1KIngs 3:9 (Amplified) says, "So give Your servant an understanding mind and a hearing heart."
We've been studying the conditions of the heart or the spirit of a man. This is a condition that's determined by each man on an individual basis. Every man has a will of his own that God will not violate. When God created man, He didn't make a pulpit. He made someone just like Himself. Don't be put off by thinking I'm saying that you are God. You are not. But, you are in charge of your own will and choices in your life. God has a plan for every man's life, but it's up to the individual to receive or reject His plan.
God would that "All men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Lord," according to 1Timothy 2:3-4 (Amplified), "For such (praying) is good and right, and (it is) pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior." Verse 4 goes on, "Who wishes all men to be saved and (increasingly) to perceive and discern and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the (divine) truth."
If God wishes that all men should be saved and know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, then why will some men perish? Because each man has a part to play in his own salvation. Every person has a will to either yield to God's will for their lives or to reject it. The hearing heart Solomon speaks about in 1Kings 3:9 is determined by your mindset. He prayed, or asked for, an understanding mind. Your mind will determine whether or not you yield to the Spirit of God. Romans 12:2 (Amplified) says, "Do not be conformed to this world (this age), (fashioned after and adapted to its external superficial customs) be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind (by its new ideals and its new attitude) so that you may prove (for yourselves) what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His sight for you)."
God has a will for your life that is good and acceptable and perfect for you. Having a mind that's not renewed by God's Word is what keeps you from having a hearing heart. The soul of a man, his mind, his will and his emotions, stands between your heart (your spirit) and the flesh. Your flesh will respond only to what your mind tells it to do. The flesh (your natural body) has no mind of its own and only does what your soulish (unrenewed) mind instructs it to do. Your body cannot get up and go wherever it wishes to go. It can only go where your mind (the control center) allows it to go.
This has been a struggle in the lives of Christians for 2,000 years. When we become born again, our spirit is changed by the power of God, but our minds still think the same way it always did. Until our mind is renewed by the Word of God, it will continue to dictating the same lusts and the same way of doing things it always did. This is all it knows. We spent a lifetime walking in this , and we taught our mind what was right and wrong according to the world. We totally depended on what we knew from the world to get us through.
Now that our spirit is born again, it's supposed to lead us by the Word and the voice of the Lord. Now, when we incur a trial that we've never encountered before, our spirit (by the Holy Spirit) will tell us one thing and our unrenewed mind will tell us something else. This is the same situation that causes Christians to walk under such guilt and condemnation. In his heart, the Christian wants to do God's will, but his mind (or soulish realm) is being directed in another way. He calls upon God for direction in his life, but he's still caught up in his mind as to what or how to do what God says to do.
James 1:5-8 (Amplified) says that, "If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God (Who gives) to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or fault finding, and it will be given him."
This verse tells us that if we ask Him for wisdom, then God will give it. So, it's not a matter of God giving the wisdom, but of our receiving it. Verse 6 says, "Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting) for the one who waivers (hesitates, or doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind."
So, when we asked for wisdom, God gave it. But, when wisdom came, we began wondering whether it was from God or not and whether it was really the Holy Spirit or not. Now, we have put ourselves into a place of doubt. Verse 8 says, "(For being as he is ) a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute) (he is) unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything (he thinks, feels, decides)."
When God deals with us in our hearts, we know we need guidance. Then, we ask God for wisdom to deliver us from whatever we've gotten into. God is so faithful and gives the wisdom needed to deliver us from the place we are in. When we don't have a renewed mind, we try reasoning things out in our own way and miss the wisdom God gave us. And, we continue on in your own way which leads to sin and even death. 1James 14 (Amplified) says, "But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire, lust, and passions."
These are the dictates of a mind that thinks like it did before we were saved. This is a deadly trap set for the believer by the enemy. Your body will only go where you instruct it or allow it to. It can't commit adultery unless you allow it to. It has no mind of its own, but we give it a carnal, unrenewed mind of the world or one that's renewed by the Word and the Holy Spirit. When we ask God for wisdom, but don't know the Word (which is God's will), we make the same mistakes we made before. This in turn, brings condemnation to your heart (you new spirit) and brings you to the place John speaks about in 1John 3:20 (Amplified) saying, "Whenever our hearts in (tormenting) self-accusations make us feel guilty and condemn us (for we are in God's hands) For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts) and He (perceives and understands) everything (nothing is hidden from Him)."
Renewing the Christian's mind isn't simply something we should do, bu it's something we must do if we are to ever walk in peace and liberty. Your mind (your soulish man) stands between your new, born again spirit and the old, carnal man that you were. God's work in your spirit was perfect and complete but your old, unrenewed man still only knows one way to walk without the Word. Now, as Christian, we've come to a place where we are doubled minded and unstable.
We have the mind of Christ. Romans 8:5-6 (Amplified) says, "For those who are according to the flesh, and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the things of the flesh (carnal man) . But those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the (Holy) Spirit." Verse 6 says, "Now the mind of the flesh (which is sens and reason without the Holy Spirit) is death (death that comprises all the miseries that arise from sin, both here and hereafter. But the mind of the (Holy) Spirit is life and (soul) peace (both now and forever)."
Did you notice how Verse 6 the "Holy Spirit, the mind of Christ, brings (soul) peace?" This soul peace will quiet the heart from guilt and condemnation and allow peace to enter in (even to your flesh or soul). 1John 3:21 (Amplified) says, "And beloved, if our consciences (our hearts) do not accuse us (if they do not make us feel guilty and condemn us) we have confidence (complete assurance and boldness) before God."
A hearing heart is one that has allowed the mind to be renewed by the Word of God (by the Holy Spirit) making is able to make decisions by the Word and not just emotions. Emotions are great as long as you control them and don't let them control you. A carnal (unrenewed mind) will ruled over your heart and lead you into a place of condemnation. A renewed mind (by the Word) will lead you into a place of peace, healing and the perfect will of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment