A CHANGE OF MIND




This is the third in the series, "Wholeness in Christ."  In the next three sermons, we will  look at the individual aspects of the interconnected human trinity of mind, body and soul.  We talked previously that the health of each these aspects impacts the other two.  We will explore ways of how our wholeness in Christ can be brought back into balance based on God's Word.

 John 17:9-19
Ephesians 4:20-24, 6:14-17
Experiencing freedom as whole persons in Jesus Christ -- what does that mean to you?  What do we need to be freed from?  John 8:32 tells us that the truth of God that we experience through Christ sets us free.  Today, we're going to find out how the Truth can free the mind and free us for wholeness.
Sometimes, it is so annoying when some song gets stuck in my head.  Usually it's a song I don't remember all the words to, and a single phrase, verse or chorus, gets played over and over again.

Songs are not the only things that play on endless loops through our minds.  Since we were born, we have been taking in messages about who we are from the people in our lives and the media. When we hear them often enough, they become beliefs.  Those beliefs determine how we react to the circumstances in our lives and impact our relationships with others, with God and even our physical and emotional health.  Some of those messages, the things we come to believe about ourselves are positive, and some are negative.  The negative messages tear us down and apart rather than building us up:

"I'm worthless."
"I can't do anything right."
"No one will ever love me."
"It's all my fault."
"God can never forgive me."

And on, and on, and on.  They are abusive and dehumanizing because they deny the image of God we are all created in.

How do we counter these messages which negatively affect our health, our happiness and even how we perceive God?  It is with God's Truth.

In John 17:9-19, Jesus prays for the protection of His disciples and for us.  He knows how hard life can be and how cruel the world is to those who are different, who don't fit people's expectations and who choose to live in a way that is counter to the culture's values.  He understands that evil and sin are going to try to tear us down, but He doesn't ask that we be put in a protective bubble.  Instead He asks that we be protected by what will empower us to stand strong in wholeness and health which is the Truth of God.

Our identity and worth is not dependent upon what other people think or what the world tells us we are.  Who we are is determined by our identity in Christ and what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

When we have a clear understanding of that, we can rebuke the lies that have been eating us alive.

We don't have to dwell on our mistakes or allow negative attitudes to rule our lives.  Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things."  Through Christ, the hold of sin over us has been broken, and we have been given the power to choose our thoughts as well as our attitudes and our responses to what the world throws at us.

Just as we renew and refresh our bodies through rest and good nutrition, we renew the spirit of our minds by feeding it the Word of God.  In Ephesians 6, Paul likens this to putting on protective armor. When it comes to Truth, he advises:
  • "... fasten the belt of truth around your waist ..."  (Ephesians 6:14)   There are all kinds of belts, but when I read this scripture, I think of the kind that is used to protect against back injuries.  I think this means that we are to make God's truth the basis for our core values.
  • "... Take the Helmet of salvation ..."  (Ephesians 6:17)  A helmet protects our heads against injury.  When we know who we are because we have accepted the gift of salvation made available to us through Jesus Christ, our thoughts are transformed and our minds renewed.
  • "...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  (Ephesians 6:17)  In the context of this passage, the sword is a defensive weapon.  I see this as meaning that the Word of God, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, is our protection against the onslaughts of evil and sin on our minds.
In the context of the mind-body-soul connection, let's remember that our physical health will affect our emotions and thoughts, like chronic illnesses and the medications that treat them and conditions like depression and mental illnesses which have biological causes.  Nine percent of the adult population in our country suffer from some form of depression.  God's healing power is available through prayer, counseling and medication.  Praise God for gifts of medical science which help us experience freedom as whole persons.

God created us in God's image to reflect the nature of God which is love as creatures with a trinitarian interconnection of mind, body, and soul.  We are created for healing and wholeness, and through Christ, we have received the freedom to be the people God has created us.

 Finally, beloved,  whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  (Philippians 4:8, NRSV)

And be free.


Note:  For a list of scripture affirming who we are in Christ, go to www.prayertoday.org/2004/PDF/Guides/Who-I-Am.PDF

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