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(Romans 12:2 NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” Yesterday I shared a message about the importance of renewing your mind. I can’t overstate the importance of this. Unless you renew your mind, you will never fully embrace the grace of God, because the old mind resists the goodness of God. The old mind is works-based, thinking you need to earn everything you get. The new mind is faith-based, knowing God is simply looking for you to believe what He wants to do in your life. With that in mind, let’s continue to learn about the importance of renewing your mind.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. The old mind focuses on your limited power and resources, the renewed mind focuses on a limitless God.
a. The devil wants you to focus on your old way of thinking and he will do all he can to get you to think that you can’t do what God is calling you to do. And in a sense, the devil is right. In-and-of yourself you can’t, but with God and His grace, you can.
b. By yourself you are limited. With God you are limitless.
c. Without God you had to do everything on your own and your power and ability were ‘okay’ at best. But with God’s power and ability you can do all things. Not because you are perfect, and not because you have earned it, only because of God’s grace.
d. Understanding grace helps you accept the power and ability God freely makes available to you. This is very important, because you will not experience God’s power until you accept it.
2. The old mind focuses on the mistakes you have made in your past, the renewed mind focuses on your God-given purpose.
a. When the devil looks at you he sees sin, and he wants you to see sin as well. When God looks at you He sees His Son, and He wants you to see His Son as well.
b. The devil wants you to judge your future by your past, God wants you to judge your future by His purpose for your life.
c. You are not perfect, but the message of grace reminds you that Jesus was perfect for you.
d. You are not worthy, but the message of grace reminds you that Jesus was worthy for you.
e. On your own you are not righteous, but the message of grace reminds you that Jesus was righteous for you and He took on your sin, in order for you to take on His righteousness.
3. You need a renewed mind in order to accomplish God’s will.
a. God’s plans for your life will always exceed your resources — your checkbook, education, last name, social connections, etc. — therefore causing you to rely on Him.
b. God’s plans will always require God’s involvement, because they will be too big for you.
c. God’s plans will always seem ‘too good to be true,’ and humanly speaking they are. God’s plans for us are far better than anything we would have come up with on our own. He planned to bless us and use us, before the foundations of the world, by His undeserved grace.
d. Unless you willingly die to self and embrace God’s plans by grace, you will always second-guess yourself as you pursue God’s purposes, telling yourself that you are not good enough and that what God is telling you is too good to be true. But when you die to self, God can freely flow through you, and the result will be amazing. You will get to live the life God wants you to live!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for teaching me about Your amazing grace. The more I learn about Your grace, the more my mind is renewed to accept it. I know I am limited, but You are limitless. My power and ability can only take me so far. But Your power and ability flowing through me, will take me further than I ever imagined. You have freely made Your power and ability available to me, through Your Son Christ Jesus, and I declare by faith that I die to self in order to accept it and experience it. The devil is going to fight against me. I know it. But the devil is defeated. The devil looks at me, he sees sin, and he wants me focused on sin. But when You look at me, You see Your Son, and You want me focused on Your Son. I accept your grace and I focus on You and Your plans for my life. I know Your plans are bigger than anything I have ever imagined. You can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all I could ever ask or think. So I accept and embrace Your plans by faith, and I prepare myself to enjoy the ride. You saved me from hell by the blood of Your Son Jesus, but You also saved me for Your purpose and I shall pursue my purpose by faith, accessing what You have freely given me by grace. 2014 shall be the best year of my life, because I will live it with a renewed mind. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
