Day 33
Week 5: Day 33: Breakthrough in the Renewal of Our Minds-Breaking Off Lies
Ephesians 4: 22-24
“Put off your old self,which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
The New Testament talks a lot about God making all things new. In Romans 12, Paul tells us to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. A re-newal suggests that we don’t get a new mind but that God makes our mind new. When we focus on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise…” (Phil. 4:8) as laid out in Scripture, God is working to make our minds new again.
There are so many things vying for our attention. In Western culture we value business and full schedules. The amount of things we try to accomplish have us operating at levels of stress and mental noise that we were probably not designed to live in. We carry an endless supply of information and distraction around with us right in our hands, wherever we go. We are told to capture highlight reels of our lives, put them on display, and in hopes of positive feedback while opening ourselves to criticism and judgement. Add to that the wounds we carry from our imperfect families, fractured relationships, and our personal brokenness bumping up against the brokenness of others as we’re going about our daily lives. I would argue the majority of what comes at our minds does not land in the list Paul encourages us to meditate on.
So what does it look like when we surrender our minds to the Lord and allow him to renew our minds? Recently I have been reading a book called Art and Faith, by Makoto Fujimura. In his book he describes the Japanese artform called kintsugi. Kintsugi, which translates to “golden joinery” is the art of taking broken pottery and mending the broken pieces back together with gold. The pottery then becomes a completely new, one of a kind, work of art that reflects the craftsmanship of the artist. As I was thinking about the renewing of our mind, the imagery of kintsugi came to mind. As I was reading, I pictured our minds being filled with cracks and fissures from the experiences of living in a broken world. Each fracture representing a lie believed, a wound from hateful words, a false belief embraced. As we invite God into the process of renewal, breaking off the lies and replacing them with his truths, the broken places were carefully filled with His gold. The result is a renewed, beautiful work of art that only God, the Master Craftsman, could create from the shards of brokenness.
Our minds are valuable as they are the driving force behind all we think, say, feel, and do. The enemy knows this and he does everything in his power to derail us. But the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit are far more powerful than the lies of the enemy. God desires for us to walk in His truth and makes a way for us to overcome the negative attacks on our minds. In his strength and power we are able to break agreement with the lies and false ways of thinking, renounce them and their power over us, and exchange them for God’s truth.
The renewing of our minds is not just a one time experience. It is something we need to do on a daily basis. It’s why David says his “delight is in the law of the Lord, and on it [he] meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). Or why the Lord tells Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”(Joshua 1:8). As mentioned previously, Paul continues this idea under the New Covenant in his letter to the church at Philippi in Phil. 4:8. Our minds are easily swayed and we should be intentional in what we allow ourselves to fill it with.
As a part of the fast, many of us have set aside many of the distractions that take our focus off of the Lord. Today, let’s take some time with God to see what he wants us to set aside so we can fill our minds with him. Let’s ask him to reveal to us the lies we have believed about ourselves, about others, or about Him that he wants us to break agreement with and then invite him to replace those lies with his truths. In your time of prayer and worship, let God wash over your mind. Let him repair the broken places with the gold of his truth to beautifully transform and renew your mind.
Listening Prayer: Holy Spirit, what lies or false beliefs have I allowed myself to believe? What influences am I allowing to fill my mind and shape me that you want me to remove from my life? What truths do you want to exchange for the lies you have exposed?
Prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I desire to daily walk out the practice of renewing my mind. I confess I often meditate on things I should not. I repent for coming into agreement with lies about myself, others, and You. I break agreement with those lies through the name and authority of Jesus Christ, and I ask God that you would renew my mind. I invite the gold of your truth into all the broken places. I submit my thoughts to you. Thank you for helping me focus on You, Your Word, and Your Truth. Amen.
Resources: Bible Verses on Renewing your Mind
Philippians 4:4-9
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Colossians 3:1-3
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Romans 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
1 Peter 1:13-16
“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”“
1 Peter 5:6-9
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
John 10:9-11
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.“
Worship Song: