Renew Your Mind

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.

Romans 12:2 

I was listening to a teaching series on the makings of your mind and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome said something that really captured my attention. He said “it’s not ability, it’s mentality.” He went on to describe how the lion is not the biggest or fastest animal in the wild yet he the Lion is the king. Why? Because of his mentality. 

What God is trying to get us to understand is He has left us with the Holy Spirit, and through Christ we can do all things. The Holy Spirit has given us the wisdom to solve problems, and to conquer all obstacles with a overcoming spirit. Our present condition is a reflection of our current mentality, and if we learn how to shift towards the glory of God, we can tap into “a lion mentality” and unlock the keys to the kingdom. 

Often times we ask God for things He has already giving us the ability and responsibility to do. We wait for Him to move, but He’s waiting for us to renew our minds and realize we have the ability to create whatever is in His will for us to have. Problems are opportunities to grow in faith, patience and perseverance. It is the suffering that produces the fruit of the vine (Galatians 5:22-23). When we encounter a problem we should approach it with a lion mentality; conquer (solve) it. Problem<Prayer, satan <God, rejection <Love, ect. Whatever this issue is, your God is bigger. Renew your mind to believe that you can overcome any obstacles through Christ. 

How you see yourself plays a role in how you perform. If you don’t feel confident in yourself, it will show in your posture and in your attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude in life. Being successful comes with having and overcoming and positive attitude. Enduring in Christ requires overcoming and being cheerful when giving your life to Christ, even through persecution and opposition. It is in our cheerfulness through persecution that we begin to get the attention of God.

The Bible says “I can and I will.” Pastor Chris said, when the lion sees an elephant that is twice his size, the lion doesn’t fear the elephant but considers him lunch. The lion acts how he feels. That’s why you can’t fake confidence, it’s either in you or it’s not. Every Christian should be or develop confidence, because when we are weak the Spirit of the Lord is strong within us. So instead of boasting in ourselves, we boast in the Lord. Having confidence in yourself unlocks the spirit of faith. How? Because the Bible says God lives in us, so if we have confidence in the ability God has given us, we are showing that we have faith in what God doing through us. It is truly a beautiful thing when you tie it all together. 

I encourage you to develop an overcoming mentality when in the face of adversity and or problematic circumstances. I declare and decree that you are as bold as a lion in the things of the spirit, and that you develop a lion mentality because your Savior is the Lion of Judah. So be it. 

Run well.