HOW TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2.
GOD NEVER INTENDED for humanity to have a human nature. His plan was for us to have a divine nature and live a God-like lifestyle—unfortunately, our sinful human nature results from Adam and Eve’s disobedience. But through Jesus Christ, there is a way we can live according to God’s original plan.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19.
RENEWING YOUR MIND
The path to God’s original intention for our lives is through renewing our minds. When our minds are renewed, it puts our thinking back to how it’s supposed to be. The NLT Bible put it this way, V2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good, pleasing, and perfect.
If you want to live and think the way God intended, you must let Him transform your mind. The change will happen as you spend time communicating with Him in prayer and reading His Word, allowing it to go from your head to your heart.
In any relationship, the more time you spend with that person, the more you understand how they think. Sooner or later, their way of thinking will rub off on you. It’s the same with God. But if you don’t spend time with Him, your mind can’t be transformed into His thinking.
Renewing your mind is more than a one-time occurrence. Some people think they don’t have to renew their minds continually because they are saved. But that’s not true. Everything starts in the mind. Many times, thoughts will come that are contrary to God’s Word or the way He thinks. It’ll be easier to defeat those thoughts and think in line with the Word when you’ve continually renewed your mind.
EXPRESSING LOVE TO OTHERS
For many Christians, renewing their mind means being friendly, kind, and tenderhearted. But, while those things are a part of it, the other is a commandment Jesus gave us: to love people.
John 13:34. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. But unfortunately, this is an area where many Christians fail.
You can only love people if your mind is renewed to how God thinks. Jesus had plenty of opportunities not to like people. People were plotting to destroy His work and credibility. But I’ve never read anywhere in the Bible where Jesus said, “I just don’t like that guy.” Everything Jesus did on the earth and the way He carried Himself was how God intended. Because Jesus spent time communicating with the Father and aligning His thinking fully with God’s will, He was able to say, “if you have seen me, you have seen the Father” John 14:9.
Jesus also had the opportunity to think differently. Instead, he dealt with the same devil we deal with today. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, He always answered with the Word. That’s an example for us to follow.
Your unrenewed nature may agree when someone tells you there is no way. But that’s the time to shut off your mind, look to your Spirit, and say, “God doesn’t think that way. There’s always a way through Him. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13.
If the doctor tells you there is no hope, the first thing that should come up inside you is, “Healing belongs to me. By His stripes, I was healed” 1 Peter 2:24. However, if you haven’t renewed your mind with the Word, the doctor’s words will dominate your thoughts.
THINKING LIKE CHRIST
We live in the real world and frequently hear things contrary to God’s nature and ways. As a believer, you can’t allow yourself to think like everyone else. You have to go beyond your human nature. It would help if you were prepared on the inside when the pressure is on, and the enemy has everything in a state of attack.
You may think renewing the mind is complex. Maybe you’re asking, “How am I supposed to do that?” the same Spirit Jesus had when He walked the earth, the Spirit that raised Him from the dead, lives inside us. Therefore, you can think like Jesus. How did Jesus think? Jesus loved and cared about people. Jesus was permanently moved with compassion at all times. His thoughts were about Healing and setting people free.
As Christians, we are to love others sincerely. Don’t just pretend to love others. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Romans 12:9-11.
Jesus never pretended to love you. Not once did He tell the disciples, “I’m just pretending to love these people. I don’t care about them.”
As you think like God, loving people will eventually become automatic. But, unfortunately, no athlete ever becomes a professional at their first game. The more you spend time with God and get ahold of His nature, the more you become like Him. Thinking out of your transformed nature will become natural. For instance, when someone says something mean to you, your renewed divine nature will bless them instead of letting your human nature dominate with an unkind response.
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Romans 12:14.
It may take some practice, but the more time you spend aligning your thinking with the Word, the easier it will become to act like God in every situation. And that is living the way God truly intended.
WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEP OF JESUS
Matthew 4:19. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Everything about your life should focus on winning people to Jesus Christ; there’s no higher priority than the Christian winning soul. The Lord Jesus Himself was a Mater soul winner. In John 4:6-42, He encountered a certain woman at the well of Samaria and engaged her in a dialogue. The woman came to draw water from the well. But to get her attention, the Lord initiated a conversation with her on something of interest to her-the water.
Upon getting her full attention, the Master witnessed the woman, who believed and went about telling others about her encounter with Christ. Matthew 4 tells us another beautiful story: how Jesus walked along Lake Galilee’s shore and saw two fishermen’s brothers: Simon Peter and Andrew. He said to them, “..Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” Matthew 4:19.
The Master always knew how to engage others in a conversation on a subject that was of interest to them in a bid to witness to them. If you’ve often wondered how to engage people in a conversation to lead them to Christ, emulate the strategy of the Master. Observe what such people might be interested in and initiate a conversation along that line.
You can ask that they explain something about a book or magazine they might be holding or reading, and then you listen with rapt attention. If you do, they’re more likely to give you their attention when you start witnessing them.
Of course, the Lord could give you specific instructions about someone you need to witness. At such times, don’t negotiate; go right ahead and follow the Lord’s guidance. Do whatever He tells or inspires you to say at that time and place. He said in Psalm 81:10, “…open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it,” always be bold, and the Lord will honor His Word in and through you.
