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Get right into this. Okay. So we're in the middle of our transformation talk, and uh we're in part 12 of something called Still Transforming. And I'm gonna take you to Romans 12:2. I told you last week that we're kind of shifting where we're kind of talking about in this verse, breaking down this verse. For 10 weeks, we talked about the transformation part of this verse, about the need for it, the desire for it, the want for it, the longing to have it continuous in our lives, that it never stops, it never ceases. How many know that you always need change? Like things should be changing in your life. You should be growing, you should be maturing, you should be developing. Look at your neighbor and tell your neighbor there's always something to work on. Tell your neighbor there's always something to work on. There's always something to work on. Our life, we're human beings, we're human, we're people who are always developing, growing. We should be desiring to learn, to grow. That comes with change, that comes with processes that we need to embark on to see change in certain areas of our lives because we're never perfect. Our main text, Romans 12, 2, we started to highlight now how we're gonna get there. How can we start to dig into the depth of this transformation? I want to see in my life. How can this unfold? And we highlight the parts of these verses. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Go to the next translation. I was gonna highlight this half of the verses. Don't change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with the new way of thinking. And trust me, all of us need to be aware and watchful of our thinking and understand there's thoughts that need to often be changed in our life. Next translation. I will tell you this: sometimes you think, man, my thinking's okay, but what if we really surrender to God every day and said, God, just change the way I think completely, God. Even if I think well, God, I want to think better. Say amen to that. Next translation. Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image, instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. We'll talk on that more in a little bit. Next translation. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think, by transforming you, let God change you into a new person, into a new person. Um, you know, change may be difficult, but change isn't always a bad thing. And change is something that we should constantly be coming before God and saying, God, what do you want to change in my life? As we read these verses, we see what we're highlighting for you. Be transformed by them in your mind. Let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Uh, let God completely change the way that you think. So we see put on the board, quick recap, that our mind, our thinking is the key to our transformation. We want to see change in certain areas of our lives. We want to see transformation in certain areas of our lives. Let's go a little deeper. I want to break habits that I know I shouldn't have. Uh, there's certain things that I'm accustomed to doing or accustomed to uh saying, a certain way I talk or speak, or a certain mindset I battle. How can I see change, transformation? The key is the mind, our thinking. What is the mind? Now, this is where we get a little deeper here. And uh, as these two young gentlemen bring my board out here, because we're gonna get back to some old school style teaching here, they'll bring that up. Let's say a prayer. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you, Father God, that your word, Father, goes forth today, Father, without error and with excellence according to your desire. For Lord, you are the one who speaks today, not I. And I promise, Father God, that I want you, that I desire, Lord. I just promise, Lord, that it's so my desire, that I decrease and you increase, Lord. That the words coming out of my mouth, Father, are from your throne. They're from your heart, Father. And I ask you today, Lord, that we receive that word into the soul of our hearts and we shall see the fruit of it in our lives. I pray now, Father, according to Acts 2.42, your word is received gladly. According to Acts 19.20, your word will prevail. I pray now, according to John 6.63, your words are spirit and life today, Father. And I ask you, Lord, there's nothing hindering us from receiving the word. No anger, no bitterness, nothing, Father God, that prevents us from taking in what you're desiring to speak to us today, Father. And we give you the honor and glory. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Give these boys a hand, clap. You're good, guys. Come on, you're fine. Okay. All right. Now, what is the mind? Put on the board or put it up on the uh on the screen. To get to the mind, we talked about the spirit, soul, and the body. You are a spirit, you have a soul, you live in a body. If that sounds a little deep, then kind of a lot. It's actually not that crazy. Thank you, fellas. Appreciate you. Spirit, soul, and body. We talked about it last week. 1 Thessalonians 5 23 is the key verse here. And it says, Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and make your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. So Paul makes reference to the spirit, soul, and the body. Your spirit, your soul, your body. You are a spirit, you have a soul, you live in a body. I'll say it again. You are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in the body. That's what I had demonstrated for you last week. Spirit, your deepest part, the part within you, the inner you, the inner man, the body. The body is what? It's your body. Fingers, toes, hands, your eyes. It's it's your body, your five senses. That it's your body. It's the way you connect with the world. It's it's your tangible part that interacts with the world. Your spirit, your inner man connects with God. Your body interacts with the material world, and this body will die one day. I know you don't like hearing that, but it's true. Your body will die one day. Your body passes on one day. I told you last week this is just rental property. That's all this is. You're borrowing this thing. Your earth suit. That's what you got. That's what you have. You've heard of space suits. This is your earth suit, okay? Now I know some of you are like, I'm trying to change my earth suit. Good luck with that, alright? It's still an earth suit and it's still rental property, alright? You're just borrowing it. Now, the soul, though, the soul's the key. And the soul, we break that down into the mind, the will, and the emotions. Your mind, your will, and your emotions. Specifically, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. The mind. That's the big kicker here, the the the big key here. Your soul, as I put here, your mind is your mind is your thinker, where you process the thoughts, that's the thinking that you do. The will, that's your decisions. We call it free will, the decisions you make, choices, things you decide. Your emotions are, well, your emotions, your feelings, joy, anger, happiness. You can get the deeper, depression, anxiety, all these are feelings that you have, but the key here, the mind, the mind, the thoughts, the beliefs, the ideas, the responses. It's those memories that you have. It's all these things, the reasoning, the imagination. Look at me. It's in the mind where we get in trouble. I didn't write this on the board for you, and I probably won't get into this until the weeks to come, but hear me real quick. Something I learned at a young age. Thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become a lifestyle. Thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become a lifestyle. What was the first part? Thoughts. Your thinking. A lot of times you live the way you live because you think the way you think. The lifestyle you have starts with a thought. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Satan getting into the mind of Eve, having a discussion with her, getting her to think a certain way. So it's no coincidence that when the Bible begins to discuss transformation, what does it address? It addresses the mind. It points to the thinker, that part of your soul that is so important. And I told you this question last week, and it's an important question that we're gonna talk more about. What informs the mind? What influences it? What persuades, what motivates, what sways? Or let me say it this: what pours into your soul? Because I put it on the board that your soul's in between here. You have a spirit, you have a body, and the soul's there, like in between. What's pouring in? What's pouring into your mind? What's pouring into your soul? And last week I taught to you about how this thing called that we live in, it's called the world. I'm gonna write it because this is important today. And the world pours into your soul, it pours into your mind. That's why sometimes we don't think the way we should think, because of what we hear, what we see. How about that? I know this is a long recap, but it's important because I did get to finish it last week. So it's kind of this is like the end of last week's sermon. But put it, let me give you another thought. Don't raise your hand. But did any of you grow up in a home that had a certain way of doing things? And now that you're older, you're like, I don't think we should have been doing that. I don't think grandpa was right. I don't think I don't think that was the best idea, mom. You know, grandpa, that that's probably not the way you should talk to grandma. You know what I mean? And it's but isn't it funny? You grow up in certain homes and you become an adult, and all of a sudden, you say something one day. Why does that sound familiar? Man, that's the way mom would talk to dad. That's the way dad talked to me. Now I'm telling my son start to realize that's in there somewhere. Um growing up, and some of you probably know this. I thought, I thought, I love you, mom, but I thought she was crazy. Because she would always say two things don't go outside with your hair wet. And I'd be like, What are you talking about? I don't have any scientific evidence behind this. You would just say that. Well, I reached my mid-30s one day and I realized I went outside after I showered, said, Oh man, my hair is wet, I need to cover my head. Out of nowhere. And I was like, Oh my god, she got to me. The other one she would say is, don't walk around barefoot. You're gonna get sick, the floor is cold. Mom, what are you talking about? Ask my wife. I do not walk around the house without a pair of sandals on now at all. Where did it get into? Go deeper. I had a rough day at work, I've had a rough week. You know what? Just bring me my 24-pack, and I'm gonna sit here and forget all about it. That's how we handle things. Um and dad are unfortunately are arguing, and things are getting heated and ugly, and now things are being said in ways that shouldn't be said, and even God forbid, hands are being laid on somebody, and you're seeing all that, and take that in as a kid, and all of a sudden you grow up. Now you're in a heated moment with your wife or your loved one, and saying things now, and saying things that are not right and wrong, and if you start to think, man, does some of that sound familiar? Where does it start? Everything you're taking in from the world, it is taken in through the body into the soul where your mind is. And that's the part that now I point to you to tell you that if you're not careful, put on the board, you develop a way of thinking that follows the pattern of the world, which has been pouring into you, and then you live according to those thoughts. Sometimes it's just what you see on social media, what you see on the internet, all these things. Don't look at me funny. You see all these on Tic Tac, that's what I call tick tock, tic-tac. You you see I don't like TikTok. So you see tic-tac, and you see all these what they call hacks. And then you think, oh, I'm gonna do that, I'm gonna do that, I'm gonna do that. What's it doing? It's swaying you, it's persuading you, it's motivating you, it's influencing you. Well, it starts here. Take it in with your senses, your eyes, your ears, everything. You take it in, and then it gets into your soul, gets into your mind, and then you develop ways of thinking according to those thoughts. You you live according to those things that are being presented to you because they get into your mind. Philippians 3, 18 through 19. For there are many of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even more with tears. Paul is crying as he writes this, that people live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Verse 19 whose fate is destruction, whose God, this is them. God is their belly, their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity, and whose glory is in their shame. Who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things? The mind is set, it's locked in. Everything the world has been feeding, that's how I'm living by. Romans 8 5. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires. Told you the flesh is that part of your body. It's the part of your body. It's the part of your body that actually enjoys the filth of the world. That actually enjoys the things you shouldn't do. I hate to say that there's a part of us, go all the way back to Uncle Adam, don't have time to do it in the Garden of Eden, that the moment they sinned, something was unlocked. It was a desire for sin, a craving for sin, because in the moment sin will satisfy. Notice how, real quick, look at me. I didn't paint the whole body purple, saying that the flesh is just everything. The body's not always a bad thing. We'll talk about that in a second. We use our body for good, also. Say amen to that, okay? But there's this part of our flesh, and here's what happens: the flesh gets happy, the flesh is enjoying the sin, the flesh is enjoying a way of doing things according to the world, not according to God. And what happens to your mind? This ain't bad. This is pretty good. This your soul starts to feel like this is alright. Make these decisions so your mind starts to think to itself, you know what, this is okay, it works, we're good, no problem at all. And that's why the Bible tells us the issue is your mind. Too much junk has gotten into your soul, your mind. Too much filth has gotten into your soul and your mind. I need to do this recap. I know it's long, just hear me. I said one last thing last week that I think really helps set the stage for a lot of you. You got saved. Thank you, Jesus. How many are glad you're saved? Give the Lord a hand clap if you're glad you're saved. I'm so glad I'm saved. You know what I'd do if I wasn't saved? I'd get saved. So glad I'm saved. But the issue is this when you got saved, your sins were washed, but your mind was not. Even after you accepted Jesus in your heart, this mind, this part of your soul still maintains those things. And look at me. I have literally prayed to God. There's been moments where I've prayed. I say, God, why couldn't you have just washed it all away? Like, why? It just seems like it would be so simple if you would have just cleaned slate, washed it all away. I got reasons that things that dropped in my heart when I asked that, I won't share with that today. But the bottom line is this you are saved, praise the Lord. Your mind still needs help. Your soul still needs help. But there's good news. When you got saved, your spirit came alive. Say amen to that. You're not in a grave anymore, you're alive in Christ Jesus. When you got saved, good things happened. Put on the board. And one of them was when your spirit came alive, renewing the mind became possible. What am I trying to say is transformation can take place in your life. Look at your neighbor and tell your neighbor, we can do this, man. Tell your neighbor, we can do give him a punch in the shoulder. We can do this, man. Like we I like we can we can do this. You may say, I don't know, Pastor, I got a lot going on up here. Join the club, man. Oh, yeah. No, lift up a hand. Father, in the name of Jesus, all doubt is gonna flee in Jesus' name. Every piece of us that thinks we can't. Satan, you are a liar in Jesus. Even right now, as I when I said that, there's some people thinking, Manuel, I've tried. In the name of Jesus, we're about to see a miracle done in lives today in Jesus. People, you thought, people are gonna see you and then be blown away, and you're gonna let them know it wasn't even me, it was Christ inside of me. It's all because of the Lord. So in the name of Jesus, every wall be brought down, every lie be destroyed, every strategy enemy has been canceled, every hold enemy that you've had upon lives as we talk about this in the weeks to come. I pray now, doubt flees and faith arise and enemy, you are going to be defeated in the name of Jesus. Give the Lord a hand clap today. Let's make sure we have faith in the midst of this thing. So, if renewing the mind is possible, back to my question. Put it on the board. What informs? What influences? What persuades? What motivates? What sways? What pours into the soul? Specifically, specifically, come on, Mark is on the wrong side. Specifically, what pours into the mind? What pours into the mind? What's pouring into your soul? What's pouring into your mind? The thinker. Remember, you are a spirit, you have a soul, you live in the body. You inhabit, you and I inhabit this thing called the world. We are in the world. Now, I told you earlier, remember, we're in this world, we're living, we're inhabiting this world with our body. We are a spirit, we have a soul, so our body's inhabiting this world, our earth suit, we have it on. And I told you earlier, the body is not a bad thing. So I well, growing up, I would hear this kind of lesson, and I think, man, this body's messed up. And finally, through another teacher, it dawned on me. The body's not messed up, it's what's in here that's messed up. So, so so so the body, with the body, you go and you witness to the people. With the body you go and and work to provide for your family, with the body you show love and connection with other people. You huh, because the body does good things. So I I tell you today that that with the body, there's there's so the senses, right? I went over them again. I remember now. The smell, the taste, the hearing, the feeling. Oh man, it got me again. Touch, touch. I say the taste. Okay, yeah. UTSA classical date words up. Uh there's something very special also that you do with the body, though. And something very important that happens with the body. With our body, we exercise godly disciplines. I know some of you are thinking we exercise at the gym. Yes, that's too. But we exercise godly disciplines. When you read, you're using to read the word, you're using your body. When you worship God, we should do it with a demonstration of your body, the lifting of the hands, the bowing of the knees, the bowing before God, the opening of your mouth and the singing unto the Lord with worship. You're using your body. When you pray, you are using your body in every moment where you seek God. There's a demonstration, a use of your body in that moment. So hear me. Take advantage of the body that you have. And even I had heard a guy say one time, he was sick and he just was very much couldn't move, do anything. And he said, But even as I he was an older uh gentleman, even as I laid in my bed, he said, I still had a mouth. And even if it was just the whispers, all I could get out, I would still whisper unto the Lord and say, My God, you are a good God. Because even if I have just a whisper, then I'm gonna give that whisper unto the Lord. That's using this body, exercising godly discipline. And hear me, when you use your body to exercise these godly disciplines, this leads into fellowship with God. It leads into intimacy with God. It leads into communion with God. It leads to special moments with God. But hear me, I want you to understand this today. The thing is, though, this communion, these special moments, these are happening in the spirit realm. These things are happening as you connect with God through your inner man, through your spirits. That's where this thing begins to happen. And hear me. I told you earlier, or I said it last week. Listen, this is why when you pray and you read and you worship and you're seeking God, these are not just physical activities, these are spiritual activities. And when this happens, it's on the board. When you exercise godly disciplines that lead to intimacy, to fellowship, to communion with God, when this happens, it allows our soul to now receive from our spirits. Just say amen to that. I promise we'll get this together. When you have these times with God, it allows now your soul to receive from the Spirit. Why? Because listen Romans twelve, two voice translation. Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead be transformed from the inside out. Inner man, inner person, the depth within you, the center of you. Be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. It starts here, it begins in the spirit pouring into your mind, affecting your mind. And then we can begin to see change in our lifestyle. And I'm telling you today, it's a process. This is going to be the rest of your life, but it is possible. Put it on the board. I'll just say it simply like this. The renewing of the mind begins with the spirit, the inner man that has been brought to life, born again. Say amen to that. You've been brought to life, you've been born again, you've been regenerated. And this spirit, this inner man, connects with God by utilizing kingdom resources. I know it's a mouthful. I'm gonna leave it on the board for a moment. I want to see change in my life. I've read 25 self-help books. I have 10 podcasts downloaded. I'm on my way to a wellness retreat. Cool. Have you prayed to God at all? I want to see change in my life. I got into all these different meetings they offer at work. I got into all these different new hobbies. I got into all these different new uh kinds of places where I can learn to go, where I can have quiet time and just be by myself. Awesome. Have you tried reading your Bible? I'm not saying that stuff is bad. What I'm saying is this: look at me. I just don't want to think better, I want to think godly. I just don't want a better life, I want a godly life. Because I've learned that even though you can be a good person, good people are going to end up in hell one day still. Say amen to that. It is the truth. I don't want to be just a good person, I want to be a godly person. That when people see me, they see Christ in me. That's not a good person, that is a godly person. So, church, what I'm trying to tell you today is simply this. If you want to see change in your life, transformation in certain areas, from your marriage to your relationship with children, to the way you, to the way you act out, to the way you speak, to in the name of Jesus, seeing even habits broken in your life. I tell you today, the way we were designed so that it could happen was not through your power nor through your might. You were created so that transformation Turks takes place by the Spirit of God. And that Spirit of God working inside of your life. So hear me. When you connect with God using kingdom resources like prayer, like worship, like seeking Him, church, I tell you today, maybe you don't see much happening on the outside at first, but something on the inside of you is taking place and growing stronger. That is why Paul said the outer man may be dying day by day, but honey, this inner man is getting stronger and stronger. And hear me today. I don't want you to think that I'm some crazy guy up here trying to sell you on something. I'm just trying to remind you that the best way for transformation to take place in your life and the way we were called to do this was by first calling unto the Lord God Almighty. That's how we were created to do this. And I will show you an example. Hebrews 4 12, the Amplified. For the Word of God is living and active and full of power, making it operative, energizing, and effective. And hear me. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. So the word of God is a two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and the spirit, the completeness of a person, and of both joints and marrow of the heart. That's a lot there. Look at the C V with me. God's word is alive and powerful. It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our heart. Let's have some fun. We are a spirit, we have a soul, we live in the body. We inhabit this thing called the world. We are exposed to things in the world. But hear me. One of the things we can be exposed to in the world is this wonderful, beautiful thing, the person, called the word. Even today. You're hearing the word. The word's being poured into your ear. You're taking it in how? To your eyes? You're taking in the word today. The word's interesting side note. I could be up here talking nothing about what you're going through today. And for some reason something will come into your mind, like, man, I probably need to forgive that person. Why? Because the spirit knows what you need to hear. I actually didn't talk nothing about this, but for some reason this has come to my mind now. That's how good the Lord is. And how powerful the word is. But something cool happens. You read the Bible. Take the Bible, it's a it's a two, it's a sword. You take the Bible, and what is it? Here the body sees it, it hears it, it takes it in. But then the soul, specifically the mind, because what does it do? It's a sword, it cuts through. So look at the path here. It's now cutting through the body and into your mind. To your soul, your mind. This is why I look at I smile. When I use past years, sometimes kids would sit there and be like, and I'd be like, that's okay. They're hearing this, it's gonna get into that soul of theirs one way or another. It's gonna get there. It's gonna get so, mom, dad, even when you're trying to tell them something about the word, and they're like, okay, mom, okay. You know what? With your body, I don't like what I see, but I know your soul's taking this in, young man. Because the word of God does not return voice. Amen to that. So you see, see how, see how it's piercing, it's cutting through. So it got into your body. You see it with your eyes, you hear it with your ears as you read it, you hear, you see it with your eyes, and and and so now it's cutting through, but then it gets into your mind, and then the mind begins to try to interpret it, to understand it. It begins to what? Think about it. Like, okay. But here's what's amazing and beautiful. Even if you don't get it, it still pierces the mind and enters your spirit. It cuts through all of it. This is why it's so beautiful to know that even though you don't make when you first got saved, maybe you didn't fully understand this whole cross and raising from the tomb thing, but all you had to say was, Lord, forgive me of my sins. I repent, I am a sinner, I confess to you right now, come into my heart. You called into the Lord, and then in that moment, what happened? You were saved. I'm so glad I didn't need an entrance exam to get into heaven. How many are grateful you didn't need an entrance exam to get into heaven? Some of you should still be grateful for that right now. I don't get it, I just know he's in my heart. Say amen to that. I got him, he's in here. Because why? Because the mind tries to interpret it. But here's the thing: the word is saying, hey, you know what? I'm really going after? Not even so much your body, not so much your mind. I want your spirit to take this in. And hear me. Oh, your spirit absorbs it, man. Your spirit takes it in. And again, I would look at teenagers and sometimes they just be there like but in the spirit realm, I would I would literally tell myself, man. You'll picture them in the spirit realm, like, that's so good. Oh my god, more please, more please. I'll take 17, please. Like, like, just I want more and more. That's your spirit as it hears the word. I want that, I like that, I need that, I want more of that. Don't stop reading, keep taking it in. Let's read more. I wanna I wanna see this more, I want to hear this more. Your spirit just absorbs it and it takes it all in. And even though your body, you didn't even expect maybe to be where you were that day, but you heard the word, the word pierced through your body, your mind may not get it, but it pierces through the mind, and your spirit says, Oh, let it come in, and I take it all in and hear me. Your spirit will feast on the word of God, it takes it in. I like to say it absorbs it, it absorbs the word, and hear me. And this moment, you're connecting with God, you're having fellowship with God, you're taking in his word, and even the word itself is Christ. So you're communing with him, you're dining with him, you're fellowshipping with him. I think that's so amazing. This is why we need the word to help what? Our thinking. How? Why? How do we get here? Well, hear me. If you stick a sword into something, you also have to eventually what? Pull the sword out. This is where it gets real fun. Are you learning something here, real quick? I see you like this. I'm gonna believe that's your thinking face. I wanna work on that by the way. Just smile and I'm like, hey, yeah, yeah. And you do that, I have no idea what he's talking about. No, hear me. This is what's so cool. The word goes in, but remember, I told you earlier. Your soul receives, and what goes in desires to come out of you now. So now that that word that went in, guess what happens? The spirit absorbs it, but then the spirit says, Hey, soul, this word, oh soul, this word is pretty good, soul. Think about what this Bible says, ponder on what this Bible is saying, meditate on this scripture. Hey, soul, these things coming out of this Bible, this is amazing. In fact, you know what Philippians 4, 8 through 12 says? Put it on the board. Philippians 4.8, put it on the board. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Think about such things, think about such things. Say think. Question Is the word true? Is the word noble? Is the word right? Is the word of God pure? Is the word of God lovely? Is the word of God admirable? Is the word of God excellent? Is the word of God worthy of praise? If it is, say mentioned. Well, then you know what? You should be thinking on the word, pondering on the word, letting the word be poured into you. And then what? This spirit of yours says, hey, soul, this is good, this is right, this is lovely, this is pure, this is noble. Go back one slide for me. The word your spirit takes in is the word your spirit desires to release to your life. So this release takes place first into your soul, and your mind starts to realize I shouldn't be thinking like that. I should be thinking like this. Hey, I don't want to be like this, I want to be like this. Hey, the word of God says this, so I don't want to do this anymore. Hey, the word of God says this, so I'm kind of convicted here. I don't I don't want to be dwelling on those things or thinking on these things or doing these kind of things. And hear me, your soul starts to ponder. And the word of God now says, man, we got into the soul, but there's one thing left. Let's push this thing through the body now, man. And what happens as it pushes through the body eventually, it'll help change your world for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. Why? Because it may be something I think about in here, but with this body, I want to live this thing out. Say amen to that. I want to live this thing out, man. That's why the body is not always this bad thing. And now we see how this takes place. And I tell you today, remember, the spirit enjoys the word. Like the flesh enjoys the world. Remember, I said the flesh loves the things of the world. The spirit says, I love the word of God, it's amazing. Your spirit became the channel now that pours into your soul, that pours specifically into your mind. Your spirit pours into your mind, and your mind now, through beginning the changing of your mind, it affects your lifestyle and the way you begin to live. And I tell you today, the spirit put on the board. The word of God is all these things. It's true, it's noble, it's pure, it's all these things, and the spirit wants the mind to think on the word. Why is this important? Put the next one on the board. Because this is the process of renewing the mind. This is the process of it. But I gotta give you a warning. Back to this little area right here, the soul. Let me paint it in green for you. We'll put the mind over here too. Warning. I gotta remind you. All those thoughts that have dictated your life and the way you live, all those thoughts that are here in your mind, they're gonna be confronted by this word of God. It's like a battle that takes place in your mind now. How about this? In the mind, uh I'll put it here. In the mind, this is where, just don't worry about that. In the mind is where lies meet truth. Where every lie you have been battling has been dictating your life, will now be confronted by the truth of the word of God. And you better believe it is a fight in there. Don't look at me funny. You know what I'm talking about. Oh, I shouldn't be looking at this thing, I shouldn't be looking at this thing, I shouldn't be looking at this thing, oh, I shouldn't be listening to this, I shouldn't be listening to this. Oh man. Oh, I want to hit him so bad, I want to hit him so bad, I want to hit him so bad. Oh, that's the mind going to battle, knowing what the truth is, but then struggling because I've heard this lie and this way I've been living is now being confronted by the word of God, and this battle begins to take place within my mind, and lie is being confronted by truth, but the lie pushes back, and the truth continues to push back. But hear me today, I tell you, you can win this battle with the help of the Holy Spirit. Because James 1.22 says this do not just be hearers of the word, but be doers of the word. I don't want this word just to sit idle in my mind. I want this word to be displayed through my life. And I tell you, our spirit does not want the word that we receive just to become something we think about. Our spirit wants us to live it out. Jesus was the word, and the word revealed itself. It demonstrated itself. The spirit wants the word to be revealed through our lives. And the word does not just penetrate back through your soul and your mind, it cuts through your body, it goes back through your soul, cuts through your body again, and you see it lived out in your life. And I'm telling you, there's this other thought part I think about sometimes, though. In regards to the word. The word comes in through your body, into your mind, your soul, and into your spirit. Remember I talked about that battle you have going on? This word then flatter me. We absorb it, and now what? It pushes back out. Another spirit says, This is awesome. Hey mind, think about this. Think on these things, let's do these things. Notice how the first time I went out this way. Well, what am I coming for here? That habit you've had since you were 15 years old. That way of thinking that your grandpa had, your dad had, and now you seem to have it. That anger problem you just can't seem to get rid of. That lust issue that you seem to be holding on to. The same grandma was divorced, dad was divorced, now here we go. Now my problem with my marriage is now. All these things that have built up for years that you've you've become accustomed to. The word is not scared to penetrate through anything that it confronts. And you know what you need when you're battling things like the flesh, you need the word. The word to get into your spirit, feed your mind, and in the name of Jesus, it's gonna even break through the hardest places of your life and pierce through these dark places, pierce through these ugly places, pierce through these places that you have been battling, pierce through places that you never thought you could see change. I can break this habit, Pastor. In the name of Jesus, you can break this habit. I can break this cycle in the name of Jesus. This cycle will be broken. Pastor, it can really, I can really see change in this area. In the name of Jesus, the word of God is so powerful that when it confronts even the flesh, the flesh is gonna have to bow down and say, Let the word of God pass through and be displayed in the life of this person. That's why I tell you you can do this. It can happen. Even through this this stubborn flesh area. Do you know one reason why I say it can cut through this flesh? Do you know one reason why that I I am so confident of this of this process that I can see it just piercing the flesh and to be displayed in your life? The new way of thinking, be changed from the inside out. Well, because the word of God, one more time, I'll put it all the way over here. The word of God went into your body. And here's the truth. You took it in with your body. And you know what happened? When you took it in, it came in as information. It came into your body as information. And like I said earlier, you just take it in with your body. And some of you today here, you're thinking about what you're gonna eat in the next 40 minutes. I know. But you're still taking it in. This word you're hearing, it's getting there. And it's gonna what? Now your soul takes it in. And that is it's still information. Everybody ever read a verse and you think to yourself, I have no idea what that means. Hope I'm not the only one. Anybody else here? Like, I what what is that? That's your soul thinking. The thinker. I don't really get it. But you know, I remember at Bible school they would tell us this: don't worry about what you don't understand, just enjoy what you do understand and keep reading. Because the truth is this your soul may not get it, but I promise you, your spirit does. It's connected with God through the Holy Spirit, lesson in the weeks to come. The Holy Spirit, I mean this gracefully, I do, I don't mean Lord, I don't mean the Holy Spirit is not dumb. He is wiser and smarter and knows all things because he is God as well. So he hears it and he takes in the information. Before I show you further, I remember one time a kid, a kid said one time. Kids can be pretty smart sometimes, a teenager. If I didn't get it the first time, how do I get it the second time? I was like, you little brett messing up my sermon. You know, but that kind of makes sense for a moment, doesn't it? Yeah. I didn't get it the first time, how do I get the second time? Your spirit gets it. Your spirit knows it. And something so cool happens. Because of your spirit, the word of God went in as information. A child of God, it will come out as revelation. Oh man, I wish I had more time. So your sp your spirit was like, hey, I I get it. I get that. I get that. You may not get it, but I get it. I get it. Mind think on this, ponder on this. Let it do just pray to God and say, God, help me understand this. And hear me. Hear me. Ah, stretch your hand towards me. Just say pray. Just say help him, Lord. Help him, Lord. Stretch and say, just I'm serious. Stretch your hand towards me. Just say help him, Lord. Help them, Lord, help him, Lord. Help him, Lord. Listen, it went in as information, but it comes out as revelation. It comes out as revelation. So I'll give you an example. The Bible says to love your enemies. Love my enemies? Do you know who my enemies are? Do you know who my ops are? For all you teenagers, do you know who my ops are? You know who I'm battling every single day? You want me to love my enemies? That's the information that came in. And your spirit's saying, That's good, that's good. No, I can't do that. I can't get it. But all of a sudden, your spirit now begins to even speak to your mind. And you know what your spirit begins to say? Hey, can I remind you of something, mind? Can I remind you of something, so can I remind you that God every single day decides to shower you with love that you do not deserve? That he loves the worst of you, he loves everything about you, even the things that you're having trouble with, he still loves you. He hates to sin, but he loves you and he loves you more than you understand. So, child of God, let me challenge you. This is the revelation. If God can love you every single day, even when they're at your worst, you can love the most difficult person in the world as well. With the help of the Holy Spirit, this can be done. Say amen to that. Do you get it now? It went in as information, but then it comes out as a revelation when your spirit begins to take it in. The Bible says here's another one. Hey, you better forgive them. You weren't there, God. You don't know what they did. You don't know what they said, you don't know how they looked at me, you don't know what they're holding against me. God, you you weren't there, man. You know, but the Bible says we gotta forgive them. It's what the scripture says. It goes in as information. I can't do it, but the spirit is saying, no, no, no, this is good, this is good. Well, I don't really know how I can do this, I don't know if it's possible. And then you remember that every single day we serve a God in heaven who is forgiving the sins of billions of people who do not even think about even asking him to forgive. He pours out mercy, he pours out grace, he pours out compassion, and he starts to realize my God, if you're able to forgive the most horrible of sinners, who am I to hold anything against those who have hurt me? And with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can forgive this person and be set free in the name of Jesus. That is revelation. Honor your father and your mother. You met my parents, manual? You know who they are, you know what they've done to me, you know how they've hurt me, you know the things that went in as information. The Bible says, honor your father and mother. Body receives itself like, man, they if they only knew what kind of person my father was, what kind of person my mother was, if they only knew, but your spirit takes it and says, That's right, that's good. We have to do that, we need to do that. I know it's hard, but we need to do that. And this may not be the most uh encouraging revelations for you, but I will give you one anyway. It's one of the ten commandments. Honor your father and your mother, and you know why it's a commandment. One reason why is because God, even from heaven, is saying, Hey, child, you can do it even when it's hard. Why? Hear me, here's the revelation. I wouldn't command you to do something if I wasn't gonna help you do it. I wouldn't command you to honor even the hardest of people if I did not promise to help you do it. So the next time you think to yourself, there's no way I can honor them. I can't love them. You remember you can do it because it's not even you, it's Christ inside of you who say, Let's get this done and let's show honor even to the one who does not deserve it. So if you're here today and you're battling parents and grandparents and people who God said to honor and you say you can't let the revelation hit your mind today, that it's a commandment, not an option, but it's a commandment, and if it's a commandment, God says, I will help you do this thing in the name of Jesus. Give the Lord a heck laugh today. You see it with me, you get it with me. Information becomes revelation. I one time told somebody, hey, you gotta understand. I know he's creator god, he created all things, he is the creator of heaven and earth, but I want you to understand he loves you. And this kid asked me one time, what do you mean he loves me? I know he created me, but what do you mean he loves me? I said, because he's not just creator god, he's father god. And this father god who created you loves you more than you can ever imagine. He is father god, he will never fail you, he will never forsake you, he will always be by you. If you're ever wondering, I don't have a father, I don't have anyone who cares about me. Look up to heaven. You just don't have a creator, you have a father as well. Somebody who absolutely adores you. You are the apple of his eye. You see the information he created me. Oh, but the revelation is no, he didn't just create me. This one wants to be my father as well. I don't serve creator God, I also serve father god. To him I belong to, and to him I give my life to. Information becomes revelation, and that's why I tell you to close. I tell you to close today. That's why you can see breakthrough in your life. That's why you can see change in your life, and even the hardest of areas. That's why I pray in the name of Jesus, and I cry for you, and I cry for others that you can that with revelation you'll begin to understand that what you never thought could be done can be done. Put it on the board. Revelation is not just something we cherish within. It's not just something we hold in here, it's not just something we just keep in here. The spirit is saying, I want this to hear me, here's the word, and we're done. I want this to break through your life. I want this to pierce the dark areas. I want this to break through the hardest of areas. I want this to penetrate even the hardest of laws, the hardest of mindsets, the hardest of things that you've been battling. I want this to pierce through. And I'm telling you today, I have learned there are times, hear me, that I need transformational breakthrough in my life. That I've tried on my own. I've tried every single thing, but I have come to learn that there are times that there are parts, and don't look at me funny, hear me. There are parts of our lives that are so stubborn, so hard. Parts of our lives that it's us. We know we're the issue. We are so stubborn, we hold on to it, and we're having difficulty letting it go. I tell you today, you just don't need more information. You need a revelation. You need to understand some things that the spirit can speak to you, that the spirit can reveal to you, that the spirit will show you, that you'll read in the word, that you'll hear from this crazy man talking from a pulpit, that something will click in your mind and hear me. It's not just gonna be some small little thing that pushes through, or some small little thing that gently breaks through. No, this is gonna be something that will break the walls that have been trying to destroy you and keep you in, that'll break through even the hardest of things. I hear you today, or just gonna get up here quick. I hear you today, Danny. I've been I've been battling, I've been trying, I feel like I've done everything. You don't give up. You keep taking in this information, and it's gonna become a revelation. There's gonna be a revelation, I pray, that breaks through the toughest of areas in your life. Because a mind that's being renewed doesn't just need information. You need revelation, you need revelation. Say revelation this morning. You need revelation. You're praying for husbands, you're praying for wives, you're praying for kids. You keep praying for them, you keep dropping that word in their heart. But start praying this with me, Father. This isn't just information. This is gonna be revelation for them, my God. This is gonna help change them, help change their life. And a mind that's being renewed needs it. We all need it, but where does it begin?

unknown 56:06

Huh?

SPEAKER_00 56:09

It begins back to where we started. It begins to communion with God. Put it back on the board. The renewing of the mind begins with the spirit, the inner man. It's been brought to life and connects with God by utilizing kingdom resources. This connection helps renew the mind so we can see transformation in our lives. Let me have a personal moment with you and then we'll pray. Look at me. I I think sometimes, uh look at me. Just look at me, hear me. I meet men, I meet women, I meet young people, older people, just I meet so many people. We're gonna talk about it more as time goes on, but very often they admit there's always that one thing. That one thing in life. Like that one thing I'm battling. One thing I'm fighting. That's just that thing. That's just that thing that I know it's wrong, I know it's not right, it's just this one thing. One thing. Sometimes there's many, but often just there's that one. One thing. My heart breaks for them. Heart breaks for them. I literally see them come to me in tears. Pastor, I want help. I need help. Because can I be honest? Sometimes that one thing can destroy your family. Destroy your marriage, destroy your life. That one thing. I want to tell you today, for whatever your thing or things may be, the word of God can help. Time in the presence of God can help. Because remember, it's the spirit where it starts. Be changed from the inside out by renewing your mind. To every person here today. Even if it's just one major thing, I beg of you, beseech of you, implore of you today. If it's not right, confront it today. If it's something you know is wrong, don't let it keep going. Don't let it keep wandering in your mind. I told you earlier, thoughts become actions, actions become habits, habits become a lifestyle. And hear me, lifestyles can be very hard to break. But if we start in our mind, beginning with the spirits, communion with God, time with God, in the name of Jesus, lift up your hands. We're gonna see change in our lives, Father. We're gonna see change in ways we never even thought was possible, Lord. Don't lose me. Come on, Father. I pray today, Lord, even for the one Father who says, Manuel, it manual, it's been like this my whole life. Even to you today, I declare in Jesus' name, transformational breakthrough in Jesus' name. That even in these moments, you are getting a revelation of how it and why it can happen in your life. So, Father, I pray that every time they seek you, you ready? Another piece falls off. That every time they dine with you, another part is chipped away. That every time they fell we fellowship with you, another little piece of that thing is going. And Father, we will live as you've called us to live. Not so that we can be praised, but so that you can be uplifted. I thank you. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.