Circle of Life … PART 2
Continued from previous post … Circles of Life … To be Born Again Part 1
To be “born again” or “born from above” is to be born of the spirit of God leaving the spirit of man behind. John 3 Only by being born again into the spirit of God can we escape the bondage of the spirit of man because it is only then that we leave that circle.
Once born for a second time, the source of who we are isn’t of man but of God, thus we are new creation. Galatians 2:20. The source changes everything. No longer are we connected and tied to the corruption. Instead we are connected to God thus eternal life. Therefore the “issues” we developed and owned start to fade as the chord is broken.
Consider what this means. It’s tremendous. No longer are we bound to that spirit of man and all the corruption is creates. No longer are we bound to our destructive behaviors. No longer are we bound to our past. No longer are we bound to those who hurt us. This is a significant part of what it means to be born again – you literally start feeling and acting like a new creation. Once you’ve truly experienced this new life – it will blow your mind – literally… (more on that in a minute). It frees you from the corruption thus your “issues” and you are truly able to move into a different place in our soul leaving the corrupted past behind.
HOWEVER, though we are born of the Spirit of God, we can still walk in the old life like we are still in the other circle. We do this because our minds are not aligned to our new spirits. Our spirit is there – our minds have to catch up. Our bodies are machines; machines that are trained to function and respond in a certain way. Most of what we do is automated – our responses, thinking, attitudes, and perspectives. And all of these were developed when we were attached to the spirit of man, thus they are formed in corruption. Thus, our minds need to be rewired to align with our new spirit. Our machines need retraining and it starts with the hub – the mind, which directs everything else. Beliefs, ways of thinking, emotions, perspectives, attitudes, lies, and deception are all aspects of our minds that have to be renewed in God’s truth and wisdom.
As we seek God’s wisdom in the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s instruction, our minds are rewired to be in sync with the spirit of God. As a result, the “issues” we had start to dissolve and we start to live in freedom. The fruits of the spirit, the words and ways of God, God’s wisdom and truth take their place.
The renewing of the mind is a process; it isn’t instant. Further, it requires our participation. It takes dedication to seeking God’s instruction, a willingness to let go, to walk in God’s ways, and a strong desire for truth. If we don’t make this journey of renewal we will remain trapped to the spirit of man by our minds, though we have been severed from it. This is how many believers live. It’s a sad state because they have been given the key to freedom yet fail to use it.
It’s like a man who has been in prison and one day released. Though free, he continues to live as a prisoner. He doesn’t understand what it means to be free because he has been imprisoned for so long. His mind is wired to think like a prisoner and therefore hasn’t come in sync with the reality of his condition, freedom.
The renewal of our mind is an essential component of experiencing the new life we’ve been given. Though we are free we can still live like we aren’t. Spiritual birth isn’t our choice just as physical birth isn’t, but this renewal is where we do have a choice. John 3:6 When the disciples asked what is the work of God, Jesus responded it is our work is to believe in Him, which is our new life. John 6:28-29 That means our part is to spend time with God, abide in His Word, listen to the Holy Spirit, and respond in obedience to His leading. If we do, over time our minds are transformed and come in line with the spirit of God. When our minds are transform to a certain extent, we literally feel born again and like a new creation.
When we seek and commit to the journey of developing a transformed mind, we will start experiencing amazing freedom, fruit of the spirit of God, the Kingdom of God, and a new reality. We’ll experience the freedom, joy, abundance and love we’ve longed for.
Our minds are a powerful tool. We can choose to seek God and His truth or we can choose to remain as we always have been.
What circle do you want to be a part of? 1 Corinthians 15:22
Living Light 
December 28, 2010 at 3:47 am
HOWEVER, though we are born of the Spirit of God, we can still walk in the old life like we are still in the other circle. We do this because our minds are not aligned to our new spirits. Our spirit is there – our minds have to catch up.
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Rachel, Wow! This lines up with some things our Father has been whispering to me. Funny, that. I usually detest this sort of thing, but you nailed it, (and me), with this posting. Brava, Rachel.
December 28, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Project Mathetes – glad you “got” it 🙂
Pingback: Time for some honesty: Part 2 | Project: Mathetes
December 30, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Good morning. Romans 12:2 and II Corinthians 3:17 came to mind as I read both parts of this. One of the most heartbreaking things at the moment is to witness those in my ambience who are not in Christ as then engage in one destructive campaign after another. Many folks who are very close to me and whom I love dearly are travelling this troubled road; fostering chaos wherever they go. We can relate because we have been there. We have had our conversation the world and we can (for lack of a better term) compare it with what we have now.
We can see what’s happening; we can see the forces of darkness pulling their strings like a puppet. And we can see the end of this road. It should cause us to intercede for the eternal ones at every opportunity.
Over the past few days, I’ve been camped out in Deuteronomy. While the account has been known for yeatrs, In was thinking about how Moses fasted for forty days because of the sins of the children of Israel. He had nothing to gain personally; in fact, God had wanted to separate them and make a mightier nation from Moses. But Moses pleaded for Israel, even to the point of supernatural fasting. The more that I thought about this, the more incredible it became.
It really hit me as I consider how little I pray for the eternal ones in my venue. I mean, I can convince myself that I’m really interceding, but the time spent isn’t what it should be. And whenever windows open up for uninterrupted prayer, my prayer list is huge. I mean HUGE! Family members, co-workers, people from the streets. Souls who are held captive by every form of deception and bondage imaginable. Souls for whom Christ died, trapped by the devices and lies of a relentless enemy.
I don’t know how things will unfold this next year, but I know that deliverance and pulling down of strongholds is in the mix; especially in the streets. I know that it will be intense. In fact a few nights ago, In was in prayer for a wiccan girl who used to work at the plant (this has been a long-running prayer project) Suddenly it was as though I was having a heart attack. Pain entered my chest and I became distracted; even wondering if I should wake up Kimberly and head to the emergency room.
I now understand more fully what was taking place and am more determined than ever to keep this lady in prayer. This is not the first time something like this has happened. In times past when prayer for Heather was offered up, there was like this giant wall that had to be “prayed through.” One could feel the resistance while the lies from the enemy camp were almost physically audible.
Oops. Sorry for rambling. (I always ramble on your site. lol) Thanks for tackling this very important issue. I have moved to a new blog. The new address is http://timbob3.wordpress.com
Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
December 30, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Hi Timbob — I enjoy reading your “ramblings” 🙂 It is heartbreaking to see others on the wayward path because you know the difference between living a life of death and one that is truly alive. It’s interesting that you can’t tell someone – their spirits are awakened when they are awakened. That is why I feel prayer is one of the best actions we can do for someone – it is God that awakens their hearts and our prayers stir the heart of God. This year certainly comes with many unknowns and yet many promises as well. Thanks for sending the link to your new blog. Look forward to reading your latest insights and ramblings 😉