“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2, KJV, emphasis added.)
Why do we need to “renew” our mind? Well, why does one “renew” a house? Because it is a worn-out mess! Once a house is used-up, expired, and out-of-date, we “renew” it by tearing down parts, rebuilding others, and generally renovating the structure.
OK, a strange example, to be sure… but bear with me! Your mind has probably become like concrete, it is thoroughly mixed up and well set! You need to break it up, and start over! This requires restructuring the mind, pouring a new foundation, as it were!
Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin says in his book, Man on Three Dimensions, “One of the greatest needs of the church today is that God’s people renew their minds with the Word of God. Just because a person is a Christian, and even filled with the Holy Spirit, doesn’t mean that he has a renewed mind. The mind becomes renewed with the Word of God.”1 We need to renew our minds by reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God. In this way, we can develop our minds until we are no longer simply assenting to the truths of God’s Word, we are actually living them!
Dr. Hagin goes on to say, “First of all, we must understand the difference between real faith and mental assent. Mental assent agrees that the Bible is true but doesn’t act on it. Real faith is acting on God’s Word. Mental assent says, ‘I know God’s Word is true all right. I know God promised me certain things and that I ought to have them.’ Faith sees the object of prayer as already having been attained. Faith says, ‘The Word of God says it, I believe it, and I have it now,’ even though it may not be seen in the natural. Faith says, ‘I have it now not because I can see it, not because I actually possess it, but because God promised it.’ ‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen’ (Heb. 11:1). Another translation of this verse reads, ‘faith is giving substance to things hoped for.’ Our faith gives substance to it and so we can say, ‘It is mine.'”1 This process of renewing the mind takes time, as does development in God’s Word.
Dr. T.L. Osborn reminds us, “Since it is written, Faith comes by hearing the word of God, then the best way to build faith in your heart that God is willing to heal you is for you to hear that part of God’s word which promises you healing. Faith for spiritual healing comes by hearing the gospel: He bore our sins. Faith for physical healing comes by hearing the gospel: He bore our sicknesses.”2 Therefore, if you have need of physical healing, you need to renew your mind to the truths of God’s Word concerning healing.
We saw in the article, “How to Receive Healing,” that we must “do” the Word, and when we “do” the Word, our spirit man dominates us. “Those who are living in the flesh are living in unbelief, and always are engaged in warfare. Life is a battle for them. Their minds never have been renewed with the Word of God, and they don’t know that Jesus already has won the battle. They don’t know the devil is a defeated foe. They still are trying to fight him in their own power, and some have fought until they are totally exhausted and depleted. But when the mind has been renewed with the Word of God, the spirit through the renewed mind can control the body. The soul (mind) will then take sides with the spirit, because it knows the Word. It is renewed with the Word. It will allow the spirit to dominate. Then God’s Spirit will dominate through man’s spirit.”3 And if the Spirit of God dominates our human spirit, then we will be successful in life!
1 Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin, Man On Three Dimensions, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, pages 12 and 13.
2 Dr. T.L. Osborn, One Hundred Divine Healing Facts, Harrison House Publishers, pages 20 and 21.
3 Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin, The Human Spirit, Kenneth Hagin Ministries, page 7.
