Come to Understanding

Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

May 1, 2010
Volume 9 Number 9

The Mind of the Spirit of God

When Yahshua (Jesus) spoke to Nicodemus, He told him that another birth is required before we can see the Kingdom of God:

3 Yahshua answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. -John 3

Nicodemus, however, could only hear that which he could understand with his natural mind:

4 Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? -John 3

Yahshua responded that there is a physical birth of the flesh (of water) and also a birth of the Spirit. Both are required in order to enter into the Kingdom of God:

5 Yahshua answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. -John 3

From our physical birth, we are given natural minds. They have the ability to learn, imagine, and create. They can take abstract thoughts and turn them into imaginations, which can be expressed concretely through words, art, or even objects that can be built using the materials of the physical world. Minds can imagine things that never existed and make them, using things that already exist. As Yahweh said at Babel, the imagination of natural minds, working in unity with others, is powerful:

5 And Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.

6 And Yahweh said, Behold, the people are one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. -Genesis 11

Nevertheless, our natural minds have a major limitation. They cannot comprehend the spiritual things of God. Those things can only be revealed to us by His Spirit:

9 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.

10 But God has revealed them to us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. -1 Corinthians 2

Not having been born of the Spirit of God, natural minds are unable to know that which is taught by His Spirit:

11 For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. -1 Corinthians 2

The mind of the Spirit of God is also the mind of the Messiah. It can understand the things of God. Because these things are spiritually discerned, they often don’t fit into the scheme of the physical world. Therefore, they seem foolish to the natural mind:

14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no man.

16 For who has known the mind of the Lord Yahweh, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of the Messiah. -1 Corinthians 2

A natural mind can be transformed into a spiritual mind by the power of the Holy Spirit. It then is renewed, becoming a new mind that can be taught by the Spirit of God according to His will:

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. -Romans 12

However, once our minds have been renewed by the power of the Spirit of God, we are cautioned to beware of the temptation of developing a prideful spirit:

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. -Romans 12

Ironically, when we think we have arrived to the place where we have the mind of the Spirit of God, we can easily lift ourselves up in spiritual pride, removing ourselves out of God’s will and grace:

5 Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yes, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God Yahweh resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. -1 Peter 5

It is only by having a humble spirit that we are able to recognize that all power and strength comes from the Spirit of God and from nothing that we have of ourselves:

6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says Yahweh of hosts. -Zechariah 4

Our strength against the schemes of Satan does not lie in our own strength, but in the power of the might of God through His Holy Spirit. Only by equipping ourselves in His armor are we able to "stand against the wiles of the devil:"

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. -Ephesians 6

Countless Godly people have failed to trust in Yahweh and the power of His spirit, relying instead in their own strength. Among these was King Saul, who became so prideful that he thought he no longer needed to fully obey Yahweh. According to Samuel, his rebellion against Yahweh was no different than witchcraft, iniquity, or idolatry (see 1 Samuel 15:23). Even King David, when he was lifted up in pride, allowed Satan to enter into him and cause him to number Israel (see 1 Chronicles 21:1). Sensing Peter’s prideful spirit, Yahshua told him that Satan wanted to "sift" him (see Luke 22:31). Peter then denied Yahshua three times before the morning came.

If we have the mind of the Spirit, then we will bear the fruit of the Spirit:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are the Messiah’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. -Galatians 5

It is the mind of the Spirit that can see how Yahweh confirms His word through miraculous signs and wonders:

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard him;

4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with diverse miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? -Hebrews 2

It is also the mind of the Spirit that refuses to believe that all spirits are from God. It will "try the spirits:"

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. -1 John 4

Yahweh tells us in His Word that we must not listen to prophets that use miraculous signs and wonders in their effort to persuade us to follow after other gods:

1 If there arises among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder,

2 And the sign or the wonder comes to pass, whereof he spoke to you, saying, Let us go after other gods, which you have not known, and let us serve them;

3 You shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for Yahweh your God proves you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. -Deuteronomy 13

Even though the sign or wonder may come to pass, the mind of the Spirit of Yahweh knows that anyone who bows to such gods does not love Yahweh completely.

An earthly Beast will come, looking like a Lamb (Yahshua) but speaking with the subtle voice of a Dragon (Satan):

11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. -Revelation 13

He will appear as a great prophet, performing wonderful miracles as he orders the inhabitants of the earth to make an image for worship:

14 And deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. -Revelation 13

Those having natural minds will believe his words:

5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them. -1 John 4

Because those having the mind of the Spirit of God hear the Word of God, they will know that a prophet of Yahweh would never command His people to make an image for worship. Being able to distinguish between the "spirit of truth" and the "spirit of error," they will not listen to that false prophet that deceives the rest of the world:

6 We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. -1 John 4

John reminds us in 1 John 5:

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

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Scriptures are taken from the Proper Name Version of the King James Bible.