Being Rooted in Christ
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”Colossians 3:2
The greatest hindrance to the body of Christ is the failure to have a “set mind” that is being rooted in Christ and the promises of God’s Word. We become a stumbling block to the work of Jesus, ourselves, and others when we fulfill Satan’s priorities and not God’s. This was evident when Jesus pointed it out to Peter, one of His own, as he fell into the trap of fleshly thinking and behavior (Matthew 16:23). Mindsets, be they heavenly or earthly, drive our behavior. One Old Testament believer, I think, who exemplified God’s expectations of a true believer, was Ezra (Ezra 7:10). Ezra was a student of God’s Word. A true disciple is one whose mind is set intentionally on being taught, intentionally on living what is taught, and intentionally on teaching what is taught.
Some key behaviors of Ezra’s walk were:
1. To set his heart (mind) on studying the Word—“study” here means to seek and spiritually consult with God for understanding.
2. To practice the Word of God—this is where too many believers deceive themselves. We may get the knowledge of the Word but fail to experience the supernatural work of the Word made manifest in our spirit. It’s a hallmark of the progressive sanctification process (John 17:17).
3. To teach the word of God—this is directly related to the call of the church today to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). We are to teach others about the marvelous works of God from His Word and from real-time testimonial occurrences. Teaching the Word of God is not a classroom setting per se, but “washing with the water of the word” (Ephesians. 5:26). We are to teach intellectually, interpersonally, and interactively with boldness and with complete dependence on the Holy Spirit (Acts 14:3).
Brothers and sisters, I pray that you will take heed of the call to get your “mindset” right with God and that His mind be found in you,“…for we have the mind of Christ…” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Prayer: Dear Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.