This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:17-24
The New Man
.. Here the apostle gives some of the best teaching with regard to the battles that go on in our minds. He’s revealing here some of the hidden truths that we need to really learn to get the victory in our minds. There are a number of things that are recorded here but firstly we need to understand what the ‘ new man ‘ means… It means that we are regenerated, in other words we are not in the old man but in the new man – in Jesus Christ the second Adam. ‘ The Mind In Battle. ‘
His Life In Me
It means that we have become a partaker of God’s divine life. We partake of God’s life now – the power of His life to generate.. change.. make new. That means that God’s all sufficiency to be found in the new life in regeneration means that He will work also healing and deliverance on our minds. The new life is Christ formed in the believer and we must always hold onto that in our faith. Whatever we go through, whatever the conflict or battle of the mind ‘ I have the new life that is formed in Christ – in me. ‘
A Renewed Mind
It is no longer my life but His life in me. That is our faith – our confession. It’s got nothing to do with feelings – circumstances what I’ve gone through or are going through. That is what we settle on with regard to our new life. But the mind has to be worked on and we have to remember that.. He has chosen in our new birth to work on our minds – to renew them. That is the mystery of God, the wisdom of God. Let God be God – He knows exactly what He’s doing. So let us have confidence.. belief in that.. .. ..
Pastor Kim L. Page
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:18-32
