A Happy Ending - The Battlefield of the Mind - Day 14

As I close this series, we are in the days where we ponder the last days of Christ before His death...and return to life...

I have come across a verse in Scripture that has been quite perplexing.  It says,

But we have the mind of Christ.

I Corinthians 2:16b (ESV)

What does this mean?  I found this explanation from Joyce Meyer* quite interesting:

If we have His mind, we will think positive thoughts. We will think about how blessed we are--how good God has been to us.

Jesus was positive, in spite of being lied about, lonely, misunderstood, and a multitude of other negative things. He was deserted by His disciples when He needed them most, yet He remained positive--always able to offer an uplifting, encouraging word. Just being in His presence would suggest that all fear, negative thoughts, and discouraging hopelessness would evaporate into thin air.

The mind of Christ in us is positive. So when we fall for the opportunity to be negative about something, we should instantly discern that we are not operating with the mind of Christ. God wants us to be lifted up. It's the enemy of our soul who wants us pressed down--depressed. We have many opportunities to think negative thoughts, but that's not the mind of Christ at work in us. We don't have to accept those thoughts. They are not ours!

*This does not mean the owner of this blog agrees with every theological position of this author.

But between the impact of watching The Bible this month, going through this study, and an experience last night...I have had a personal revelation.

Last night, Edster and I went to a Good Friday service to hear Alexander Adelson and his wife, Svetlana, Messianic Jewish missionaries to Tel Aviv, Israel.  Alexander was born in Russia; his wife born in Ukraine.   They serve through the organization of Jews for Jesus.  They believe the Lord called them to Israel as 1.2 million Jews from the former Soviet Union live there now.

He demonstrated how the Passover feast points to Jesus...with great symbolism and a wealth of history of each element.  I saw how at the Last Supper, recorded in Scripture, we see only one part of the Passover meal...but after learning of the entire Passover ceremony, I was humbled at the meaning of the cup of the wine and bread...and the brokenness of the Passover Lamb on my behalf.

If a God would send His precious Son...who uplifted, healed, encouraged and truly understood those He came to save...to be broken, be abused, endure character annihilation, be abandoned...to redeem me...to ransom me...at such a price...how can I be anything less than deeply valued and precious?  How...now convinced that God must see me through His eyes is incredible...forgiven, clean, and ransomed...can I entertain any thoughts or ruminations that say otherwise?

Thank you, Jesus, for deeming me worthy of Your sacrifice, Your vulnerability, Your love, Your passion, Your compassion, Your forgiveness.

Help me to be victorious in this battlefield of the mind...

Remind me of Whose I am...

And may my behavior and thought life be indicative that I truly do have the mind of Christ.