Scripture Reading:

Romans 12:1-2; Psalms 51: 10-12; Colossians 3:10-12; Revelation 21:4; Ephesians 4:23

Please comment below with your conversation with God and/or insights from today’s Scriptures.

You can answer the following:

1. What are the Scriptures telling you about renewal?

2. How has God renewed your mind, seeing things you’ve never seen before or changing up your perspective?

3. What is your prayer to God regarding renewal?

Don’t forget to join us nightly at 7pm on FB.com/waterschurchnyc and join the conversation about the Scriptures and topic at hand.

The Change Up | Lemuel Ayudtud

The change of our personal perspectives is one of the greatest moves of God in our lives. Since the way we see ourselves and the world determines the way we operate in it, God renewing our minds to see things as He does is a miracle!

Why a miracle? Consider that most of us came to Jesus during our adulthood, that means before we surrendered our lives to Christ we saw things a certain way. Whether it was cultural, familial, experiential or a combination of all (which is most likely), our minds were set to see the world a certain way. Now they didn’t have to necessarily be against God directly, but our thoughts did not parallels with the ways of God just because of ignorance. And when God came into ourselves, He shifted our thinking to inline with His. That’s a miracle!

Go into a deep dive of the word “transformed” from Romans 12:2 and you will see that it’s likened to a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. (Go deeper here.) Think about it: there’s nothing in the butterfly that resembles a caterpillar. (List the differences on your own or check it out here.) That “transformation” is the Greek word used in the verse: metamorphosis. It’s one thing becoming totally different.

The renewing of our minds make us totally different than who we were even moments before we gave our lives to Jesus. The effective work of the Holy Spirit swiftly and miraculously changes our hearts and minds. Where we once enemies of the Cross, we become celebrators of it. Where we once outcasts, we become sons and daughters of God. Where once we were lustful and unforgiving, we become people of grace and long suffering. Truly the work of God to change us is instantaneous.

So you may ask, “If God has changed me, then why do I struggle at times with stuff?” Well, that’s where our divine nature fights against our human nature. This is why we have to be intentional with our walking with God. Our inner man is renewed daily. So even if we struggle, we stay confident in the completed work of God in our lives!

There are however ways we can strengthen our minds against the pull of our flesh. Here are some ways we can pursue the newness that we have received from God:

1. Meditating daily on God’s Word. Mental renewal requires the washing away of former thoughts and lusts.

2. Yield to the leading of God. Be mindful of the 9 ways we can be more discerning of God’s voice.

3. Spend more time in small groups of fellow believers. Nothing can replicate or replace the gift that is conversations about God within a believing community.

4. Find an accountability partner for areas of weakness. Confide in the prayer and the support of brothers or sisters who desire to see us dig deeper in God!

5. Resist the the devil. And rejoice in the forgiveness of God when you find yourself weak.

6. Live in joy of your salvation and be confident in the love of God for you.

7. Share your hope with others. Speak the things you are pursuing to be will help you in becoming who you are saying you are. Much like the butterfly, you have to fly from flower to flower when you used to crawl from leaf to leaf.

When we repented of our sins, God began a work in us. Immediately we were transformed from children of darkness to sons and daughters. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. But daily we seek God to continue to work He’s done in us from day one. When we submit to the intentions of pursuing God daily, we embrace the renewing power of God to deepen us in Him. In our renewal we reflect God to the world around us and we declare that He is Lord of all! We change up to be the new creatures He has made us to be.

Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Spirit. Thank You for the work You did at the cross which allows me to be renewed daily. Father, help me to submit fully to You. Teach me to love Your Word and Your people. Help me to yield to Your continual work in my heart to reflect You to those around me. May You be glorified in all that I do, in Your Name Jesus I pray, amen.