- Renew Your Minds
“Do not conform any long to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
Remember that over time, we develop habitual patterns of thinking and behaving. Even though we have now taken off the “old self” and put on the “new self,” we need to ask the Lord to renew our minds through His Word and break our old patterns of thinking and behaving.
- Take your Thoughts Captive
“We demolish arguments and ever pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
The enemy will bring some of the old thoughts back to you at times. When he does, surrender them to Christ, invite His Spirit to give you power to resist these temptations and ask Him to renew your mind with holy thoughts. Dwell on Scriptures that oppose these thoughts (Philippians 4:8).
- Be Filled with the Spirit
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told the disciples that they would be filled with the Spirit so that they would become powerful witnesses for the gospel: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” From the point of spiritual birth, God’s Spirit begins to dwell within us. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13).
Though the Spirit dwells within us, we must release our own self-effort and ask the Spirit to direct our lives. When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill and empower us, we will be victorious over sin: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Paul’s meaning in this passage is that we would not allow any sin to rule or control our lives; rather, we will ask the Spirit to control us. Not only does the Holy Spirit give us victory over sin, but He fills us with power to be a bold witness for Christ through our testimony and spiritual gifts that He bestows on us (1 Corinthians 12): “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:31).
Ask God to fill you with the fullness of His Spirit to live a holy life and to serve Him in power with the spiritual gifts He desires to bestow upon you.
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