If you desire to be like Jesus in all you think and do, I have good news for you. You are like Jesus Christ. As a result, there are some battles you do not need to fight the way you do now. Let us read some scriptural references.
“So that if any one is in Christ, that one is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The second scripture is found in 1 John 4:17, where it says, “Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as he is, even so are we in this world.” The above portions of scripture show that you are like Jesus Christ the Lord right now. To show God’s life in this world, developmental processes need to occur. Let us look at the processes you need to undergo through to finally demonstrate Christ in you. Just remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint! Read on to learn how to become more like Christ in thought and action.
1) Ensure you are in Christ
How do you come to Christ? You accept Him as Lord and Saviour when He speaks to you as the Word is preached or as someone witnesses to you. You have read the scripture above, which says that if anyone is in Christ he is newly created, the inherited nature passes away. What does that mean? Regeneration takes place when the old sinful nature of your spirit is removed. Thus, your sinful nature, your “old spirit,” leaves you and you receive a new one. Once that has happened, you are now like Christ in your spirit. The Holy Spirit now becomes one with your spirit. This new spirit is obedient to God, and it desires to do what is right and holy. This newly created nature is capable of doing honorable works that please God. This transformation is called regeneration. However, the soul and body are not reborn, and that means you still have some work to do to demonstrate Christ’s life.
Thus, in order to live in accordance with the new spirit, the soul and body must be transformed. This is done by renewing your mind and body through the power of the Holy Spirit. You must accept God’s Word and live according to it, as well as learning to be led by the Spirit and practicing the fruits of the Spirit. This transformation of the mind and body is called sanctification. But don’t worry, you don’t have to do it all in one day, it’s a work in progress! Let us dive into the second process. This will change your life as you become what God wants in your life.
2) Renew your mind
Now, you have a trusted partner to help you along the faith journey. That is the Holy Spirit who is now one with your born-again spirit. After receiving baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit gives your born-again spirit a new language to use for edification. That is indicated in 1Corinthians 14:4, “He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the congregation.” Furthermore, in Jude 1:20 the Bible says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.” The edification or building yourself up is a result of the Holy Spirit speaking through your born-again spirit directly to God in ways that are beyond your natural understanding. This strengthens your faith and helps you draw closer to God. By yielding to the Holy Spirit, you can be filled with God’s power and walk in the fullness of his presence.
There is now a renewal of the mind involved in the process. You are strengthened in your spirit to face even greater challenges in life. The old practices left by your old spirit in your soul drop. The wrong mindset that formed wrong beliefs and strong will power changes. I am sure you want that. Isn’t it? The reference for the renewal of the mind is found in Romans 12:2. The Bible says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, to prove by you what is that good and pleasing and perfect will of God.” Understand that the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God about your life has already been deposited in your born- again spirit by the Holy Spirit. As you pray in the spirit (in tongues), you pray out God’s will concerning your life. This is a process. You need to finally think in line with God’s word. The Holy Spirit and your born-again spirit already agree with God’s word. As you pray, your mind is being renewed and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. As you continue to pray in tongues, you will start to think and act in accordance with God’s will. Ultimately, your faith will be strengthened and you will be able to see the manifestation of God’s promises in your life.
3) Control your body
Last but not least, we have the body, which contains the five senses. The body with its senses has a role to play in your spiritual journey. However, note that the body has not yet been redeemed, but was paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the Cross. The body is still subject to the effects of sin, so it is important to be aware of this when engaging in activities related to the spiritual journey. Ultimately, it is important to recognize that the body is a tool that can be used to serve God, but it is not the end goal itself. In other words I am saying that the physical body is not saved yet. Its salvation is still coming. The Bible says in Philippians 3:20-21:
Php 3:20 We, however, are free citizens of Heaven, and we are waiting with longing expectation for the coming from Heaven of a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Php 3:21 who, in the exercise of the power which He has even to subject all things to Himself, will transform this body of our humiliation until it resembles His own glorious body.
Your physical body still has to pass through transformation when Jesus Christ comes back. It will happen in the blink of an eye. 1Corinthians 15:52-53 records:
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Even though the body is not yet transformed to a glorified state, the Holy Spirit helps you manage or handle it accordingly. It is a matter of training the body to develop new habits as the born-again spirit and renewed mind train it. The body follows what the mind dictates. After sufficient training, the body easily follows the dictates of the renewed mind as it is helped by the born-again spirit. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” So, you see, the body needs to be disciplined. It is not yet transformed. Keep it under control until Jesus Christ returns.
In conclusion, I emphasize that you are now a new creation. Your spirit was recreated and is now an entirely different creature. The old nature is no more. The soul (mind, emotions, will, and intellect) did not change. However, the soul (mind) can be renewed by God’s word as you follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. Your body obeys the mind. So, take advantage of your spirit, which is like Christ right now. When you renew your mind, your body follows. You are now empowered to live a life of godly character and faithfulness. God has given you the power to be victorious over sin and death, and to live a life that is pleasing to Him. You can be an example to others of how God works in our lives. As you trust in God, you can live a life of joy and love. God’s love and grace are available to all who seek Him. So, don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith and put your trust in God! He’s got your back (literally and figuratively).
