Set, Renew, Prepare

“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Col. 3:2
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action;” 1 Peter 1:13

The Mind of Christ teaches that there are three stages in developing the mind of Christ within ourselves. They are the Beginning Stage, the Growing Stage and the Qualified Stage. Within each stage there is a basic principle which must lead us through this process.

The Beginning Stage requires the surrendering of our own will in order that we may set our mind on Gods will. When my children were teenagers I use to tell them that in order to avoid temptation in anything they must decide in advance certain decisions on everything they would face. The time to make decisions to act or not to act is not the time they are presented. We must set our decision in place before the temptation ever arises. The same is with our minds in Christ. We must decide to think about the things of Christ, respond to things in the manner Christ did and develop a focus on Christ so we can see the elements of this world through a spiritual lens.

The Growing Stage is the long process that we allow God to spiritually grow us up. This stage requires a great deal of work and wait. We must allow God to renew our minds through meditation on His word, prayer time with Him and life’s circumstances. As our minds are renewed towards His ways, His will and His purposes our faith grows and we begin to think more like Christ. God says that renewal is essential in allowing the ‘living waters to flow’ in our lives. ‘Failure to produce newness is a sign of death. The spiritual life, too, is to be characterized by a constant renewing. Lack of renewal or growth is a sign of death. Newness is the way of progress as you are moving from one glory to another.'Mind of Christ, p. 25 ‘We all…are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.’ 2 Co. 3:18

The Qualified Stage is the final stage in which He has prepared our minds. We are ready to act when God calls us to move. We have our minds set on Him, renewed and refreshed, and we are prepared to do the work of our Father. Jesus was always in a state of preparedness. He was constantly qualified to do the work of His Father. He demonstrated a mental readiness at all times and in all circumstances.

Soldiers spend a great deal of time using these principles – Set your mind, train and be prepared. We, too, must follow these three stages to get the work done for which we were created. If our will is set and our mind has grown through constant renewal we will live our lives in a constant state of readiness and will be qualified for any test God allows to enter into our lives. We must be set, renewed and prepared.