A Walk of Faith: Transformation of the Mind and Spirit

I hope this message meets your needs, and I pray that God blesses you and guides your journey in accordance with His divine plan. May you find solace in the knowledge that this message has reached you through God’s grace. Please take comfort in the words that have been lovingly prepared for you.

I often ponder how to fully trust God, seeking His Kingdom and righteousness, and that I prioritize God and His ways. I consider myself to be saved and to be born again, but the Bible teaches us it doesn’t end there. Now that I’m committed to spiritual transformation, what must I do to follow through with my faith?

Colossians 3:1-2: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

The passage reveals after being born again, believers are encouraged to focus on heavenly things and align our thoughts and priorities with God’s. I seek to understand what heavenly things I’m to focus on, to be embraced with Him daily and committing my life fully to Him. I want to understand the building blocks God has given us to walk in faith.

Foundational Building Blocks for Transformation

Walking in faith involves a deep and intimate relationship with God, built on a foundation of trust, belief, and obedience. Here are steps and practices that can help you in building a strong and meaningful relationship with God:

1. Prayer and Communication:

1. Regular Prayer: Make prayer a regular practice in your life.
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

b. Prayerful Listening: Take time to listen to God during your prayers.

• Psalm 46:10: He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God’.

2. Bible Study and Meditation:

1. Daily Scripture Reading: Consistently read and meditate on God’s Word.
2. Joshua 1:8: Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

• Reflect and Apply: Ponder and apply the teachings of the Bible in your life.
• James 1:22: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

3. Worship and Gratitude:

1. Worship: Engage in worship and praise.
2. Psalm 95:6: Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

• Gratitude Journaling: Cultivate a heart of gratitude.
  • Colossians 3:17: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

4. Fellowship and Community:

1. Join a Faith Community: Participate in a community of believers.
   1.  Hebrews 10:25: not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

• Participate in Small Groups: Engage in fellowship and spiritual growth with a smaller group of believers.
  •  Proverbs 27:17: As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

5. Service and Acts of Kindness:

1. Volunteer and Serve: Serve others with a compassionate heart.
   1.  Galatians 5:13: serve one another humbly in love.

• Helping Those in Need: Extend a helping hand to those in need.
  • Mathew 25:40: The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

6. Self-Reflection and Confession:

1. Examine Your Heart: Reflect on your actions and seek forgiveness.
   1.  Psalm 139:23-24; Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

• Repentance and Transformation: Turn away from sin and embrace transformation.
  •  3:19: Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

7. Practice Graciousness and Forgiveness:

1. Forgiveness: Forgive others as God forgives you.
   1.  Colossians 3:13: Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

• Love and Compassion: Show love and compassion to others.
  • 1 John 4:7: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

8. Silence and Solitude:

1. Quiet Time: Spend moments in silence and solitude, seeking God.
2. Psalm 46:10: He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’

9. Seek Guidance and Counsel:

1. Spiritual Mentorship: Seek guidance from wise spiritual mentors.
2. Proverbs 19:20: Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end, you will be counted among the wise.

10. Patience and Persistence:

1. Be Patient: Be patient and persistent in your journey of faith.
2. Galatians 6:9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Building a personal relationship with God is a lifelong journey of seeking and drawing closer to Him through prayer, study, worship, service, and fellowship with other believers. Let these biblical principles guide you as you deepen your relationship with God.

Qualities of a Believer in Transformation

What other biblical qualities and teaching can I learn that work to transform me, to sanctify my mind? A fellow believer had put this on my heart to discover Christian’s virtues listed in the Bible. We studied 2 Peter 1: 3-11 in a group meeting and I wanted to understand these virtues and how to apply them.

Virtues are qualities or traits that are considered morally good and are fundamental to a Christian’s life and faith. Here are several virtues commonly emphasized in Christianity, along with relevant Bible verses:

1. Faithfulness:
   • Virtue: Staying steadfast and loyal to God and His Word.
     • Hebrews 11:1:  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
2. Love:
   • Virtue: Unconditional love for God and others.
     • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
3. Humility:
   • Virtue: Having a modest and respectful view of oneself in relation to God and others.
     • Philippians 2:3-4: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
4. Hope:
   • Virtue: Trusting in God’s promises and expecting good things from Him.
     • Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
5. Patience:
   • Virtue: Bearing hardships and trials with calmness and endurance.
     • James 5:7-8: Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.
6. Kindness:
   • Virtue: Showing goodness, compassion, and gentleness towards others.
     • Ephesians 4:32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
7. Peace:
   • Virtue: Experiencing inner tranquility and harmony despite circumstances.
     • Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8. Self-Control:
   • Virtue: Exercising discipline over one’s desires and actions.
     • Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
9. Gratitude:
   • Virtue: Expressing thankfulness and appreciation to God in all circumstances.
     • 1 Thessalonians 5:18: give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
10. Joy:
    • Virtue: Experiencing gladness and rejoicing in God’s goodness.
      • Psalm 16:11: You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Living out these virtues helps Christians embody the character of Christ and reflect His love and grace in our lives.

Transformation requires letting go and letting God take over

Sometime I wait for a long period of time before I see God working in an area of my life. And while I wait, it’s hard not to be extremely motivated to do something (Patients is a virtue! 😊). I try to focus on Him, trusting that His timing is perfect and allowing events to unfold according to His plan.

How can we measure transformation in our lives? We Recognize improvements in our character, skills, relationships, and spirituality due to our obedience to Him. We have a sense of gratitude for the progress we’ve made and the strength we’ve gained.

I need to remember He is my Shephard and he will always take care of me. But at the same time, I have to put in the work for transformation. Riding the fence between sin and salvation and redundantly asking God to forgive me will hinder me from making progress. I can’t do this alone, so I seek fellowship, guidance and council to remain steadfast.

As a software engineer, I want to share an analogy with you that resembles our walk of faith. In maintaining a viable software product, there is a lifecycle that evolves from planning to maintenance. I believe there is a similar lifecycle that can be used in accordance with my walk of faith, which is a clear reflection of my transformation. Let’s review this illustration:

1. Identify Sin or Conflict
   1. Reflect on your thoughts, actions, and attitudes in comparison to what the Bible teaches.
   1. Evaluate the motives behind your sinful actions and decisions.

• Seek Understanding
  • Share your struggles with trusted Christian friends or mentors who can provide guidance and hold you accountable.
  • Confess your sins to God, genuinely repent, and seek His forgiveness and guidance to transform your ways.
  • Look for Bible verses that specifically address the conflict that need transformation.

• Align with Biblical Values
  • Surrender your thoughts, desires, and plans to God, seeking His purpose and direction for your mind.
  • Pray for God’s guidance to align your mind with His will. Ask for wisdom, discernment, and a heart that is receptive to transformation
  • Set aside time each day to read and meditate on the Bible. Choose a specific portion of scripture to reflect upon the conflict in your life. Consider how the scripture applies to your life, challenges, and circumstances. Meditate on its meaning and seek ways to implement it in your daily actions.
• Commit to God’s Purpose
  • Be willing to change and grow as you align with God’s purpose. Trust that He is molding and shaping you for His divine plan.
  • Pray for a heart that is obedient and submissive to God’s will during this challenge in your life.
  • Seek a mentor or spiritual leader who can guide you, who understands you, and can help you in challenging times to fulfill God’s purpose for your life.
• Review Challenges & Growth
  • Set aside time periodically to review your commitment to God’s purpose. Reflect on your progress, celebrate achievements, and make necessary adjustments to stay aligned with His plan.
  • Reflect on how you responded to the challenge, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
  • Determine what lessons you’ve learned from dealing with these challenges.
  • Recognize improvements in your character, skills, relationships, or spirituality.
• Maintain Your Faith
  • Practice Godly virtues and reflect upon the building blocks of transformation.
  • Offer short, spontaneous prayers throughout the day, fostering constant communication with God.
  • Identify areas of improvement or another challenge and work through the transformation life cycle to reach another milestone of growth.

The transformation of the mind in Christianity involves a deep surrender to God, trusting in His wisdom and plan for our lives, and allowing His Spirit to guide our thoughts, decisions, and actions. It’s a journey of faith and obedience, leaning on God’s strength and grace in every step. Now that you have given your soul to God, its time for the brain to catch up!

I recommend the you find a group where confidentiality and trust are paramount, fostering an environment dedicated to uplifting one another. If you find yourself struggling with anything, a group can assist you on your journey towards reconditioning the mind. Remember, God loves you and is rooting for your success!