THOSE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD Part 27

“Those who know their God will be strong and do great things.” Dan 11:32

WHAT DO PEOPLE DO TO KNOW GOD?

Yesterday we talked about what faith looks like. But where does faith come from? When I went through the episode of demons in my home, I realized that my only weapon would be the word of God. I knew I had to renew my mind with what God had declared about me and my relationship with him.

In simplistic terms, faith comes from renewing your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform 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. The purpose of your faith is to cause you to know what God already knows about you. What does God know about you? He knows that you are his heir; you are royalty. He knows that the very power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is available to you when you believe. Eph 1:19

Oh, my dear friend, how God longs for you to step into who you were created to be. He knows that only faith gives you access to all that is yours. Apostle Peter describes obtaining this kind of faith as producing inexpressible and glorious joy.

1 Peter 1: 6-9 6 In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The purpose of trials is to provide you the opportunity to believe. When we are not experiencing trials and tribulations, it is easy to rely upon our own strength and therefore not grow in faith. But when we face something beyond our control and are in over our heads, it gives us the perfect occasion to set our minds on things above and believe God as never before.

Colossians 3:1-2 Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Learning to live with your mind on things above continually will be the greatest endeavor of your life! The more you think about what God has declared about you, the more you will experience it. This is why apostle Paul encouraged the church at Thessalonica with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Winning in life requires winning in your mind. To describe the importance of renewing the mind, God spoke through Moses to the children of Israel, saying, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Wow! God wants us to be serious about what we think about! You can be sure that the secret to your future will be found in your commitment to a lifestyle of thinking God’s thoughts. When you are continually thinking about what God says, you will end up believing what God says. Meditation on what God has declared about you will empower you to be bold like Joshua and Caleb when they said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” Numbers 13:30

I am praying for you today and asking God to inspire you to set your mind on things above as never before because…

FAITH COMES FROM RENEWING YOUR MIND