Renewing Your mind through the power of Christ available to you

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

renewing your mindDoes renewing your mind and taking your thoughts captive seem like a hard task?

Does it feel like you might never have victory?

Take heart because there is power in Christ. He does not intend for you to fight this battle alone or in your own strength.

This week I want you to think about the power of Christ in you – the power available to you. Don’t focus on what you think you need to change or on what thoughts you feel like you are struggling with. For this week mediate on this power of Christ.

Our text is Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV from Bible Gateway)

 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul prayed this for the church at Ephesus, in the same way you can pray it for yourself and others, knowing that this is God’s will for you. It is Paul’s desire for the church to have strength in their ‘inner man’. This is our soul.

Recently I have been reading Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. He describes a person as being made up of four parts, the will, mind, body and soul. The will is your capacity to choose. The mind is your conscious thoughts and feelings. These can hardly be controlled by willpower alone and crave to be at peace. (Which is why you feel turmoil when your mind is not at rest.) The body is put in motion by our will and our mind. Encompassing all these parts, bringing them together as one life is the soul (also called the spirit.) Your soul is the deepest part of you which is seeking connection with others and with God. When you feel lonely or empty inside it is the your soul saying you are in need of connection. Click To Tweet

If you are like me you probably have days when you are in a great place mentally and other days when you feel down, and find your mind flooded with negative thinking. This is disheartening because I will think I have gotten further than that – that I have completely overcome the issues that are resurfacing. It is times like this that I am freshly made aware of the health of my soul. I need to be strengthened in this inner part of me by God and God alone.

Paul wrote of knowing the love of Christ that surpassed knowledge – of having Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith. This is the connection of our soul to God. Even though you may have received Christ as your Savior your soul still needs to be cultivated and connected continually. It doesn’t happen in a moment. But is a continual work.

As you tend to your soul, you connect with God. This opens up the avenue through which He strengthens you.

Life Coach Moment

  • How aware are you of your soul?
  • Write down some thoughts that you have which might be coursing through your mind. Then write down a few things that you are aware of in your soul. This will help you begin to differentiate between the two.
  • What impact does your thinking have on your soul?
  • In what areas do you find yourself weak in soul and in need of God’s strengthening?

Renewing Your Mind in Truth

As I read Ephesians 3:14-21 I am most encouraged by the mentioned God’s power at work in us in verse 20. Strong’s Concordance says that this word power ‘points to new and higher forces that have entered and are working in this lower world of ours.’

This gives me great confidence. I am not the one who has the power or ability to fight for my soul or for the battle of my mind. God is the giver of the power. He is the ‘higher force’ at work in me.

He is at work in you. All you need to do is commit it to Him. Click To Tweet

Prayer

Thank You Father for Your love that beyond anything I can comprehend. I believe that it is Your will to strength my inner man that I may be strong in faith, grounded in Your love and victorious in my thinking. I ask that You do this for me. Thank You that by Your great power You teach my soul these things as I draw close to You. Amen

Self Talking Point for when you feel weak.

God is strengthening my soul, giving me victory over my thoughts.

 

 

Naomi
Latest posts by Naomi (see all)
Renewing Your mind through the power of Christ available to you
Tagged on:

4 thoughts on “Renewing Your mind through the power of Christ available to you

  • March 6, 2017 at 11:36 am
    Permalink

    This Ephesians passage is one I go to continually and pray over others also. Such power and freedom in renewal!

    • March 6, 2017 at 8:48 pm
      Permalink

      Yes! I love this passage as well!!

  • March 8, 2017 at 5:51 pm
    Permalink

    I have not read John’s new book.. and his break down is interesting.. I have always taught and been taught we are a 3 part being – body, soul, spirit – 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (with our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions)…. it is interesting to read what others take on this is I do know there is so much important truth in Ephesians and we must renew our mind as Romans 12:1-2 says. Be transformed do not conform… Your neighbor at #WomenWithIntention today Have an awesome week.

    • March 8, 2017 at 9:33 pm
      Permalink

      Debbie, Yes there are a lot of different takes on the parts of the body. I know Neil Anderson teaches it a little different than John Ortberg but find all the views helpful to understanding ourselves.
      Have an amazing week as well!

Comments are closed.