Divine Power of the Spirit
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
From this verse we have a Spirit of power, but what is this power and how do we experience it in our lives? I have asked the Lord many times for understanding of this divine power and how to attain this power. The Lord has revealed this power in steps over the years, and recently he revealed a new insight into the power he has given us.
First we will define the power that the Lord gives us. It is not the power defined by the world, such as power over others or political power, but power to overcome the world. For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4) Overcoming the world means we have the power from God to be controlled by the Spirit and not controlled by the sinful nature of the world. We have the power to overcome the temptations from Satan, independent of our past learned behavior or our genetic predisposition. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
What the Lord has revealed to me comes from a lecture by Dr. Caroline Leaf who spoke at the American Association of Christian Counselors convention, held in September 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. I have also read her book titled “The Perfect You” which identifies the person God created you to be. What I have learned is that our mind and our brain are separate entities; the mind is spiritual and the brain is physical. Our mind is spiritual and our thoughts come from our spiritual soul and the Holy Spirit; and the mind processes information from the brain. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2) Note this verse tells us to renew the mind, it does not say renew the brain, because the renewed mind renews the brain. Thoughts from our spiritual mind actually change the structure of our brains
The power comes from our mind, controlled by the Spirit, enabling us to override what our brain is telling us. Our brain may have sinful habits, addictions, or emotional anger, but we always have the power from the mind to choose. As we walk with the Lord he renews our mind and the mind reprograms the brain to ways of God. Now when our brain becomes more programmed to the ways of God it adds power to our mind. We now have a mind with power from the Holy Spirit plus the power from our brains wired in the ways of God and weakened in the sinful ways of the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
God created us in his image, a spiritual mind with freewill. We renew the mind through his Word, the Holy Spirit, fellowship, and obedience; and our brain gets reprogrammed from the mind. We are controlled by the Holy Spirit through our spiritual mind. Satan does the opposite of God’s perfect plan. Satan’s goal is to program our brain from events in the world, then for our brain to control our spiritual mind. This is the reverse of God’s design and it is freewill toward the ways of Satan.
Our spiritual mind is connected to the Lord through the Holy Spirit, our mind rewires our brain to the ways of God, and all choices are made through the mind. The mind becomes the executive which continually increases in power through the power of God. Since the mind is connected to God and is separate from the brain, it has the power to never become a slave to the brain.
How often is your spiritual mind controlled by the physical things of the world? Through our five senses we receive input from the world, but instead of instantly responding we take the information and respond with the power of God, the Holy Spirit. This is Godly wisdom which we can access in a moment’s notice; whenever Satan attempts to pull us away from our freedom in Christ, or when the world excites an emotional response. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, (James 1:19). Stop and think, and experience the power God has given you to overcome the world.
Today, live in God’s power and let the Spirit control your thoughts. Seek Godly wisdom by slowing down inside and choose your thoughts because they drive your words and actions. Experience the freedom that comes from not being controlled by the world, but instead is controlled by God.
Prayer: Lord thank you for giving me your divine power through the Holy Spirit to control my spiritual thoughts. Help me to overcome the world by taking everything to you in prayer and reaping the blessing of your wisdom in every situation today. Lord, fill my heart with your love and let your love continually change my mind to the mind of Christ. In Jesus name, Amen.