Why Spend Time Alone With GodSample

## Renewing Your Mind Your mind is the battleground on which the war for your emotions, purpose, effectiveness, and fullness of life is won or lost. It’s your mind that is attacked daily by the enemy. It’s your mind that the world is trying to influence for its own benefit. And it’s your mind that the Lord desires to renew daily for you to live in abundant relationship with him. So if the mind truly is a battleground, how do you come out the winner? How do you come out victorious over Satan and his schemes? Scripture says clearly that to achieve victory over your mind, the power of God’s word must continually renew it. > Romans 12:2 states, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” God puts conforming to the world and being transformed by the renewal of your mind in opposition. There is no grey area. Your mind is either being won for the kingdom of God or lost to the world. You are either thinking pleasing thoughts to God or not. You are either experiencing the abundant life Jesus made available to you or not. For a long time, the idea of renewing my mind felt exhausting. Honestly, reading the Bible was incredibly boring for me. But I discovered that the Bible is only as life-giving to me as I am willing to be transformed by it. Until we actually sit down, open our hearts, and allow ourselves to be transformed by God’s word, we will never experience the life that comes from victory in our minds. The thoughts that plague you—those that rob you of freedom, peace, and joy—will never leave you until you allow your mind to be renewed by God’s word. To ignore the war being waged around us is to lose the war. Our enemy longs for us to become complacent against his attacks. He longs for us to believe sinful thoughts, wrongful attitudes, and lies are just a part of life on earth. He knows he has no power against the ability of God’s word to transform us. So, how do you renew your mind? Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Set your thoughts on the things of God. Begin every day by setting your mind on the wonderful character of the living God and your new identity in Christ. If you will allow God’s word to be the foundation of your thought life by spending your first moments meditating on Scripture, the battle for your mind will be won for the kingdom. The negative thoughts and insecurities you face daily will flee from you in the glorious light of God’s truth. That’s God’s promise for you today and every day. Take time today to meditate on Scripture and experience the transformative power of grace over your thoughts as you enter into guided prayer. ## Prayer 1\. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Repeat it over and over again, even out loud. Put yourself in the Scripture. Declare over yourself, “I am in Christ and a new creation. The old, sinful me has passed away, and the new me in Christ has come.” Allow the truth of Scripture to impact how you see yourself and your world. 2\. In what ways do your thoughts or life not line up with the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17? In what ways do you see yourself as anything but a new creation? In what ways do you identify with your sin rather than the freedom afforded you by the blood of Jesus? 3\. Journal what God shows you. Take these areas of your life and submit them to the truth of Scripture. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see yourself as he sees you. Let the Lord change your perspectives to see yourself as he does.