Freedom 2024
New Creation
April 14, 2024
We have a unique opportunity to walk out freedoms that we have struggled with. Like Apostle Joe and Dr. Rena have said this is a year of freedom. What we need to change is our mentality about that said Freedom.
Ezekiel 36:26 (AMP) 26Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
When we accepted Jesus into our heart he gave us a new heart. That can be taken three ways: a literal new heart of healing, an emotional heart healing, or a new heart spiritually.
Where have we gotten victory in our walk with God? When was that moment you knew you wouldn’t deal with something you had been dealing with?
Discussion Point #1: What is our job as Christians to do with our minds?
Ephesians 4:22-25 (AMP) 22that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, 23and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude], 24and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation]. 25Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ.
There is good news in this verse. What we see here is God wouldn’t ask us to do something if it wasn’t possible, therefore we can deduce that when we renew our mind in the Word we are changing how we are reacting to situations
Discussion Point #2: When we are having any sort of strong emotion example: anger, fear, dread, deep sadness, and emptiness. How do we re-wire the way we are thinking? What do we focus on?
Psychologically speaking there was a study done based on people being exposed to confrontational questioning and they were asked to study the Bible (New Testament Love your neighbor type of scriptures), some were told to look at nature pictures, and others were told to look at non-religious passages. Here were the results and link to study:
“Nearly 60% of those who reflected on New Testament scriptures later said it was useful in reducing stress during the confrontational interview, compared to 43% of those who reflected on nonreligious passages. In contrast, only 12% of participants who viewed natural landscapes reported that it was useful.” Read More
God gave us in his word the blueprint on how to renew our mind. All we need to do is study that blueprint to walk in the freedom he has set before us:
Philippians 4:8 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
2 Corinthians 4:16 16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Philippians 4:6-7 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Challenge for the Week: Let’s focus on Ezekiel 36:26, Ephesians 4:22-25, Philippians 4:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 4:16 to renew our mind to what God says about our situation rather than what we see. Then we can have a peace that only time in His Word can give us.