Identity #31 – I Have the Mind of Christ (1Corinthians 2:16)
Galatians 2:20 says that we no longer live but Christ lives within us. 1Corinthians 2 is all about the differences between those who have the Holy Spirit and those who do not. This is a key identity for believers to claim for not just overcoming sin but also taking ground from the enemy and living victoriously.
Just as God is three in one (Father, Son, Spirit), so are we three in one (body, soul, spirit). Our body is in the physical realm and is led by the five senses. Our soul is in the relational realm and is led by the mind, will, and emotions. Our spirit is in the spiritual realm (the unseen). Before we accepted Christ and received His Spirit, we were led by our mind, our emotions, and the desires of our flesh. As much as we could try and rely on “will power” to overcome our weaknesses, we were still prone to sin and wrong. In Matthew 5:48 Jesus commands us to be perfect as our God is. How could this be possible for us?
If I said I wanted to become a brilliant composer like Mozart, I would have little chance because my talent and knowledge for composing are nothing compared to Mozart. But if Mozart somehow could live inside me and work through me, then I could indeed become that brilliant composer.
So it is with Christ. He lives within us now. We must learn how to give control over to Him and build up our spirit man. It is as we exercise the spiritual gifts He has given us, as we declare our identity in Him, and as we ask for more of Him in prayer and Word that our minds become fully submitted to His mind. His Spirit is already at work within us. Claim this identity. Listen for God’s still, small voice. As we give ourselves over to Him the voices of our flesh and of the world will grow quieter and quieter and His still, small voice will become clearer and clearer until we are one.
