(An excerpt from Volume 1 - THE GARDEN OF EDEN - Adam's Creation and His Spiritual and Physical Environments.)

Transforming the mindset to be like Christ's can be hindered or helped depending on how we see ourselves as Christians, a new creation. Interpreting scriptures can be enhanced if our perception of ourselves as a children of God is good and scripturally based. This quick study will discuss how we should see ourselves when faced with the issues of life.

*****************************

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV) - "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. (8) He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

This is a man whose roots (faith in Christ) nourishes his soul by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. When life's issues brings trouble (heat), he does not wither because his faith is unwavering and made steadfast by the Bible's promises of God. He will not worry during prolonged periods of drought and will bear much fruit because by faith, he is at rest "in Christ". He knows that all things brought into his life by prolonged droughts will work out to his favor by the mercy and grace of God freely given to him - Romans 8:28 (KJV) - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

These verses of scripture in Jeremiah are just two of many throughout the Bible that provide a very important message of faith. All Christians seek the blessing of the Lord because the Bible states the promised Abrahamic covenant blessing of God is given to the Christian through his relationship with Christ Jesus - Ephesians 3:5-6 (NIV) - This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

The covenant promise to Abraham was "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring" (Genesis 28:14 NIV). Therefore the blessing of God is through our faith in Jesus, as the Son of God, as Savior and as Lord. First, faith and then blessing. Faith is paramount to changing the way we think, renewing our minds to think like Christ.

Faith cometh by hearing and believing the Word of God. But, the natural man (without faith in Christ) cannot know the truth of God or the mind of Christ - 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (KJV) - But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

"He that is spiritual judgeth all things" - Christians discern all things, whether they are of Christ or not, because he has the Spirit of God within him to edify God's truth.

"Himself is judged of no man"; "who hath known the mind of the Lord" - The natural man cannot discern the mind of Christians because does not know the mind of the Lord.

"But we have the mind of Christ" - Christians have the mind of Christ as they grow in faith and knowledge of Him.

Christians no longer rely on their old reasoning and understanding (knowledge in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil). They are guided in life by the Word of God, the testimony of Christ. Thus, their minds are renewed - Romans 12:2 (KJV) - 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.

But, the heart of man is deceitful above all things - Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV) - The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Renewing the mind can be a daunting task because of the opposition of the old mindset desiring to maintain the status quo of reasoning and understanding. This is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Knowledge assimilated by the sense consciousness of self-centered natural men. This knowledge bears the fruit of spiritual death. There's good information in this tree, but there is no eternal life in this knowledge. Man can use this information to work his way through his time on the earth, but he cannot obtain eternal life by relying on this knowledge as the true source of Godly wisdom. Wisdom for eternal life is found only in Christ's testimony - the Word of God.

So, in the spiritual landscape of man's life are two trees - the Tree of Life (Christ) and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Freewill man must choose which tree will provide him with the truth of eternal life.

Author's Personal Experience: Transforming my mind was greatly hindered by self perception. In the beginning of my Christian life, I perceived myself as a human being seeking to have spiritual experiences and sought to have even more spiritual experiences until I would be like Jesus. As a human, I sought to work out my salvation and transformation through obedience, self sacrifice, submission, etc. My self perception - I was a human being looking upward to heaven and seeking the blessings of God in my life. I believed life was determined by what I felt or didn't feel; what I had or didn't have or what I did or didn't do. All of which was based in my self-centered perception as a human being. I endeavored to seek God's intervention in my life to help me obtain that which I needed in my quest for survival. I was a human looking up towards heaven seeking and waiting on God to show up and answer my prayers. I was focused on my life's circumstances and unwittingly remained a human trying to overcome my needy condition by bargaining with God for His blessings. I thought I was a normal Christian according to my perception of Christianity.

Then, at a much later time, I had an epiphany of understanding - a greater light of a simple truth. I perceived myself not as a human being having spiritual experiences, but rather as a spiritual being having human experiences. This perception was a revelation I received when I heard an unknown woman give a witness of her victory over a grievous situation. This was a profound awareness in my mind, resulting in scripture after scripture resonating in my spirit. Scriptures which I heard and read many times tasted differently to my soul. I felt strife, uncertainty, fear, self desires, legalism, oppression and my perception of waiting on God change in an instant. Along with this new perception of being primarily a spiritual being rather than a human being, I sense the weight of my own body, as though it was a burden to my spirit anchoring me to the earth. I realized that flesh was a part of the human experience I will have during this dimension of life in the natural body.

I then better understood the scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! The old mindset was one of striving - seeking spirituality and God's blessings. My new mindset is an awareness of myself as a Christian who lives "in Him" and through Him every spiritual blessing has been bestowed. The blessings of God are not a matter of "yes" and "no", but they are always "yes" in Christ, in whom I live. My past fears, afflictions, tribulations, illness, financial needs, emotional difficulties, relational difficulties or any other hardship were just human experiences through which satan seeks to prevent me from understanding who I am as a new creation in Christ. This new awareness shut the door on satanic oppression.

Ephesians 1:3-10 (NIV) - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (4) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (5) he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- (6) to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace (8) that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (9) And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, (10) to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Now, I realize I am not primarily a human being. I am an adopted son of God, a brother of Christ and all of God's promises are mine, now! Still, I am having human experiences (issues of life), but I seek to do the will of God that I may glorify him through overcoming each human difficulty. I am not charting my own course in life, I am following Him. I am not alone in any situation because He is in me and I have been given authority to be like Him in all my human experiences - Colossians 2:9-10 (NIV) - For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, (10) and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. I will stand as a Christian and hold up the banner of Christ and proclaim Him as Lord because that is who I am! Human experiences are beneath my feet, as well as the demons and principalities of darkness. My old human mindset was akin to Peter when buffeted by the wind he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind and waves which caused him to sink in the water and he cried out to Jesus to help him. My new spiritual mindset is now akin to Peter when was walking on the water and his eyes were set on Jesus. I am fully persuaded the waters of affliction are beneath my feet and my victory is assured! Amen!

I no longer strive to be spiritual, I am spiritual. My mind and heart are set on Christ; I serve only Him; and I know He loves me more than anything else! John 17:22-26 (NIV) - I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: (23) I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (25) "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. (26) I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

The provision of God, my Father, has already been provided in each of my human experiences. I know each human experience is meant to provide the opportunity for God the Father to reveal Himself to me, because I am His adopted son. I rejoice each time I see His hand revealed in each difficult situation and each of His Spiritual visitations!! Praise God for His mercy and kindness to me!!

The most important perception of self is to see your self as a spiritual being having human experiences. This is a door to spiritual break-thru. Cast down the perception of seeing yourself as a human being having spiritual experiences and take on a new perception that you are, in fact, a child of God. Bind this greater truth to your mind and the Holy Spirit will strengthen you in your time of need. God the Father will make Himself known to you with signs and wonders confirming His promises and His Word.

Hold on to the proper mindset; guard your heart; and do not doubt God's promises and Jesus' Words! Amen!!