Who are you?
Ever wondered “Why am I still struggling with shortcomings though I have believed in Christ and born again?” It is true that your old self is dead and you are a new creation, when you are in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). But most of us struggle to believe it when we don’t see or produce results outwardly. The Bible tells us, “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly” (I Corinthians 15:47-48). We see two types of mankind here. The one that is of earth, made of mere dust and the other kind that is heavenly. Now if you are born again by believing in Christ, you belong to the later kind. Transformation has already happened on the inside.
Now, it is very important what state of mind you possess. Whether it is stuck with your old self or has fit into the new you. It is everything. You are who your mind believes to be. You who are heavenly cannot live like those who are of the earth. For a better understanding, let us consider a pig whose nature is evident. It rather enjoys a puddle or an unclean atmosphere than a clean environment. Now let’s say this pig is dead and been reincarnated or born again into a sheep, yet not aware of the nature of one. What happens? The purpose of it’s existence becomes meaningless. It’s ridiculous to find a sheep possessing characteristics of a pig. This is very similar to those who are born again, yet possessing an old state of mind. It is not fair for the heavenly to have the mind of the dust.
Besides, you need to be aware of the battle that prevails in your mind all the time. The battle between flesh and your spirit, where your flesh fights to settle for the dusty mindset. The spirit that is in you on the other hand leads you to possess a heavenly mindset. “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you” (Romans 8:9 NLT). Those who are in Christ, walk in the spirit as they belong to Him (Romans 8:9b). “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). Walking in the spirit means, walking in the word which is life and of spirit itself.
When Isaac was in Gerar during the time of a severe drought throughout the land, everyone set their path towards Egypt for living. But the word of God appeared to Isaac, insisting him to stay back where he was and God would bless him there, regardless of the prevailing condition. As Isaac yielded himself to the word of God, which is spirit and walked according to it. “The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous” (Genesis 26:13).
As you constantly walk in the spirit by obeying the word from God (Rehma), you will therefore have a shift in the state of your mind. The realisation of your born again nature by continued renewal of mind through the word, leads to transfiguration in your spirit producing results outwardly.
