Tag: vision

Renew the spirit of your mind to achieve your vision

The mind can visualize what you want to become. The mind can also visualize the challenges that you might encounter as you work towards achieving your vision. Furthermore, your mind might suggest that you could or could not overcome the challenges.  In most cases, the suggestion might be that the challenges are overwhelming, and that you would not overcome them.

But deep inside you the voice of faith would also be telling you that you could achieve your aim. The voice could be telling you, “Don’t give up! Press on! Be resilient! You will achieve your aim!”

Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23; KJ2000). “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37; KJ2000)

Faith is not just uttering words. Faith is not mere wishful declaration. If you have faith, you work towards your vision. Nothing can convince you to stop. And no matter how many times you fall, you will rise again, because you believe you can make it (Proverbs 24:16; Micah 7:8).

Some people give up when they don’t see how they can succeed. When the journey becomes wearier, and strength drains away, they become discouraged and give up.

The great men and women of history that you admire today were ordinary people. They were like you. Some of them were discouraged by people and almost gave up because of lack of encouragement. But vision and the passion to achieve their aim carried them through. They believed in their vision when others could not see what they saw.

They were not extraordinary people when they began. Their achievements made them become extraordinary people. We learn and grow as we practice. A Buganda proverb says, “By trying often, the monkey learns to jump from the tree.” Your mental rehearsal primes your mind and your body for the execution of what you want to do and what you want to become.

You can actualize your vision if you align your thoughts, emotions and actions. Remember Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith ignites confidence and spurs the mind to accept what we hear. Faith makes our minds to operate the ability to receive the operation of God’s Word in our lives. Faith creates expectations and motivates us to continue despite challenges.

Research in neuroscience, particularly discovery of neuroplasticity, aligns with the teaching in Ephesians 4:22-24 that we can renew our thinking (our mindset). Studies in neuroscience corroborate Ephesians 4:25-32 that we can change our characteristics and form new habits by feeding the mind with good thoughts.

In Ephesians 4:25-32 we read how we train the mind by feeding the mind with new actions over the old actions and repeating them until they become habits, (replacing the old habits). Neuroscience calls that retraining and reframing the mind. The Bible calls that renewing the spirit of the mind (Ephesians 4:23). Neuroscience explains that when we repeat a new action, new cell-to-cell connection pathways (known in medical language as synapses) take place in the brain.

Whether the repetitions are done covertly in our mental imagery or overtly through actions, the brain recognizes them, and patterns of behaviors are created.

Therefore, the Ephesians 4:25-32 passage tells us to replace the old ways or actions with new and good (or correct) ones. And research in neuroscience confirms that, by repeating the scenario several times, we establish new patterns of thoughts and behaviors.

Thus, Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)

We are, therefore, transformed by the renewing of the spirit of the mind. We become new personalities by feeding our minds with new thoughts and actions. Repeating them eventually forms new habits and characteristics.

Belief can be positive or negative. If it is positive, it will produce positive results. If it is negative, it will produce negative results. If you believe you can do something, you will get what you want. If you believe you cannot do anything or you can’t achieve your goals, you will not achieve them.

Patience is endurance. Without patience, you cannot endure the challenges and the heartbreaks that confront you. If you believe in what you are doing, though it takes time, you will achieve what you want. Patience, perseverance, persistence, faith, and endurance will take you through to achieve your vision.

But faith without works is dead (James 2:20). As the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead (James 2:26). It simply means that if you think of something, and you act on it, you will eventually become or make it happen. But if you do not act, nothing will happen.

Resist the temptation to give up. Keep on doing it when it feels like quitting. Correct the mistakes when they arise and continue.

Learning a new thing will not come easily. Work diligently against the challenges. The new actions will create patterns of new behaviors in your brain and register them in the mind (the brain). The actions become easier to perform as you repeat them. Repeating them etches them on the brain. These become ingrained as the neurons and the synapses wire together to form behavioral patterns. Anytime signals are sent, the neurons correspond to each other, the synapses engage, and action is performed.

The Bible affirms that you need a strong spirit, an unyielding will, to become successful. Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” (NKJV)

After several repetitions, the pain becomes less and less until you do not feel it anymore. So, discipline your body and make it endure the challenges. You cannot succeed if your mind disagrees with your body. Your mind and body must agree.

Your body acts according to the suggestions of the mind. Wishing and thinking alone will not produce results.

Success may seem slow in coming, but it will surely happen if you persevere and press on. Time appears to go slowly, in fact very slowly, when you need something desperately. Paradoxically, at the same time, the years appear to be flying speedily past you, and you feel you are losing time. It is a dilemma when you are caught in that situation. When years seem to be flying speedily past you while success seems to be taking long in coming.

This takes us to the word ‘willpower’. Willpower is about self-control. Willpower is about endurance. Willpower is about power of the will. Willpower is the ability to resist something in order to attain something else. Jesus said in Matthew 26:41 that the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

By practicing and repeating, we nurture willpower. And while enduring, we must also conform to God’s will and principles. For when we are far from God, the influence of His Spirit is also far from us. Our relationship with the Spirit of God then becomes strained.

Willpower links with your spirit to act. When you pray sincerely and are attentive, you will hear the Voice of God directing you, whether to take to the left or to the right. The Spirit speaks to your spirit, and you hear a word (or voice) saying, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21; NKJV)

Depending on your relationship with God’s Spirit, you may be close or far from His immediate influence and help. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit” with God.

The spirit works in or through the mind. Therefore, in Romans 12:2 we are told to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. If you keep repeating the new behaviors, they will eventually be registered on your mind and become automatic behaviors.

Success and Transformation Require Mindset Change

Transformation and success will not happen without the change of mindset. Fear, hate, anger, and violence will continue to be the bane of your existence until you renew your mental attitude.

Without the change of mindset, we will continue to do what we do and will continue to get the same results. And we will continue to wallow in poverty and ignorance. We will continue to live in mediocrity, believing and wallowing in inferiority and thinking we cannot achieve great heights.

The belief that an individual can overcome challenges and do the impossible led to the invention of the airplane.

Belief makes all things possible (Mark 9:23). Belief enabled man to fly to the moon. Unless you renew your mindset, your miracles will not happen.

Do you not notice the harm, the unrest, the chaos that anger and violence are causing?

The imaginations of the thoughts of the hearts of people are evil continually (Genesis 6:5). Perversity has taken control of people’s hearts, and few people can be truthful, tolerant, and forgiving. The situation will change only when there is a change of mindset.

People are becoming more skeptical each day. Even religious people, including Christians, are becoming agnostics on matters of faith and God.

Anger has become the bane of our social lives. The political landscape is violent and full of untruths. Propaganda holds sway in most political discourses. And negative attitudes are destroying the fabric of our societies. Unforgiveness is destroying the conscience of many people. Even some Christians are caught in the web, and most are reluctant to forgive wrongs.

Mindset is the power of self-realization and self-esteem. Our mental attitudes decide how we perceive things, how we believe in ourselves, and how we respond to challenges.

The physically challenged person whose mindset is positive, can challenge his or her crippled legs to climb the ladder of success and achieve results. The physically challenged person whose mindset is positive can challenge himself or herself to learn to paint with his or her mouth, despite having no hands. The visually impaired who has a strong and healthy mindset will not throw his or her hands up in despair but will forge ahead in the quest to become successful despite physical challenges. There will be no limitations. Our mental attitude towards life can make us do things that people will marvel. Either positively or negatively.

Jessica Cox was born with no arms, but she trained to become the world’s first licensed armless pilot, as well as the first armless back-belt in the American Taekwondo Association. She graduated in psychology and a minor in communications, drives a car without modifications, and has a scuba certification. According to Wikipedia, she has not used prosthetic arms since she turned 14.

She was in Ghana for a four-day motivational seminar in October 2011. The theme of her motivational seminar was “Just As You Are, Arise and Do Something.” Note that she was born without arms. Yet she is successful in many aspects of life while many people who have arms are languishing in poverty and begging for aid.

Neuroscience buttresses the statements in Ephesians 4:22-32 and Romans 12:2 that we can renew the spirit of our mind and transform ourselves to reach the best in life. We can learn to control our minds or develop our minds and achieve higher aspirations. Therefore, Ephesians 4:23-24 encourages us to change our mindset by renewing the spirit of our mind and become a new, or a transformed, personality.

You don’t have to remain mediocre in life. The Bible explains that God’s Spirit helps to transform our spirits and enables us to live in newness of life (Ephesians 4:23; Romans 12:2).

Per neuroscience our behaviors are developed through repeated actions. Repeating an action will ingrain it in the brain to become a habit, or a characteristic. Furthermore, we deal with anger by controlling it. And we learn to control our anger by delaying action. Therefore, by repeating the action, we form the habit of controlling the anger.

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32; NKJV)

Some people have the innate desire for evil. And when they are in positions of authority, they misuse their power and brutalize suspects in their custody. Some police and military personnel use torture to make suspects confess to crimes. That is not right. For even if suspects are guilty, the use of torture can erode the credibility of the confession.

Personally, I find it hard to believe confessions that are obtained through torture. Because people may confess when they can’t endure the pain.

The Bible exhorts us to be renewed in the spirit of the mind and learn to do what is right.

Don’t be upset when you fail in a venture or enterprise. Try again and you will succeed. Put your faith into action, and you will reach the height you envisage. It might take you longer to reach success because of the lack of financial resources. But remember that though the snail crawls slowly it gets to its destination.

Though money makes success easy, yet without money, you can still achieve success. If you have faith, time, good health, and determination you can also reach the top of the mountain. Others may have the means to fly easily and quickly to the top of the mountain, while you may not have the means to fly. However, you have faith, time, health, determination, and vision. Let your vision light your path to success.

No matter how big the project is, or how far out of sight it might appear, if you work step by step, you will reach your goal – your success. You may not have enough funds for the project, but you can still achieve your aim by working and saving a little at a time. Though it may take longer for you to reach the pinnacle of success, you will eventually get there.

Julia Carney wrote in her poem, Little Things, or Little Drops of Water, about how each effort matters, however little. Every little thing can change the situation, or even change the world.

“Little drops of water, Little grains of sand, Make the mighty ocean, And the pleasant land. And the little moments, Humble though they be, Make the mighty ages Of eternity. So, our little errors Lead the Soul away, From the paths of virtue, Far in sin to stray. Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Make our earth an Eden, Like the heaven above.” (Julia A.F. Carney’s Poem, Little Drops of Water).

I like the proverb that says, “You can eat a whole elephant if you take a bite at a time.” A daunting task can be done by taking a little at a time. You can eventually raise the money for your investment when you save a little at a time. So, eat that elephant by taking a bite at a time.

Have a change of mindset and press on toward the prize – your success – your goal. You will reach the goal if you persevere (Philippians 3:13-15).

Years that pass may redefine your vision into a new or different one. But your vision to be successful should not die.

Your spouse might have forsaken you, and friends may not believe that you can make it. Your resources may not be adequate. But you still have time, hands, legs, determination, and health. Your hard work, perseverance and hope will take you to your goal. Have a strong mental attitude and you will get there.

Life will not smile at you when you are striving to reach the top of the ladder. But don’t be angry when things do not go the way you want. Anger will not solve your problems.

You may be physically challenged, or you may lack resources. These can slow you down, but they should not stop you from reaching your goal. Do what is right, leave the rest to God, and all will be well.

It may take years to reach your goal, and the going will be tough and unpleasant. But God will see you through. Have the mindset to believe that no matter how poor you are, how young or old you are, whether you are male or female, God destined you to be a success in life. You can eat that elephant (poverty, illness, or whatever the challenge is). Just take a bite at a time. It might take a long time to finish eating it, but you will finish eating it if you don’t lose hope and if you don’t give up.

God was with the Children of Israel in the wilderness journey. Yet that did not stop enemies and the Devil from attacking them. They faced many challenges. There were times they did not get water to drink, or the water was bitter. But amid the challenges, God performed miracles.

The night may be very long and lonely. But if you live an honest life before God, Jesus will always be by your side and guide you. God searches our hearts and gives us what we deserve (Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 2:6).

Don’t lose hope when help is delayed. It may take some time before your desire materializes. But “if you can believe, all things are possible…” (Mark 9:23). Be patient when learning perseverance. You won’t achieve success at a go. You must practice and repeat the actions till your mind and your body accept the new information you are feeding your mind.

Remember that you must take a step at a time. Repeat the actions until your mind accepts them. Whatever you are doing will need time. Initial stages are not pleasant. You might not see success at once. But if you practice your beliefs, your mind and body will gradually learn to adapt, and the rest of the journey, including the spiritual, will become easy.

It becomes easier as you continue working or practicing. The easier it becomes, the more flexible it becomes for the body to get used to.

Your brain adapts or changes in response to what you feed it. It reorganizes its structure or functions, as new information is fed into it. Therefore, Ephesians 4:22-24 instructs us to shed off our former conduct or way of behavior, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, by feeding the mind with new information on action or behaviors. In Ephesians 4:25-32, we are told to discard the negative behaviors and replace them with positive ones.

Practice, they say, makes perfect. Just as constant practice gives you dexterity in playing a sport, or in what you do, so also deliberate repetitions and practices are needed for new habits to become habitual and automatic. Therefore, Ephesians 4:28-32 tells us to feed the brain or the mind with positive thoughts of actions. The positive thoughts will stimulate positive actions. What we feed the mind is what will be acted on.

And so, as most people continue to feed on evil thoughts, so evil acts continue to engulf the world (Genesis 6:5; Proverbs 6:14; Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21-22).

No matter your age, you can change or learn a new attitude or habit. In Romans 12:2 we are encouraged to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to know the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God so that we can practice and become new or transformed persons. Discard the old conduct and put on the new nature (Colossians 3:5-10).

You can achieve the height you aspire. Age is not a barrier. Joseph was 17 when he had the vision to become great. His family considered him too young (Genesis 37). But God proved Joseph right. He took Joseph out of prison, promoted him to be second to Pharaoh in Egypt, and used him to save the world from famine.

David was also considered by his family as fit only to tend sheep, but God anointed him to be King of Israel (1 Samuel 16:11-13). Moses was 80 years old when God commissioned him to lead the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. And he led them 40 years.

It is not only in the Bible that age does not pose a barrier. George Mueller, at 70, and resigning from the orphanage, embarked on a worldwide missionary tour. For 17 years he visited 42 countries until he was 87. He died at age 92. Anna Mary Robertson Moses, or Grandma Moses, was an American folk artist. She started painting seriously at the age of 78 when arthritis made her unable to embroider. She was a self-taught artist. Some of her works have sold as much as $1,360,000.

Neuroscience tells us that the brain can rewire itself and enable us to reframe our mindset. The ideas (or thoughts) we feed our brain change our mindset. If you feed your brain with thoughts of patience, endurance, perseverance, love, and goodness, your mindset will change and adapt to those behavioral thoughts. You will be renewing your mental attitude, or the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:22), to be conformed to the will of God (Romans 12:2).

What your mind accepts will become beliefs. If beliefs grow, faith increases. The mind adapts to the new thought patterns or behaviors you feed your brain. Your behavior changes or reshapes to the new patterns as you act on your beliefs.

God’s spirit activates his power in your spirit (Acts 1:8), enabling you to achieve your aims (Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17; Acts 19:6). And your actions lead to achievements.

God’s Spirit becomes your teacher and leads you into the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:12). God, who knows the mind of his Spirit, knows what you want because of God’s indwelling Spirit. Moreover, the Spirit makes intercession according to God’s will (Romans 8:27).

God who gives you the vision of what you can and should be, knows and understands your vision, even when other people do not understand. It is your vision. No one can understand it as you do, and no one else can have the passion for your vision more than you.

Alas, many will  read or hear this message but only a few will practice it. Many Christians believe and wish, but only a few actualize the power of the Holy Spirit. It is time to arise and actuate the power given to us by Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8).

God believes in you. Press on to success.

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