This is the second in a series about renewing your mind. It is very important to renew your mind with the word of God. An important thing to know is what Jesus did for you on the cross. You are in Christ, so you are more than a conqueror.
Rom 12:1-2 “I *beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not *conformed to this world: but be ye *transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” KJV
1 bring emotions into subjection to the will of God
2 Gods plan is that we are not involved with the world, the economy or whatever the challenge might be, be changed with the renewing of our minds, making a quality choice to renew our mind,
* beseech means a stronger word than call or ask, almost a demand
* conformed means the world has a plan or form for us to be molded into Rom 12:2 “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
We want to renew our minds with things to bring us into line with God’s perfect will. One way is to know our authority in Jesus. Jesus obtained all authority over the devil because of the cross.
Col:2:10-15 10: And ye are *complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12: *Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.13: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;14: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15: And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Paul gives us two main things we become because of Jesus work on the cross.
1. We are complete in him.
*complete in him means we are fully prepared for any conquest through Jesus. Why? Because he is the head of all principality and power. Jesus has authority over all demonic power, and we have the victory because of what he did to the devil. Jesus spoiled principalities and powers. This term refers to what the Roman soldiers did to captives. They would strip the leaders of the town they just defeated. Then they would parade them through the street naked, and in chains. This was the show of them openly, showing their triumph of the defeated ones. Jesus did this to the devil and all his demons. They are a defeated foe that does not know it.
Eph:1:19-23 19: And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20: Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21: Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23: Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
2. He tells us that we are dead to the old nature, a new creation.
*Buried with him and raised from the dead. Your old nature is buried with him. You are a new creature. Your old nature was cut off just as in circumcision the fore skin was cut off. We are dead to that nature and are alive to Christ and all he has for us.
2Co:5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Jesus told the disciples about this after his resurrection. He told them of the authority he had and that he gave to them.
M’t:28:18-20 18: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Power here is authority. Jesus was give power, and he handed it right over to us so we can all reach the world for the kingdom of God.
We are more than conquerors through Jesus. He did all the work, and we reap the consequences.
1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Our victory is not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus did on the cross. He spoiled the principalities and powers. We have the victory because of his work on the cross.
Ro:8:31-39 31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36: As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39: Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is a powerful statement; He didn’t spare Jesus and so through Jesus He is going to provide us with everything that we may have need of. Nothing can separate us from Gods love, we are more than conquerors. In every situation that comes along, Gods plan and purpose for us is that we would rise up and gain victory through His love for us, becoming champions of the faith. How are we able to do this? We do it through faith. Remember these two things, God is for us, and we are more than a conqueror. No matter the circumstance, you are a winner in Jesus.
Phil 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
We are not to be intimidated by the devil, and all that is at work in the world. We can overcome the devil every time if we use our weapons, which Christ has given to us.
2 Cor 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our *warfare are not *carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of *strong holds;) 5 Casting down *imaginations, and every *high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
*warfare deals with military expedition connected with hardships, trials and danger involved with it * carnal means in the flesh
* stronghold is something that wants to argue against the gospel, not believing what the word of God says
* imaginations means thoughts that led to actions, follow through and act the thought out, it will effect and determine our conduct and speech, will be hostile from walking after the spirit of God
*high thing means built up by the enemy, will involve pride, something very lofty v. 5 casting down and bringing into captivity every thought – refers to a king that has done warfare against another and has defeated him, then brings him in chains to be shown to the people to be in subjection
The weapons of our warfare go beyond our natural ability, when it goes beyond our ability, then it becomes supernatural because of God being involved, enabling us to overcome any opposition that has been brought to us. It is God’s plan for us to deal with the strongholds and wrong thoughts, put them into captivity and put them on parade, they are defeated and we are living on, acting on Gods thoughts and His word.
Let’s list some of our weapons that Jesus has given to us.
- His name and faith in that name.M’r:16:17-18 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18: They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
1 John 5:4-5 4, For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5, Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
- His bloodRe:12:11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
- His word2 Corinthians 2:14, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Joh:8:32: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Christ is in us the hope of glory, He dwells there, walks there, and He is our champion. He stripped the enemy of all his power, took the keys of death and hell from him. We have a champion on the inside of us that wants to get out.
Isa:54:17: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
The word champion is used throughout the story of David and Goliath, the complete story being told in 1st Samuel chapter 17. What is a champion and what does it mean to be a champion? Champion means a winner or someone at the top, a strong man, mighty man and a very courageous man and a warrior. When David went into battle, he was passionate and the mentality of the Hebrews going into battle after Goliath had been slain was the same.
Their shields had three words on them:
- RAK means only victory
- CHAZAK means whitening of the knuckles, tensing of the muscles, ready to go, gritting of the teeth
- AMATS is headlong into battle, full speed, no hesitation even into the hottest of the battle, never considering defeat, it was not an option. If we would take on the mentality of a spiritual warrior, “rak” would become ours, only victory. Jesus said that we are more than conquerors. That is the way we should go in, not beat down or intimidated, we go in to intimidate and defeat the enemy. “Chazak” we are spiritually prepared, we have prayed and read our bible and have been in touch with Jesus and are anxious to hit the adversary. “Amats” no matter how tough, no whining or complaining, going full speed ahead. Gods plan is that we win over the adversary. 1
1Sa:17:1-11 1: Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2: And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. 3: And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. 4: And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.5: And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6: And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7: And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. 8: And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9: If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10: And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11: When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17 records the classic battle between David and Goliath. Goliath was considered a champion, a giant and he had defied the army of Israel for 40 days, morning and evening he would go out and chant to them, “you can’t beat me” and the army began to believe what he was saying, they were trembling in fear.
1Sa:17:42-47 42: And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43: And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44: And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45: Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46: This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47: And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.
David goes to the battlefield to check on his brothers, he hears the giant and asks the question, who is this uncircumcised guy, (meaning he doesn’t have a covenant with God) and you are letting one person defy an entire army? David steps up to go conqueror the giant, but those around began to ask who David thought he was. The giant had been trained all his life for war and David had only taken care of his father’s sheep. David explained how he had killed bear and a lion with his bare hands and the same God who had helped him kill the lion and bear will help him kill Goliath.
1Sam 17:51-52 “Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.” KJV
David ran to meet Goliath, he was ready to take the giant down and when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead they fled. The men of Israel rose up and took after the Philistines and got victory over them, they began to pursue the enemy with “rak”.
Jas:4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
When we submit ourselves to God and resist the devil, he will flee from us, by going into a spiritual battle with this attitude, with “rak” we will experience a victory and with “chazak” and “amats” the lesser demons around will run in fear. This is what Jesus put on the demons when He went to hell and He arose victorious. He reigns supreme in heaven and now lifts us up to set with Him in heavenly places. We can now shout “rak”; this is our passion for victory. Even though we have heard the lies for years and have started to believe them, we can’t listen to the lies of the enemy telling us the same things, we are losers, we can’t be healed, we can’t prosper.
Eph 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” KJV
We are champions in Jesus; “rak” will drive out fear and intimidation. We are the winners, the healed, the prosperous, zeal and passion is ours.
Psalm 31:24, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
The victory is His because we were lost and undone when He found us, changed us, and gave us the victory.
Ph’p:4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Psalm 47:1, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
Psalm 105:24, “And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.”
We can do all things through Christ because He strengthens us, if God is for us than nothing can be against us, that we will always triumphant, everywhere we may go, no weapon formed against us can prosper, every word spoken against us will be condemned, the enemy may come against us and he will have to flee seven ways, but sometimes we quit to soon and don’t have the ability to implement the promises in our lives. Unless we know how to stand and have the ability to counteract those things thrown at us from the enemy, we never experience the blessings of God and what He has promised.
Goode Christian: learning how to be a good Christian in today's world. 