Many are waiting on God to do something:

• “When God heals me.”
• “When God blesses me.”
• “When God shows up and comes through.”
• “When God brings revival to my nation.”

What we are really saying is, “My problems are because of God, and as soon as God does something, these problems are going to go away.” This is faulty thinking. 

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The key factor in my transformation and breakthrough is the renewal of my mind, not a sovereign move of God. We do not discount the importance of God’s intervention, but His biggest transformative work for us has already been finished—the death and resurrection of His Son. As we believe in this finished work, we will be transformed by salvation’s benefits. 

It is important to understand that we can “renew” our minds with either truth or lies. If we choose to renew our minds with lies, we will be led toward emotional and circumstantial restriction. If we believe truth, we will increasingly experience emotional and situational freedom. 

Whatever we regularly rehearse as true in our thinking is our mind renewal. Current mind renewal creates future experiences. Yes, Romans 12:2 is talking about positive mind renewal, but it’s important to understand the principle that much of what we are experiencing today is a direct result of our past mental rehearsals and repetitions. 

We are three-part beings who have a spirit, soul, and body. Through faith in Christ, our spirits have been perfected (Hebrews 10:14). Our soul (the mind, will, and emotions) is where the battle is either won or lost as to whether we will see transformation (God moving). “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6).

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). One of the most vital factors in seeing God move and seeing transformation is to prosper in our souls. This is the process of becoming successful on the inside when we don’t seem successful on the outside (in our life circumstances). This means we are prospering in our:

• Mind – in our thinking
• Will – in our decision-making
• Emotions – in our feelings

“He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3). When we give God something to work with by believing His promises, He restores our mind, will, and emotions. This restoration leads to increased physical health and prosperity in every area of life. 

Regardless of what we have faced in our past, our soul is the defining factor for our future. As go our souls, so go our lives. The condition of our soul determines whether we rise above the challenges and injustices we face. It determines the level of experiencing the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10. 

A prosperous soul emerges when we renew our minds with God’s promises and truth instead of lies. Because there is no limit to how much we can renew our minds, then there is no limit to how much we can be transformed. We don’t need to wait for God to do something because our mind renewal will bring transformation wherever we go. 

With this in mind, I want to share an incredible opportunity with you. In September, Igniting Hope Ministries will begin a five-month online Transformational Mind Renewal Course. Each month, the course will emphasize one of our five steps of radical mind renewal. I believe it will be one of the most powerful courses ever on the power of intentional biblical thinking. It will have two levels of content to choose from, and we’re excited to share it with you! For more information, click here.