Teaching on Spirits: Day 34

Mind of Christ / Sanctified Imagination.

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ?
How can we have a sanctified imagination and why is it necessary?

“We have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16)

To have the mind of Christ is to...

1) Think in sharp contrast to the wisdom of man
2) Have the revealed wisdom from God that was once hidden
3) Gain discernment in spiritual matters
4) Grow closer in living the life that Christ lived (meaning doing what he did) [Gotquestions]

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus..." (Phil. 2:5)

God often speaks to us in a variety of ways. We know for certain he speaks to us through the use of our minds. Whether it is hearing his voice in an auditory fashion, the speaking of words whether preaching / teaching, our reading of scripture daily, in our prayers, dreams, etc.

Part of having the mind of Christ is transforming your mind such that you're better able to understand what it is that God is doing and saying. For example, many people (but prophets in particular) may hear from God through visual senses. In my own particular experience I see AND hear.

One example I've seen in my own life is through various dreams, many of which have come true. Some exactly how it played out in the dream and in other cases the dream was full of symbols that I then had to interpret and understand.

Here is where a sanctified imagination is necessary. Through reading and using the Bible we gain an inventory of images God can use to speak to us. A dream may be full of symbolic language (e.g. numbers, signs, etc) that has to then be interpreted. The problem with our minds though is sometimes it's polluted with garbage. The garbage we see and hear on the daily basis, past sins we've committed, etc. Often times a God given message can be mixed with some of the garbage we have in our minds and it can easily become distorted.

In this case you still have God's message but it's been filtered or overlaid with mess. This is why we should seek to live pure and holy lives. Not because we want to be better than others but because we want to be able to hear from God and speak to others with clarity knowing whether it is our mind/human spirit, God, or the enemy as the source of information.

Resources:
1) Living with the Mind of Christ

2) How can I have it?

3) Cultivating a Sanctified Imagination

4) Sanctifying Imagination

5) Seven Fold Spirit of God

6) Living the Truth


I pray you've been edified, exhorted, and comforted these last 34 days.

GraceNPeace,

liMitz