiritual blindness is a terrible affliction that affects both the rich and poor. This was the philosophy of Jesus and we must sustain it.
Another growing misconception which has subtle deception and perpetuated by those who want to denigrate Christianity is that the spiritual mind is a mindless, weak and unintelligent experience. They separate an articulate mind from the spiritual. But that is blatant falsehood because God gave us a mind to relate with Him. God is intelligent and creative and man is the evidence of some of His creative ability. The Holy Spirit is an intelligent being and Jesus is the Word by which all creation came about. Wherein is the basis for such theory? No one who reads of Paul, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus can make such an assertion and neither that of our brethren today. But I agree that oftentimes the conduct of some Christians in ignorance does give a cause for concern but that cannot be accepted as the Christian life. A genuine product can never be accepted as fake just because it has its counterfeit.
Rather, it is the order of protocol that God advocates not a choice of either. The mind in order for it to fulfil the purpose and plan of God in righteousness must be subjected to God. A mind that is not subject to God is open to various motives that are not always right but founded on self righteousness. The world is affected by such motives that are often contradictory and the effects are devastating. In Rwanda, the genocide would have been prevented and the killings minimised if the UN had listened to several reports before it but they didn’t act because the United States vetoed the action because of the tragedy it suffered in Somalia. By the time, the Americans changed their mind and the UN acted, it was too late. Such is the type of reasoning that God wants to change by giving us the mind of Christ.
The mind of Christ is a liberating experience. To bring home this truth is to think of any moment in your life where you were so thirsty and hot (those crazy sunny days) where you will give anything for a very cold drink.....then you took hold of it and the experience was out of this world. That parched throat was healed with such a happy feeling.
Such is the jubilation of an innocent man who has been wrongly incarcerated for many years despite all attempts at seeking justice for his case. Suddenly, new evidence exonerates him and he is set free. The expression on their faces when that verdict comes in is priceless – the joy of liberty. I have watched these incidents many times on a true life documentary “Dallas DNA” and it is a wonderful sight to behold. That is just an illustration of what spiritual liberty does for a person – freedom from limiting attitudes and consequences.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom”)2Corinthians3.17. Amplified Bible
And described in Isaiah 61.1-2 as
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me.....to proclaim liberty to the (physical and spiritual) captives...” Amplified Bible
Often, we do not realise that our background influences (social. culture, education and relationships) have prepared us for a sense led life. It is imperative to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas of errors and ignorance (ideally at the point of salvation) which has built itself into strongholds in our hearts and formed unconscious patterns of behaviours. These play a significant role in our thoughts, words and actions and defeating the plans and purposes of God for us.
Regardless of our spiritual beliefs in God but without dealing with these faulty foundations, we will continue to experience a carnally minded life that plays out in many frustrating and perplexing consequences. The type of life that Paul spoke about while addressing our brethren at Corinth:
“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal as to babes in Christ..... for you are still carnal. For where there is strife and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men” 1 Corinthians 3.1,3. NKJV (emphasis mine
Such was my own experience. I have always had a love for knowledge from a young (and still getting younger) age, a voracious reader and very inquisitive- seeking to know beyond the borders of my background. Nothing wrong with that but when I accepted Christ, I didn’t know that I had to bring that intellectual quest in subjection to His guidance in order to be led correctly and redefine my priorities and experiences.
Thus even IN CHRIST, I ignorantly continued in my wisdom in defining my plans without proper spiritual guidance and lacking true understanding. This scripture aptly describes me.
“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth” Romans 10.2-4 KJV (emphasis mine)
Yes! I was full of the ‘hot air’ of self righteousness founded on intellectual wisdom and more of the mental spiritual assent than experiential wisdom. In other words, I was spiritually malnourished. It was like hitting my head against the wall and not realising that I and not the wall will have to make an adjustment. Many times, God really tried to get my attention “Be patient and let me teach you” but I wasn’t listening.
No! I was a woman in a hurry to achieve my well laid out plans and completely deaf to divine instructions while raising up structures of my own. I could have died both spiritually and physically for I came close. So, God left me alone in my own world until like a drowning man exhausted with thrashing about, I finally gave up and said in effect “I am ready to learn”. Then the true lessons of life began under the influence of the Holy Spirit. That is when I discovered the joys of a SPIRIT LED LIFE as a daily experience not a random one. It also led to the unfolding of my divine purpose.... whoa! Who would have believed this many years back?
I look back not too long ago on my many years of foolishness and I am shocked. It seems like another personality (yes, the carnally minded one). Each day, I have new experiences of a transforming life. It is a task that involves a lot of patience and work (of faith) but it is a beautiful experience to behold the before and after events of my life in all aspects. Oh! I do feel the pain of being broken and sometimes I want to let go for it is not a pleasurable experience but the grace gives me strength and the outcome makes it very worthwhile.
The mind of Christ is growing in obedience in a progressive manner. Yes, you will take faltering steps at first even make more mistakes, but hang in there until you begin to see your walk becoming more steady and confident. Then the experience of the Word sets like the Rock. That is my life’s journey and the reason I realised that I am the WEALTHIEST WOMAN ALIVE! (I have the best life there is IN CHRIST) and it is priceless and I would not TRADE IT EVER FOR ANY OTHER.
I don’t have it all figured out (and you know what? God doesn’t expect me either only to listen and obey) I see my past and where I am each day, taking back lost territories from satan and gaining new ones. Guess who is laughing last each day? ME! ME! AND ME! There is no day I am not overwhelmed in thanksgiving about God’s redeeming love over my life. Oh! The glories of a renewed spirit led life. I urge you to get into the experience of the mind of Christ for this is our inheritance. Don’t just come to drink occasionally but continually in all aspects of your life
How can we apply ourselves to the working of this mind in all things? We must put God first above all things and that means we accept that His Word and guidance is our ONLY OPTION and not an alternative when it is suitable. Jesus said “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you” Mathew 6.63NKJV
Next, be willing to obey because that is the first seed towards growth and a desired harvest. When Isaac made a decision to go to Egypt and God corrected him, he obeyed. “So Isaac dwelt in Gerar” Genesis 26.5. The reason obedience is key to victory is that God sees all aspects of an issue while we have only a limited point of view. Which is better, crumbs or whole bread? Many are running after the morsels of life when a banquet has been prepared for us by God in the place of obedience. Funny how people want the fruits of obedience in disobedience.
I always emphasise that it was obedience that gave me a miraculous experience when I had to have surgery 10years ago. I am very certain that if I didn’t follow through, I will be dead. From the choice of hospital to the extraordinary healing process for a major surgery. I lost a friend because out of fear, he made the wrong choices and fell into the hands of a greedy and incompetent doctor.
Over the years, I have tracked my life and seen the times I obeyed and didn’t. The consequences for disobedience are unpleasant and that is why I pray daily for a teachable heart that is always amenable to instruction and I have followed through on it while amending myself where necessary. There is no other path of life than OBEDIENCE! OBEDIENCE! OBEDIENCE!
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. “ Hebrews 12.28NKJV
Also, the state of your heart is important for it must be devoid of an ill intent towards anyone nor a half-hearted approach to His Word. You can’t receive the thoughts of God in an unyielding heart that is not amenable to correction. Lots of times, we want to experience God in our comfort areas, a tendency towards the easy way or the well worn familiar paths. But most times God comes to bring new ways and experiences. Therefore having a teachable heart is one that will easily discern His mind. Jesus’ heart was yielded to God always; His words and deeds were from His Father- Our Father and so must ours too.
This responsibility to live in the mind of Christ is first to Christians and the world. No one must assume the experience for it is a practical daily living and not mere mental assent. In the end, the choice is always yours to make. But the scripture lets us know God’s perspective on the ‘carnal mind’ given to living by the senses devoid of the Spirit of God
“For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God (Himself) has shown it to them. Forever since the creation of the world, His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So (men) are without excuse (altogether without any defence or justification.
Because when they know and recognised Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking (with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning and stupid speculations) and their senseless minds were darkened.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools (professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves)” Romans 1.19 – 22. Amplified Bible
I believe this word is sufficient to correct, instruct and transform you into the experience of Jesus. I commit you to God through this prayer
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do His will working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13.20 -21. Amplified Bible
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