CASTING OUT A DEVIL OR RENEWING YOUR MIND, WHICH IS BETTER?
TEXT:
"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;" (Ephesians 4 verse 23, King James Version).
As a Christian, it will do you extremely good to understand that your mind is the battleground of your life. In other words, every battle of your life takes place in your mind. This accounts for why the devil is very keen to go for your mind, because once he gains control of it, he's able to manipulate your life.
We all desire to be transformed in life. Indeed, that's the reason so many of us have had to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour of our lives. The Holy Bible clearly tells us how to get transformed. It's by meditating on God's Word. Romans 12 verse 2 says,
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, ... "
Today, amongst Christians, we observe that when things don't go well according to expectations, the next thought is on how to cast out the demon(s) we suspect might be responsible for what's happening with us. Truth is, much of what we call "demonic" activities are not caused by demons at all. Much of it is actually the fruit of a believer's unredeemed, unrenewed mind; ie, thinking and acting like the world does. When you become born again, God expects that you immediately change your thoughts. This is through the process of renewing your mind with God's Word (see Romans 12 verse 2, Ephesians 4 verse 23, Colossians 3 verse 10). Otherwise, you may still continue to think as the World does. It's a well known fact that an unredeemed, unrenewed mind gives access to the devil because the mind is the doorway through which he gains access to people, and through the five senses, he manipulates people.
It doesn't really matter that you're born again, once you think contrary to God's thinking about you, you can't make good progress in actualising your redemption. Let's remember that as a man thinks in his heart, so he is (Proverbs 23 verse 7). Though you are redeemed and translated to the Kingdom of God's Son (Colossians 1 verse 13), if you don't renew your mind constantly with God's Word, you will continue to think like an unbeliever and consequently, see results that are peculiar to unbelievers. That's when people cannot understand why things are not going on with them as they expect, now that they are in Christ. That being so, the next thought is to cast out whatever demon they think is responsible for their woes.
I make bold to say that success in life over the devil's manipulations doesn't come all the time by trying to cast out some kind of demonic spirit. It comes from getting your mind renewed with God's Word in order that your mind will side in with your spirit. At that point, your spirit man becomes a dependable guide to lead you right in all the affairs of life.
The bottom line here is that you are to actively meditate on the Word of God with your mind so your thinking can be changed or transformed (see Psalms 1 verses 1 to 3). This is what many people have failed to do and they blame the undesirable consequences on the devil or demons. Unless your thinking is transformed through the agency of God's Word, you will think the devil's thoughts and begin acting just like unsaved people do. Romans 12 verse 2 reveals that renewing your mind transforms you! This is the way the Bible says you will be transformed, not by trying to cast a demon out of you.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for letting me know that as I renew my mind with Your Word my transformation in life is brought to light for all to see, in Jesus name.