As we round off our current series on transition seasons, it is important to remind us about the fundamental area we must pay attention to if we must transition from where we are to where God wants us to be. This key area is THE MIND. The previous article spoke a lot about having the right mindset in order to embrace a transition season. If you haven’t read it, please pause and read Here. In this write-up, I will pick up from the previous post and talk more on how to overcome the battlefield of the mind.
What is the Mind?
According to Wikipedia, the mind is that which thinks, feels, perceives, imagines, remembers, and wills. It is the totality of mental phenomena, it includes both conscious processes, through which an individual is aware of external and internal circumstances, and unconscious processes, which can influence an individual without intention or awareness.
From this definition, we see that the mind is a whole battlefield within you. It battles with the external and internal circumstances that can affect your life negatively or positively if not tamed. Apostle Paul understood this concept of the mind which is the reason he said “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippian 4:8.
There are many people who have moved from one position to the next or from one country to another but they are unable to effectively make use of the place or position where they are because their mind is still in the place where they were. Others have been in a wilderness season for too long that it has become so difficult to embrace change. When they see change coming, its like a trick to them so they prefer to escape from that opportunity than to enter into it. These are the unconscious processes that can influence an individual without intention as the definition rightly put it. No wonder the bible says “…And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” Mark 2:22. This really emphasizes the need for a shift in the mind to transition well.
How do we overcome the battles of the mind?
The underlying principle in a having a mindset change is succinctly explained in Romans 12:1-2, where Paul tells us that a mindset shift is the only way to be successful life.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 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 and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)
Paul understands the place of a mindset shift that is why he is actually pleading with us not to look at things from the world’s perspective but we should change the way we think . How do we change the way we think?
1. Understand that everything God does is for your good.
It is easy to pray and cry out to God for a change in your situation but it is quite unfortunate that many of us don’t understand the nature of God we pray to. That his very nature is his love and faithfulness and He will ever do anything to hurt us. Once we understand this, then we will not look down on any season we find ourselves in because we know that it will always work for our good. As such, we can embrace the transition with joy and rest in God’s plans for the future. Read more in Jeremiah 29:11, Psalms 37:23-24.
2. See yourself the way God sees you.
I have often suffered with low self-esteem, always feeling not good enough, which defeats me from doing the things God has placed in my heart. Even though I am still on the journey to fully become self confident, one of the things God has shown me is that I am the only one who sees myself that way in my mind. No other person is in my mind to think the things I think about myself and the only way they will think about me that way is by what I give them to think about me. If I allow my mind to rule my actions and I act mediocre, then everyone will see me as mediocre or not good enough. But if my mind tells me I am phenomenal, I will do things phenomenally and everyone will see me as a phenomenal figure. I will give you a few examples.
- Prophet Jeremiah in the bible saw himself as a child but God saw him as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:1-19.
- Moses saw himself as slow in speech (he stammered) but God saw him as a God to Pharaoh and the liberator of Israel. Exodus 4:10, Exodus 7:1.
- David saw himself as the outcast of the family, left to take care of cattle, but God saw him as a king. 1 Samuel 16.
The list goes on and on but the question remains “how do you see yourself?” Through your in-secured mind or through God’s eyes?
3. Intentionally demolish every stronghold on the mind by speaking the Word.
You can see yourself the way God sees you but it does not change who you are because the picture remains only in your mind. We must begin taking intentional steps to pull down the strongholds and these steps begin with speaking solid profound declarations of the picture you have seen about yourself.
I find it very interesting how the Spies whom Moses sent to spy into the land that God already asked them to enter and possess came back with reports saying they saw the land, it was filled with milk and honey but the people there were giants and they (the spies) seemed to be grass hoppers before them. Then Caleb arose and said “…Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” That’s how they were able to get into the promised land which God had already promised them. (Read the full story in Numbers 13:1-33).
My question every time I read this story is who told the spies that they looked like grasshoppers? Were they in the eyes of the giants to see how they looked before the giants? The words the spies used is “…we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” This is a clear indication that it was their mind playing on them, preventing them from entering the promised land. If not, how was Caleb able to summon courage to lead the people in and they possessed the land?
Dear friends, the mind is a stronghold that we need to wrestle against and bring it down. Wrestling with strongholds is a gradual process but it only takes believing the right things about yourself and speaking forth the right words. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 helps us understand that the casting down process begins with your imaginations. The moment you start dealing with the negative imaginations you have about yourself or your season, then you will begin to see possibilities every where when others see impossibilities. That’s how to enjoy your transition season. So I ask you today, will you be a Spy or a Caleb over your life?
Remain blessed.