Mind Control

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

            - Romans 12:2

What does it mean to renew your mind? Wipe everything clean and start all over tabula rosa style? Scripture hammers home this idea of renewing our minds. So often in Christianity we tend to make everything an issue of “the heart”. What’s the difference in your heart and your mind in Christianity? That is a good question and one that you ought to think about. But what does it really mean to renew our minds? What’s wrong with our minds?

Here’s what’s wrong with our minds: we are sinful, broken people who have corrupt minds and thoughts. Everything about you, apart from Christ, is sinful. Our nature is sinful. It’s an internal part of who we are that only Christ can change. Our thoughts are grotesque and repulsive. What would we do if someone played a DVD of all our thoughts we’ve ever had in church on Sunday morning? We would run out and never show our face there again. Our minds need to be renewed.

Your mind, even if you are a Christian, is crucial to your faith and belief. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. What does it mean to take our thoughts captive? You have control over your thoughts to a certain extent. Yes, the enemy, Satan, influences your thoughts. Your mind is where he gets you. He attacks your head, your thoughts, and your mind. You have control over your mind but you’re letting the enemy use your mind to destroy you. You just are. Through Christ we have been set free…don’t forfeit your freedom and healing by letting the devil get a foothold in your mind. You have to choose not to believe the lies that Satan is telling you. You have to immerse yourself in truth, God’s truth. You have to plant truth mines in your mind so that when Satan tries to break his way in, he gets blown up along with his lies.

Our minds need renewing. We are sinful, broken people with filthy grotesque minds that need cleansing. Satan attacks our thoughts. That is a bad combination. It is essential that we are perpetually immersing ourselves in God’s truth so that our minds can be renewed by the Holy Spirit.