L. Dwight Turner
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
Creation; the old has gone, the new has come.
(2 Corinthians 5:17)
Since I was a child, I have had a passionate fascination with bears. It all started when I was around five-years-old and my family took a vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains. It was on this memorable trip that I saw my first bear and it was love at first sight.
Throughout my childhood and adolescence I took every opportunity I could to go and see a bear, whether it be in a carnival, a traveling circus, or in a zoo. I also spent hours studying about bears in encyclopedias and books. I guess no one can really explain why a young person develops these sorts of interests. For many, the fascination passes as adulthood arrives with its myriad responsibilities and other interest. For me, however, I still love bears.
With this information as a backdrop, you can imagine how excited I became back in the early 90’s when I learned that the Miami Zoo had obtained a rare, Tibetan Bear. I was living in Miami at the time and read about the bear in the newspaper. The next day I drove out to the zoo to take a look at the Tibetan Bear.
The zoo in Miami is of the modern type. Animals are not kept in cages, but instead roam with relative freedom, separate from spectators by large ditches, canals, or non-descript fencing. I arrived at the zoo and inquired as to the whereabouts of the Tibetan Bear. I strolled over to the area where the bear was being kept and I was in awe.
A relatively smallish bear, the Tibetan Bear has long hair, brownish red, and a face with much character. The bear was near the small canal that ran between the walkway where I stood and the enclosure where it lived. After observing the animal for several minutes, I noticed something quite odd about its behavior. The bear paced endlessly in the same pattern. It would take eight steps in one direction, slowly pivot on one of its front feet, turn, and take eight steps in the opposite direction. The creature kept this up for the entire time I was there, a total of almost thirty minutes.
Inquiring about this strange behavior, the zookeeper told me the bear was about six-years-old and had lived its entire life in a cage. The eight steps was the exact distance from one side of the cage to the other. The bear had implanted a deep pattern of behavior based on its former environment. It had never been able to take more than eight steps in one direction and now, even though it had the freedom to roam as far as it wanted, it still only took eight steps. According to the zookeeper, a trainer worked with the bear each day in an attempt to help it “unlearn” the old pattern of restrictive behavior. The zookeeper said that most animals that had lived in cages for most of their lives had similar patterns of behavior.
On my way home I reflected on this and had one of those moments of personal epiphany. I realized that I, like the bear and a majority of the Christians that I knew, had a similar problem. Through Christ’s mission on earth, we have had our bars removed as well. The cage of sin and self has been removed and we captives have been set free. As the scripture from 2 Corinthians that opened this article states, “we are new creations.” The old has gone and the new has come. This is part of the good news of the gospel and the result of the healing work Christ’s victory has obtained. Each of us, when we accepted Jesus as Lord, was given a new identity “in Christ.”
So why is it we continue, like the bear, to walk as if we were still behind bars? Why do we continue to behave in the same destructive ways that we did before? Why is it that so few of us seem to walk in the newness of life that Christ promised and Paul spoke of so often?
I think there are many reasons for this unfortunate reality. Part of the reason is just the sheer force of habit. Whenever we repeat a behavior over and over, we tend to eventually do it automatically. In a real sense, we become machine-like. Our world pushes a button and we respond in a predictable way. Another reason is our faulty thinking. Let’s get one fact down deep. Our behavior starts with our thinking or, as said often, the thought is the ancestor of the action. Until we change our thinking, we won’t effectively change our behavior.
Paul realized how important our thinking was to our behavior. That’s why he said we needed to “renew our minds.” All lasting change starts with a mental makeover.
One other reason why we continue to walk in our old ways, even though scripture screams we are new creations, stems from the fact that either we don’t realize that we are new creations or we don’t believe it. Perhaps this needs a bit of clarification.
The Church as a whole has been expert at preaching the gospel of the blood and forgiveness of sin. Christ died as a ransom for many and, even though we don’t deserve it, we can now come into God’s presence as if we were spotless. As great a message as this is, it only half the story. Yes, Christ won our forgiveness but he also did something else. He won our victory over our sin and our sinful nature. Go back and review Romans 5-8 to get a true picture of all this.
By his resurrection and his ascension Christ has made possible, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, our sanctification, meaning, we are now operating under a new set of circumstances, with the Holy Spirit working inside of us. Many Christians are unaware of this reality for two primary reasons: first, the vast majority of believers are biblically illiterate. Recent studies by George Barna more than bear this out; and second, pastors typically preach more about the blood than they do the resurrection, the ascension, and our subsequent empowerment.
Other Christians are aware of the fact that they are new creations in Christ, but just don’t believe it. This is a tragedy because just the act of believing what scripture says about us goes a long way toward helping us to manifest this new reality in our lives. Look at it like this: we receive salvation by accepting Christ’s atonement by faith; why don’t we also accept the second half of the gospel by faith? Why don’t we, using our faith in all that Christ has accomplished, accept the gift of our own progressive movement toward receiving the “fullness of Christ?”
In essence, a big part of our problem as Christians is the fact that we sell ourselves short. We don’t understand who we are and what we are in Christ. Even more devastating, we don’t accept and apply our new identity to daily living and we end up only being marginally effective. Like the Tibetan Bear, we pace back and forth in the same old ruts, the same old worn out ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. If we continue to do this and expect results any different than what we have experienced in the past, we are sadly mistaken.
No, my friends, it is time for a change and that change begins with recognizing, understanding, accepting, and applying the blessed gifts of being “in Christ.” I encourage you to not put this off another day. Start today by taking a few minutes out of your schedule, sitting down and getting quiet and centered, and ask God to reveal to you the full understanding of your status as his child. Ask God to show you, especially in scripture, just what Christ accomplished for you in his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and his successful mission into this world.
Begin a personal Bible study in which you explore this whole business of being “in Christ.” Keep a notebook handy and jot down your thoughts, insights, and ideas. They may be useful reminders as you move forward in the process of appropriating your new identity.
In addition, boldly open your mouth and make firm, biblical declarations of who and what you are, now that you are “in Christ.” Confess openly that you are a child of the Living God and an heir with Christ. This is the proper use of declaration and profession.
For example, a potent biblical declaration of your new identity might be:
I take possession of the reality that in Christ I am a new creation; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Another example fosters awareness of the fact that God indeed cares for his children:
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. All things work together for my greatest good.
Compose two or three such brief declarations and repeat them many times each day. With each repetition the biblical revelation of your reborn and restored status in Christ sinks deeper into the fertile soil of your subconscious mind. In time, you will find that your perception of personal identity has undergone a seismic shift and your mind will indeed be renewed.
© L.D. Turner 2009/ All Rights Reserved
Showing posts with label Renewing the Mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Renewing the Mind. Show all posts
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Formation in Christ: Align and Abide
L.Dwight Turner
If a person is discerning enough to see beneath the sea of “Sunday smiles” and outward displays of spiritual satisfaction, it would quickly become apparent that many Christians seem to be living, in the words of Thoreau, lives of "quiet desperation.” It is as if many sincere believers are staggering about under a dark cloud of disappointment and, deep in their inner core, asking themselves, “Is this all there is?” Although Jesus came to give abundant life, it is quite commonplace to see depression, anxiety, fear, and a host of other negative emotional states ride on the backs of sincere Christians and, to make matters worse, most have no clue as to why.
Even the most superficial scan of scripture will reveal that this is not the way things were intended to be. We are, in fact, promised to "have life more abundantly" (John 10:10). So what is the basic issue here? Why are so many within the Body of Christ so beset?
The basic issue here seems to be one of misalignment. Let me explain this in brief. Scripture reveals that we are composed of three aspects, Body, Psyche, and Spirit. Space does not permit a detailed description of this tripartite makeup of our being, but a few words of explanation or in order.
1. Our body is the home of our being while here on earth. God created us primarily as spirit beings, but in order to dwell in the physical world, we need a physical home, thus our physical bodies.
2. Things become a bit more complicated when discussing our mind. The biblical term most often used to describe this aspect of our being is “soul” and the Greek word is “psuche.” It is obvious that our English term “psyche” is derived from this word. Our psyche includes our cognitive life (thoughts), our emotions, our will and our habituated responses to life (our habits). Since the Fall, our Spirit has been inactive and our soul or psyche has been in charge. This was not what God intended and the results of this usurpation of power have been dismal.
3. Our Spirit is the key to living a life in accordance with God’s will and plan. Our human spirit became inactive at the Fall, and was dethroned by our psyche. Yet, God intended for our human spirit to be the vehicle whereby the Holy Spirit could communicate with each of us. It is interesting to note that the Greek word for the human “spirit” is “pneuma” and is the same word as the one used in Holy “Spirit.” Obviously, God intended a strong connection between our spirits and the Holy Spirit. Further, it was our human spirit that God intended to be used when we communicated with the spiritual world.
Once our spirit is reactivated through conversion, we are supposed to live a life where the Spirit is in the pilot's seat so to speak, directing the thoughts and actions of the mind and body. But here is the rub. Just because we become Christians, the mind doesn't just go away. The old mind remains strong and active. Here perhaps a better word is psyche. The psyche is composed of our thoughts, feelings, temperament, and affections.
It is important to understand that the psyche has a life of its own and, more importantly, it has its own agenda. All of our life, the psyche has been in charge. The psyche has called the shots and it isn't about to give up this role without a fight. So the fact of the matter is that as soon as we enter the Christian walk, a battle is set up inside between the psyche and the spirit. This battle is basically between our old self and our new self or, as Paul puts it, between our flesh and our spirit.
As Christians, we are called to walk in the Spirit. What does this mean? It means the Spirit is supposed to take precedent in our lives. The Spirit is the presence of God within us. This is our new command center. But, as stated earlier, there is an internal war in progress and the fact is, our enemy in this sense is our psyche. It is our psyche that has to be put under control of the spirit. This process is never easy and we can never accomplish it on our own. But we are not left alone to fight this battle. God has promised to empower us to emerge victorious. He has said in Ezekiel that He will remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh; a new and living heart, controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit.
The problem is most Christians lose this battle on a daily basis because they have not been taught, or if they have been taught, they have resisted, the methodology of how to procure the necessary tools to fight the enemy and ultimately gain victory over their old self.
The solution to this problem is complicated on some levels perhaps, but basically it is quite simple. We have to undergo a realignment whereby our bodies, psyche, and spirit become a functioning whole with a unified purpose. This new alignment is under the direction of the Spirit. As we go through the process of this alignment, we are also told by Christ that we are to abide. "Abide in me.." he tells us. So we can say that what we are called to do is to align and abide. The problem is that most Christians never learn how to do this. There are many reasons for this but space does not allow for a discussion of that here. At its core, this problem I think has resulted from the ongoing faith/works controversy and has placed much of the church in a position of being dis-empowered and paralyzed spiritually. What the church must now do is to rediscover how to align and abide. I say rediscover because the methodology for this process has been around since the beginning of the church.
One other note here. Any discussion of alignment should include the fact that this process has an inner dimension and an outer dimension. Actually, there is no real distinction in essence, but to define it in these terms seems more comprehensive. The inner dimension involves achieving an alignment as follows:
Spirit
Psyche
Body
The outer dimension involves the alignment spoken of by Christ in the Gospel of John when he prays that we are in Him as he is in the Father. So the outer dimension looks like this:
God
Christ
Human
Looked at from this perspective, the inner dimension reflects the reality that the mind, when controlled by the Spirit in proper alignment, is the mediator between the Spirit and the body and thus, the mediator between the Spirit and our actions in the world. That is why we have to "renew our minds" or, again in the words of Paul, "have the mind of Christ". Only by doing so can we then effectively incarnate the Spirit through us and into the world. The outer dimension reflects the reality of the Gospel in its essence. It is only through Christ that we can connect with the Father and this awareness sheds light on Jesus' statement that he who has seen me has seen the Father. It is also scripturally sound in that it reflects the words of Paul that alludes to the fact that there is one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ.
How then are we supposed to bring the needed realignment about? The process is quite simple to understand, but sometimes difficult to apply. What we have to do is:
1. Trust God to do what He says he will do. We have to trust in and rely on the Holy Spirit.
2. We have to look to Christ as our model of how to walk in faith.
3. We have to rediscover the value and the power of "Spiritual Disciplines"
4. We have to directly confront and, with the help of the Spirit, deal with the psyche in all its subtle ramifications and retrain it to be subordinate to and in line with the directions of the Spirit. This is accomplished by following the Spirits lead as it "convicts of sin.” Many times what we call "sin" is a direct result of "misalignment". I think it can also be said that our problem with misalignment began with the Fall, when the original couple tried to “be as god” and wound up putting the soul (psyche) on the throne where Spirit should rule. That is where all behavior that we call sin comes from.
5. At LifeBrook, we often stress what we call “conscious cognition” as a vital part in abiding. Basically, this refers to the process of renewing the mind in general and dealing with our thought life in particular. Conscious Cognition involves directly dealing with our thoughts, taking thoughts captive for Christ, tearing down strongholds, and learning to think in more positive, optimistic, and constructive ways.
6. Perhaps the most significant aspect of establishing a life that is aligned with God and continues to abide in His will is obedience. More than anything else, obedience allows us to abide in God’s will more continuously and to manifest that will in proactive ways.
A misalignment where the psyche is dominant and the Spirit negated, even if it accomplishes much, can accomplish nothing that does not, at least at a subtle level, bear the taint of selfishness. Secondly, in order to accomplish this realignment we must "renew our minds" and I can think of no better way to do this than by actively sowing the seed of the Word of God into our hearts. Remember, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
The sequence is important: first we align, and then we abide. Abiding is nothing more or less than maintaining our connection with the life giving Spirit of Christ. We must ever keep before us the words of the Master:
Apart from me, you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
We align by initiating a practice of spiritual disciplines that have been used for centuries in the church; practices such as prayer in its various forms, meditation (sacred silence and listening to God), study of and reflection upon Scripture, submission, service, and any other practice that is biblical, places Christ at the center, and seeks to discern God’s will and carry it out.
Again, proper alignment is central to every aspect of the Christian life. Without proper alignment we are more prone to walking in our own illusions and making mistakes, sometimes big and sometimes small. And what is it we are to align with? The answer is a simple one. We are to align with the Spirit of God that has been placed within us by the loving hand of the Father. At conversion our human spirit again became what it was in Genesis, alive. The Hebrew word for this is chay and the Greek is Zoe. New Testament writers almost always used this word, zoe, to describe life. Zoe is not ordinary life – the Greek word for that is bios – the root of our English word biology, which refers to the study of life. No, zoe was something far more significant. Zoe referred to “the life of God.”
This life, which God breathed into humanity at creation, was the animating force that gave life to our human spirit. With the Fall, this “zoe” or “chay” departed and in a way that was both real and symbolic, the human race became spiritual dead. Why? Because we no longer existed in union with God and, more to the point, we no longer had communion with God. Making matters worse, there was absolutely nothing that we humans could do about it. In and of ourselves, we were powerless to fix it. If a solution came, it would have to be from God.
Fortunately, God did provide a solution. We read about that solution in the famous Prologue to John’s Gospel. In the 18 verses that introduce his gospel, John paints a vivid picture of creation, the Fall, and God’s creative intervention to re-establish communion with his creation and restore life to the human Spirit. The whole drama centers of the person of Jesus Christ and provides us with a very clear picture of who and what Christ was (and still is). In a verse most telling, John tells us in regards to the Master:
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
Sometimes what an author doesn’t say is as important as what he does say. In his prologue, John doesn’t say “In Him was bios,” which is the Greek word for physical life and the root where we get our English word biology. No, John instead chooses to say “In Him was zoe,” which implies “God’s life.” In essence, John is saying that in Christ the same life, God’s life, that existed in the Garden, was once again returning to earth. Something that had departed eons before with a bite out of a piece of fruit, was now returning with a birth in a stable.
As we are able align and abide, our zoe, our very life, becomes more vital and spirit-filled. More importantly, with proper alignment it is spirit-controlled. We then abide and, in the words of Paul, by abiding we are able to walk in the Spirit.
When we arrive at this point where we are able to truly walk in the spirit, with our renewed minds and our spirit-controlled body in proper alignment, we tend to experience the polar opposite of those harshly negative mental and emotional states discussed early in this post. Instead, Paul speaks clearly to us, saying that if we walk in the Spirit we will experience such blessed states as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
If a person is discerning enough to see beneath the sea of “Sunday smiles” and outward displays of spiritual satisfaction, it would quickly become apparent that many Christians seem to be living, in the words of Thoreau, lives of "quiet desperation.” It is as if many sincere believers are staggering about under a dark cloud of disappointment and, deep in their inner core, asking themselves, “Is this all there is?” Although Jesus came to give abundant life, it is quite commonplace to see depression, anxiety, fear, and a host of other negative emotional states ride on the backs of sincere Christians and, to make matters worse, most have no clue as to why.
Even the most superficial scan of scripture will reveal that this is not the way things were intended to be. We are, in fact, promised to "have life more abundantly" (John 10:10). So what is the basic issue here? Why are so many within the Body of Christ so beset?
The basic issue here seems to be one of misalignment. Let me explain this in brief. Scripture reveals that we are composed of three aspects, Body, Psyche, and Spirit. Space does not permit a detailed description of this tripartite makeup of our being, but a few words of explanation or in order.
1. Our body is the home of our being while here on earth. God created us primarily as spirit beings, but in order to dwell in the physical world, we need a physical home, thus our physical bodies.
2. Things become a bit more complicated when discussing our mind. The biblical term most often used to describe this aspect of our being is “soul” and the Greek word is “psuche.” It is obvious that our English term “psyche” is derived from this word. Our psyche includes our cognitive life (thoughts), our emotions, our will and our habituated responses to life (our habits). Since the Fall, our Spirit has been inactive and our soul or psyche has been in charge. This was not what God intended and the results of this usurpation of power have been dismal.
3. Our Spirit is the key to living a life in accordance with God’s will and plan. Our human spirit became inactive at the Fall, and was dethroned by our psyche. Yet, God intended for our human spirit to be the vehicle whereby the Holy Spirit could communicate with each of us. It is interesting to note that the Greek word for the human “spirit” is “pneuma” and is the same word as the one used in Holy “Spirit.” Obviously, God intended a strong connection between our spirits and the Holy Spirit. Further, it was our human spirit that God intended to be used when we communicated with the spiritual world.
Once our spirit is reactivated through conversion, we are supposed to live a life where the Spirit is in the pilot's seat so to speak, directing the thoughts and actions of the mind and body. But here is the rub. Just because we become Christians, the mind doesn't just go away. The old mind remains strong and active. Here perhaps a better word is psyche. The psyche is composed of our thoughts, feelings, temperament, and affections.
It is important to understand that the psyche has a life of its own and, more importantly, it has its own agenda. All of our life, the psyche has been in charge. The psyche has called the shots and it isn't about to give up this role without a fight. So the fact of the matter is that as soon as we enter the Christian walk, a battle is set up inside between the psyche and the spirit. This battle is basically between our old self and our new self or, as Paul puts it, between our flesh and our spirit.
As Christians, we are called to walk in the Spirit. What does this mean? It means the Spirit is supposed to take precedent in our lives. The Spirit is the presence of God within us. This is our new command center. But, as stated earlier, there is an internal war in progress and the fact is, our enemy in this sense is our psyche. It is our psyche that has to be put under control of the spirit. This process is never easy and we can never accomplish it on our own. But we are not left alone to fight this battle. God has promised to empower us to emerge victorious. He has said in Ezekiel that He will remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh; a new and living heart, controlled and directed by the Holy Spirit.
The problem is most Christians lose this battle on a daily basis because they have not been taught, or if they have been taught, they have resisted, the methodology of how to procure the necessary tools to fight the enemy and ultimately gain victory over their old self.
The solution to this problem is complicated on some levels perhaps, but basically it is quite simple. We have to undergo a realignment whereby our bodies, psyche, and spirit become a functioning whole with a unified purpose. This new alignment is under the direction of the Spirit. As we go through the process of this alignment, we are also told by Christ that we are to abide. "Abide in me.." he tells us. So we can say that what we are called to do is to align and abide. The problem is that most Christians never learn how to do this. There are many reasons for this but space does not allow for a discussion of that here. At its core, this problem I think has resulted from the ongoing faith/works controversy and has placed much of the church in a position of being dis-empowered and paralyzed spiritually. What the church must now do is to rediscover how to align and abide. I say rediscover because the methodology for this process has been around since the beginning of the church.
One other note here. Any discussion of alignment should include the fact that this process has an inner dimension and an outer dimension. Actually, there is no real distinction in essence, but to define it in these terms seems more comprehensive. The inner dimension involves achieving an alignment as follows:
Spirit
Psyche
Body
The outer dimension involves the alignment spoken of by Christ in the Gospel of John when he prays that we are in Him as he is in the Father. So the outer dimension looks like this:
God
Christ
Human
Looked at from this perspective, the inner dimension reflects the reality that the mind, when controlled by the Spirit in proper alignment, is the mediator between the Spirit and the body and thus, the mediator between the Spirit and our actions in the world. That is why we have to "renew our minds" or, again in the words of Paul, "have the mind of Christ". Only by doing so can we then effectively incarnate the Spirit through us and into the world. The outer dimension reflects the reality of the Gospel in its essence. It is only through Christ that we can connect with the Father and this awareness sheds light on Jesus' statement that he who has seen me has seen the Father. It is also scripturally sound in that it reflects the words of Paul that alludes to the fact that there is one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ.
How then are we supposed to bring the needed realignment about? The process is quite simple to understand, but sometimes difficult to apply. What we have to do is:
1. Trust God to do what He says he will do. We have to trust in and rely on the Holy Spirit.
2. We have to look to Christ as our model of how to walk in faith.
3. We have to rediscover the value and the power of "Spiritual Disciplines"
4. We have to directly confront and, with the help of the Spirit, deal with the psyche in all its subtle ramifications and retrain it to be subordinate to and in line with the directions of the Spirit. This is accomplished by following the Spirits lead as it "convicts of sin.” Many times what we call "sin" is a direct result of "misalignment". I think it can also be said that our problem with misalignment began with the Fall, when the original couple tried to “be as god” and wound up putting the soul (psyche) on the throne where Spirit should rule. That is where all behavior that we call sin comes from.
5. At LifeBrook, we often stress what we call “conscious cognition” as a vital part in abiding. Basically, this refers to the process of renewing the mind in general and dealing with our thought life in particular. Conscious Cognition involves directly dealing with our thoughts, taking thoughts captive for Christ, tearing down strongholds, and learning to think in more positive, optimistic, and constructive ways.
6. Perhaps the most significant aspect of establishing a life that is aligned with God and continues to abide in His will is obedience. More than anything else, obedience allows us to abide in God’s will more continuously and to manifest that will in proactive ways.
A misalignment where the psyche is dominant and the Spirit negated, even if it accomplishes much, can accomplish nothing that does not, at least at a subtle level, bear the taint of selfishness. Secondly, in order to accomplish this realignment we must "renew our minds" and I can think of no better way to do this than by actively sowing the seed of the Word of God into our hearts. Remember, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
The sequence is important: first we align, and then we abide. Abiding is nothing more or less than maintaining our connection with the life giving Spirit of Christ. We must ever keep before us the words of the Master:
Apart from me, you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
We align by initiating a practice of spiritual disciplines that have been used for centuries in the church; practices such as prayer in its various forms, meditation (sacred silence and listening to God), study of and reflection upon Scripture, submission, service, and any other practice that is biblical, places Christ at the center, and seeks to discern God’s will and carry it out.
Again, proper alignment is central to every aspect of the Christian life. Without proper alignment we are more prone to walking in our own illusions and making mistakes, sometimes big and sometimes small. And what is it we are to align with? The answer is a simple one. We are to align with the Spirit of God that has been placed within us by the loving hand of the Father. At conversion our human spirit again became what it was in Genesis, alive. The Hebrew word for this is chay and the Greek is Zoe. New Testament writers almost always used this word, zoe, to describe life. Zoe is not ordinary life – the Greek word for that is bios – the root of our English word biology, which refers to the study of life. No, zoe was something far more significant. Zoe referred to “the life of God.”
This life, which God breathed into humanity at creation, was the animating force that gave life to our human spirit. With the Fall, this “zoe” or “chay” departed and in a way that was both real and symbolic, the human race became spiritual dead. Why? Because we no longer existed in union with God and, more to the point, we no longer had communion with God. Making matters worse, there was absolutely nothing that we humans could do about it. In and of ourselves, we were powerless to fix it. If a solution came, it would have to be from God.
Fortunately, God did provide a solution. We read about that solution in the famous Prologue to John’s Gospel. In the 18 verses that introduce his gospel, John paints a vivid picture of creation, the Fall, and God’s creative intervention to re-establish communion with his creation and restore life to the human Spirit. The whole drama centers of the person of Jesus Christ and provides us with a very clear picture of who and what Christ was (and still is). In a verse most telling, John tells us in regards to the Master:
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
Sometimes what an author doesn’t say is as important as what he does say. In his prologue, John doesn’t say “In Him was bios,” which is the Greek word for physical life and the root where we get our English word biology. No, John instead chooses to say “In Him was zoe,” which implies “God’s life.” In essence, John is saying that in Christ the same life, God’s life, that existed in the Garden, was once again returning to earth. Something that had departed eons before with a bite out of a piece of fruit, was now returning with a birth in a stable.
As we are able align and abide, our zoe, our very life, becomes more vital and spirit-filled. More importantly, with proper alignment it is spirit-controlled. We then abide and, in the words of Paul, by abiding we are able to walk in the Spirit.
When we arrive at this point where we are able to truly walk in the spirit, with our renewed minds and our spirit-controlled body in proper alignment, we tend to experience the polar opposite of those harshly negative mental and emotional states discussed early in this post. Instead, Paul speaks clearly to us, saying that if we walk in the Spirit we will experience such blessed states as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Releasing Negative Imprints
L. Dwight Turner
When a person first discovers the principles and the power of the various spiritual laws the Creator has put at our disposal, he or she is often filled with hope, enthusiasm, and positive motivation. This is both natural and as it should be, because these principles are blessings that God has given us and intends for us to use, especially when we need to make major life changes in general and changes that help us to grow spiritually in particular.
However, all too often this initial burst of enthusiasm is dampened when, despite applying these powerful spiritual principles correctly, the spiritual aspirant seems to obtain minimal results. This can be a frustrating experience, especially for those who are sincere spiritual seekers that want to not only improve themselves, but the world around them. Invariably, however, most of us reach this point when we consistently work with the Laws of Manifestation. Indeed, this can be a highly critical crossroads along the journey of spiritual development. More than a few dedicated seekers have thrown in the towel when this sort of experience begins to repeat itself with regularity. Believe me, I know because I have been there – done that.
What is even more tragic about this situation is the reality that this crisis can be worked through without too much difficulty. All it takes is a degree of awareness regarding the less-than-pristine nature of our subconscious mind and knowledge of the proper prayer tools to deal with it.
The Laws of Manifestation, those principles at play when we work to bring something from the spiritual world into manifestation on the physical plane, would work perfectly all the time if they operated through perfectly pure minds in a perfectly pure world. The unfortunate reality is, however, neither the minds in question nor the world in which they operate are anywhere near pure. We all have subconscious patterns of belief that operate beyond our capacity to control them, largely because we are unaware of them. These patterns of belief can sometimes sabotage our best intentions and, if we want to become more adept at applying spiritual law, we have to deal with these subconscious themes.
Although these subconscious themes can be stubborn at times, I have found that the most direct, effective, and simple method of dealing with these obstacles is through positive prayer. In essence, we apply the principles of affirmative prayer to the very things that seem to be blocking our prayers in the first place. As ironic as it may seem, I have found this to be the most consistently effective tool.
With that said, let me share with you a simple prayer that I use when I run up against the sort of thing we are discussing in this post. If you so desire, give it a try. Like all affirmative prayer, the key is to generate feeling in your prayer and repeat it many times. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were your subconscious impediments and imprints. Likewise, they won’t crumble in a day, either. Here is the prayer:
Releasing Negative Imprints
Through the healing power of the God’s One True Light, I now release all negative imprints and impediments in my body, mind, will, and spirit. I release these personal delusions and they are no longer part of me, nor do they create obstacles to the perfect application of the Divine Laws of Manifestation. I am now cleansed and perfected – I am healed, healthy, happy, and whole.
By the power of the Holy Spirit and in the sacred name of Christ, so it is.
Amen.
© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
When a person first discovers the principles and the power of the various spiritual laws the Creator has put at our disposal, he or she is often filled with hope, enthusiasm, and positive motivation. This is both natural and as it should be, because these principles are blessings that God has given us and intends for us to use, especially when we need to make major life changes in general and changes that help us to grow spiritually in particular.
However, all too often this initial burst of enthusiasm is dampened when, despite applying these powerful spiritual principles correctly, the spiritual aspirant seems to obtain minimal results. This can be a frustrating experience, especially for those who are sincere spiritual seekers that want to not only improve themselves, but the world around them. Invariably, however, most of us reach this point when we consistently work with the Laws of Manifestation. Indeed, this can be a highly critical crossroads along the journey of spiritual development. More than a few dedicated seekers have thrown in the towel when this sort of experience begins to repeat itself with regularity. Believe me, I know because I have been there – done that.
What is even more tragic about this situation is the reality that this crisis can be worked through without too much difficulty. All it takes is a degree of awareness regarding the less-than-pristine nature of our subconscious mind and knowledge of the proper prayer tools to deal with it.
The Laws of Manifestation, those principles at play when we work to bring something from the spiritual world into manifestation on the physical plane, would work perfectly all the time if they operated through perfectly pure minds in a perfectly pure world. The unfortunate reality is, however, neither the minds in question nor the world in which they operate are anywhere near pure. We all have subconscious patterns of belief that operate beyond our capacity to control them, largely because we are unaware of them. These patterns of belief can sometimes sabotage our best intentions and, if we want to become more adept at applying spiritual law, we have to deal with these subconscious themes.
Although these subconscious themes can be stubborn at times, I have found that the most direct, effective, and simple method of dealing with these obstacles is through positive prayer. In essence, we apply the principles of affirmative prayer to the very things that seem to be blocking our prayers in the first place. As ironic as it may seem, I have found this to be the most consistently effective tool.
With that said, let me share with you a simple prayer that I use when I run up against the sort of thing we are discussing in this post. If you so desire, give it a try. Like all affirmative prayer, the key is to generate feeling in your prayer and repeat it many times. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were your subconscious impediments and imprints. Likewise, they won’t crumble in a day, either. Here is the prayer:
Releasing Negative Imprints
Through the healing power of the God’s One True Light, I now release all negative imprints and impediments in my body, mind, will, and spirit. I release these personal delusions and they are no longer part of me, nor do they create obstacles to the perfect application of the Divine Laws of Manifestation. I am now cleansed and perfected – I am healed, healthy, happy, and whole.
By the power of the Holy Spirit and in the sacred name of Christ, so it is.
Amen.
© L.D. Turner 2009/All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Renewing the Mind: The Importance of Scripture
L. Dwight Turner
In today’s world we have what can best be described as a “spiritual marketplace.” In addition to the Christian faith as well as the other major religions of the world, we have numerous splinter groups, misguided cults, and New Age groups of every color and stripe. In such an environment where so many spiritual options are available to genuine seekers of the light, it is important that we, as Christians, keep ourselves saturated with scripture. Doing so will not only protect us from the works and schemes of the enemy, but will also help us to grow more deeply in our walk with God. Charles Stanley speaks to this issue clearly:
Those who don’t read their Bible are subject to what Paul described as “every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:14).
I can personally attest to the value of immersing oneself in scripture when confronted with the realities of the postmodern world in which we now live. Over the course of many years, I have not only studied, but delved deeply into numerous religions and spiritual paths. I can honestly say that I profited from this effort. It allowed me to see at some depth what other people believed and devoted their lives to. Further, every religion contains some degree of truth and has valuable teachings. To deny this is to be spiritually near-sighted. Some of these truths have helped me in many ways, including deepening my daily walk with Christ.
With that said, however, there is always a danger lurking in the shadows when we explore new and exotic teachings. As Paul says, we may get sidetracked by “every wind of doctrine.” I know from personal exploration that many ideas sound great but, when followed to their logical conclusion, are nothing but empty rabbit holes.
I find the following words by Charles Stanley to be, as usual, right on target:
As many times as I have read my entire Bible, I still have new insights into God’s Word every time I sit down to read it. The Bible is always fresh; it never grows stale. Often I find that God leads me to read a particular passage just when I need it the most. He reminds me of what I already know so that I will be able to use His truth in a very specific way in the hours or days ahead…….The wonder of God’s Word is that you can never understand it fully. God’s Word holds countless layers of insight and meaning and it is applicable in unique ways to an infinite number of situations. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more insights you have into His character and into the way in which God operates. You have a growing understanding of who you are created to be and called to be.
One of the greatest benefits of immersing ourselves in scripture comes from the discovery that the Bible is not so much about us as it is about God. The Bible, from cover to cover, is an unfolding of God’s Great Story. It is a story of redemption, recovery, restoration, renewal, revival – whatever “R” word you might want to choose. In addition, it is a story of the bringing of God’s kingdom down from the spiritual realm and assisting with its manifestation here in the physical realm.
What is more amazing is the fact that each of us, no matter who we are, where we come from, or where we have been is an integral part of that great story. Each of us has a role to play in God’s great plan of redemption and revival. Our job is to discover that role and then play it to its fullest. That’s why we here at LifeBrook put so much stress on the notion of becoming the optimal version of yourself for the glory of God and the benefit of others. By becoming the absolute best that we can be, we are better equipped to do what God planned for us to do. He has called us to a great work and has equipped us to accomplish that work.
Recognizing that we have a purpose to fulfill in God’s larger, more magnificent story results in several important insights. First of all, it should give us a sense of humility in that we see that it is indeed “God’s Story,” not ours. He is the director, the producer, even the scriptwriter. Our part is to find out what role we are to play and to play it well. Second, realizing we are a part of God’s Great Story gives life a new perspective and deepens our sense of meaning and purpose. This awareness has a healing quality to it in that we feel connected to a purpose much larger than our own desires.
Many of us make the mistake of underestimating the significance and the power of the Bible when it comes to personal transformation in general and renewing the mind in particular. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with scriptures that, when planted into the fertile soil of our subconscious mind, can eventually take root and grow. As this process takes place, we find that our perspective on certain things begins to change, always for the better. It is this reason, as well as many others described above that I encourage you to never dismiss scripture as a major tool in your spiritual arsenal. It is truly the breath of the Holy Spirit and can be of great benefit when used properly.
© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved
In today’s world we have what can best be described as a “spiritual marketplace.” In addition to the Christian faith as well as the other major religions of the world, we have numerous splinter groups, misguided cults, and New Age groups of every color and stripe. In such an environment where so many spiritual options are available to genuine seekers of the light, it is important that we, as Christians, keep ourselves saturated with scripture. Doing so will not only protect us from the works and schemes of the enemy, but will also help us to grow more deeply in our walk with God. Charles Stanley speaks to this issue clearly:
Those who don’t read their Bible are subject to what Paul described as “every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:14).
I can personally attest to the value of immersing oneself in scripture when confronted with the realities of the postmodern world in which we now live. Over the course of many years, I have not only studied, but delved deeply into numerous religions and spiritual paths. I can honestly say that I profited from this effort. It allowed me to see at some depth what other people believed and devoted their lives to. Further, every religion contains some degree of truth and has valuable teachings. To deny this is to be spiritually near-sighted. Some of these truths have helped me in many ways, including deepening my daily walk with Christ.
With that said, however, there is always a danger lurking in the shadows when we explore new and exotic teachings. As Paul says, we may get sidetracked by “every wind of doctrine.” I know from personal exploration that many ideas sound great but, when followed to their logical conclusion, are nothing but empty rabbit holes.
I find the following words by Charles Stanley to be, as usual, right on target:
As many times as I have read my entire Bible, I still have new insights into God’s Word every time I sit down to read it. The Bible is always fresh; it never grows stale. Often I find that God leads me to read a particular passage just when I need it the most. He reminds me of what I already know so that I will be able to use His truth in a very specific way in the hours or days ahead…….The wonder of God’s Word is that you can never understand it fully. God’s Word holds countless layers of insight and meaning and it is applicable in unique ways to an infinite number of situations. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more insights you have into His character and into the way in which God operates. You have a growing understanding of who you are created to be and called to be.
One of the greatest benefits of immersing ourselves in scripture comes from the discovery that the Bible is not so much about us as it is about God. The Bible, from cover to cover, is an unfolding of God’s Great Story. It is a story of redemption, recovery, restoration, renewal, revival – whatever “R” word you might want to choose. In addition, it is a story of the bringing of God’s kingdom down from the spiritual realm and assisting with its manifestation here in the physical realm.
What is more amazing is the fact that each of us, no matter who we are, where we come from, or where we have been is an integral part of that great story. Each of us has a role to play in God’s great plan of redemption and revival. Our job is to discover that role and then play it to its fullest. That’s why we here at LifeBrook put so much stress on the notion of becoming the optimal version of yourself for the glory of God and the benefit of others. By becoming the absolute best that we can be, we are better equipped to do what God planned for us to do. He has called us to a great work and has equipped us to accomplish that work.
Recognizing that we have a purpose to fulfill in God’s larger, more magnificent story results in several important insights. First of all, it should give us a sense of humility in that we see that it is indeed “God’s Story,” not ours. He is the director, the producer, even the scriptwriter. Our part is to find out what role we are to play and to play it well. Second, realizing we are a part of God’s Great Story gives life a new perspective and deepens our sense of meaning and purpose. This awareness has a healing quality to it in that we feel connected to a purpose much larger than our own desires.
Many of us make the mistake of underestimating the significance and the power of the Bible when it comes to personal transformation in general and renewing the mind in particular. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with scriptures that, when planted into the fertile soil of our subconscious mind, can eventually take root and grow. As this process takes place, we find that our perspective on certain things begins to change, always for the better. It is this reason, as well as many others described above that I encourage you to never dismiss scripture as a major tool in your spiritual arsenal. It is truly the breath of the Holy Spirit and can be of great benefit when used properly.
© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Renewing the Mind: The Importance of Scripture
Mick Turner
In today’s world we have what can best be described as a “spiritual marketplace.” In addition to the Christian faith as well as the other major religions of the world, we have numerous splinter groups, misguided cults, and New Age groups of every color and stripe. In such an environment where so many spiritual options are available to genuine seekers of the light, it is important that we, as Christians, keep ourselves saturated with scripture. Doing so will not only protect us from the works and schemes of the enemy, but will also help us to grow more deeply in our walk with God. Charles Stanley speaks to this issue clearly:
Those who don’t read their Bible are subject to what Paul described as “every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:14).
I can personally attest to the value of immersing oneself in scripture when confronted with the realities of the postmodern world in which we now live. Over the course of many years, I have not only studied, but delved deeply into numerous religions and spiritual paths. I can honestly say that I profited from this effort. It allowed me to see at some depth what other people believed and devoted their lives to. Further, every religion contains some degree of truth and has valuable teachings. To deny this is to be spiritually near-sighted. Some of these truths have helped me in many ways, including deepening my daily walk with Christ.
With that said, however, there is always a danger lurking in the shadows when we explore new and exotic teachings. As Paul says, we may get sidetracked by “every wind of doctrine.” I know from personal exploration that many ideas sound great but, when followed to their logical conclusion, are nothing but empty rabbit holes.
I find the following words by Charles Stanley to be, as usual, right on target:
As many times as I have read my entire Bible, I still have new insights into God’s Word every time I sit down to read it. The Bible is always fresh; it never grows stale. Often I find that God leads me to read a particular passage just when I need it the most. He reminds me of what I already know so that I will be able to use His truth in a very specific way in the hours or days ahead…….The wonder of God’s Word is that you can never understand it fully. God’s Word holds countless layers of insight and meaning and it is applicable in unique ways to an infinite number of situations. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more insights you have into His character and into the way in which God operates. You have a growing understanding of who you are created to be and called to be.
One of the greatest benefits of immersing ourselves in scripture comes from the discovery that the Bible is not so much about us as it is about God. The Bible, from cover to cover, is an unfolding of God’s Great Story. It is a story of redemption, recovery, restoration, renewal, revival – whatever “R” word you might want to choose. In addition, it is a story of the bringing of God’s kingdom down from the spiritual realm and assisting with its manifestation here in the physical realm.
What is more amazing is the fact that each of us, no matter who we are, where we come from, or where we have been is an integral part of that great story. Each of us has a role to play in God’s great plan of redemption and revival. Our job is to discover that role and then play it to its fullest. That’s why we here at LifeBrook put so much stress on the notion of becoming the optimal version of yourself for the glory of God and the benefit of others. By becoming the absolute best that we can be, we are better equipped to do what God planned for us to do. He has called us to a great work and has equipped us to accomplish that work.
Recognizing that we have a purpose to fulfill in God’s larger, more magnificent story results in several important insights. First of all, it should give us a sense of humility in that we see that it is indeed “God’s Story,” not ours. He is the director, the producer, even the scriptwriter. Our part is to find out what role we are to play and to play it well. Second, realizing we are a part of God’s Great Story gives life a new perspective and deepens our sense of meaning and purpose. This awareness has a healing quality to it in that we feel connected to a purpose much larger than our own desires.
Many of us make the mistake of underestimating the significance and the power of the Bible when it comes to personal transformation in general and renewing the mind in particular. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with scriptures that, when planted into the fertile soil of our subconscious mind, can eventually take root and grow. As this process takes place, we find that our perspective on certain things begins to change, always for the better. It is this reason, as well as many others described above that I encourage you to never dismiss scripture as a major tool in your spiritual arsenal. It is truly the breath of the Holy Spirit and can be of great benefit when used properly.
© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved
In today’s world we have what can best be described as a “spiritual marketplace.” In addition to the Christian faith as well as the other major religions of the world, we have numerous splinter groups, misguided cults, and New Age groups of every color and stripe. In such an environment where so many spiritual options are available to genuine seekers of the light, it is important that we, as Christians, keep ourselves saturated with scripture. Doing so will not only protect us from the works and schemes of the enemy, but will also help us to grow more deeply in our walk with God. Charles Stanley speaks to this issue clearly:
Those who don’t read their Bible are subject to what Paul described as “every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:14).
I can personally attest to the value of immersing oneself in scripture when confronted with the realities of the postmodern world in which we now live. Over the course of many years, I have not only studied, but delved deeply into numerous religions and spiritual paths. I can honestly say that I profited from this effort. It allowed me to see at some depth what other people believed and devoted their lives to. Further, every religion contains some degree of truth and has valuable teachings. To deny this is to be spiritually near-sighted. Some of these truths have helped me in many ways, including deepening my daily walk with Christ.
With that said, however, there is always a danger lurking in the shadows when we explore new and exotic teachings. As Paul says, we may get sidetracked by “every wind of doctrine.” I know from personal exploration that many ideas sound great but, when followed to their logical conclusion, are nothing but empty rabbit holes.
I find the following words by Charles Stanley to be, as usual, right on target:
As many times as I have read my entire Bible, I still have new insights into God’s Word every time I sit down to read it. The Bible is always fresh; it never grows stale. Often I find that God leads me to read a particular passage just when I need it the most. He reminds me of what I already know so that I will be able to use His truth in a very specific way in the hours or days ahead…….The wonder of God’s Word is that you can never understand it fully. God’s Word holds countless layers of insight and meaning and it is applicable in unique ways to an infinite number of situations. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more insights you have into His character and into the way in which God operates. You have a growing understanding of who you are created to be and called to be.
One of the greatest benefits of immersing ourselves in scripture comes from the discovery that the Bible is not so much about us as it is about God. The Bible, from cover to cover, is an unfolding of God’s Great Story. It is a story of redemption, recovery, restoration, renewal, revival – whatever “R” word you might want to choose. In addition, it is a story of the bringing of God’s kingdom down from the spiritual realm and assisting with its manifestation here in the physical realm.
What is more amazing is the fact that each of us, no matter who we are, where we come from, or where we have been is an integral part of that great story. Each of us has a role to play in God’s great plan of redemption and revival. Our job is to discover that role and then play it to its fullest. That’s why we here at LifeBrook put so much stress on the notion of becoming the optimal version of yourself for the glory of God and the benefit of others. By becoming the absolute best that we can be, we are better equipped to do what God planned for us to do. He has called us to a great work and has equipped us to accomplish that work.
Recognizing that we have a purpose to fulfill in God’s larger, more magnificent story results in several important insights. First of all, it should give us a sense of humility in that we see that it is indeed “God’s Story,” not ours. He is the director, the producer, even the scriptwriter. Our part is to find out what role we are to play and to play it well. Second, realizing we are a part of God’s Great Story gives life a new perspective and deepens our sense of meaning and purpose. This awareness has a healing quality to it in that we feel connected to a purpose much larger than our own desires.
Many of us make the mistake of underestimating the significance and the power of the Bible when it comes to personal transformation in general and renewing the mind in particular. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are filled with scriptures that, when planted into the fertile soil of our subconscious mind, can eventually take root and grow. As this process takes place, we find that our perspective on certain things begins to change, always for the better. It is this reason, as well as many others described above that I encourage you to never dismiss scripture as a major tool in your spiritual arsenal. It is truly the breath of the Holy Spirit and can be of great benefit when used properly.
© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved
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