New Testament themes for the overcomer Develop practical skills to become an overcomer

Unity IssuesFocus new bulletin

           Overcomer Theme #1                         Tuesday, 05 November 2001
          Develop rock solid faith and become an overcomer and co-worker with Christ.

The overcomer enjoys the victorious life. The overcomer is known by their works and their love


Set your mind on things above.



Introduction

The Mind
Theme #1 is about establishing the human mind in God. Refer also to " setting up your mind(DG)" to become an overcomer. What responsibility does the Christian believer have with regard to their mind, character, and behavior? What is your mind and what has to happen to your mind in order for you to possess and execute the authority of Christ thus manifesting his power and love as His co-worker under God the Father?

Matt 28:20 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Mark 16:17 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
John 14:12 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
IICo 6:1 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Jame 1:22 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Jame 2:14 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
What Is Involved?
This theme gets into matters of how we think, the power of thought, and how the power of thought can either help us or hurt us. This theme deals with both the Divine mind and the human mind. Scripture teaches us that our human mind should develop alignment and synchronicity with the Divine mind. But for that to happen the human mind needs to be transformed. So we begin this theme with an emphasis on the human mind and what responsibilities we individually bear in developing our minds. All statements made in this theme are intended to reflect the intent of scripture or logical extensions from that intent.

The following section down to the subject "Health And The Scriptures" is provided to prove before we go any further that the New Testament extensively deals with the issue of the human mind as the fundamental basis of experiencing God. It is for this reason that the theme is referred to as the "mind theme". The what and how of all of this is explained as you progress through the theme. But it is very important before getting into any kind of detail to establish the scriptural basis. By that means you can feel confident that there is a great deal of attention given to the human mind in scripture and set about to understand the issue of the human mind as it comes to bear on all the other themes of the New Testament such as "salvation", "sin", "repentance", "transformation", and virtually every other theme.

.
The following 10 references taken from the NIV involve the translation to the English word "mind" and reveal in the usage of this word the underlying understanding of the attributes and role of the human mind. Luke 24:45 indicates the faculty of mind to learn and communicate. John 6:6 and Acts 26:24 refer to mind as the basis of knowing and understanding. John 15:18 refer to memory and analysis performed by the mind. Act 4:32 indicates the mind is the basis of social interaction and source of behavior. Acts 12:15 indicates the mind is the basis of our sense of reality. Acts 14:2 indicates that the mind is the center of thought and belief and can become corrupt in this way. Romans 8:5 speaks about how the mind can be developed and controlled based either on a carnal natural reality or a spiritual reality by the Holy Spirit living in the mind of the believer. Romans 8:27 refers to the agency of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of Christians as a integral part of our mind. Rom 12:2 encourages our interaction with the Holy Spirit in the transformation of our mind. And Romans 14:5 and 14:13 indicates the mind as our source of decision making and planning.
.
Luke 24:45 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
John 6:6
Acts 26:4		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
John 15:18 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Acts 4:32 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Acts 12:15 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Acts 14:2
Acts 15:24		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Rom 8:5 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Rom 8:6-7 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Rom 8:27 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Rom 12:2 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Rom 14:5
Rom 14:13		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X

.
TThe following references are taken from the NKJV (which seems to follow the Greek more closely). The references are again to the word "mind". These references clearly indicate how the real estate of our minds should be configured and require us to do so. Click here to reveiw the keyword study "Mind, words, and meaning" containing these verses as well as many others where the translators chose to use the English word "mind" in the NKJV. Also in this study are other mind related word studies.

Note also, for the following references that these are 6 groupings (small word studies) which together amplify issues regarding the mind. The purpose of these word studies is to demonstrate how important the theme of mind is and how widely scattered this theme is throughout all the New Testament.

IPet4:1 group encourages us to prepare our minds to be Christ Like and as such not overwhelmed by the desires of the flesh and things of the world, but rather wise and participatory in a Divine fellowship of oneness with other believers.

The Heb 8:10 group refers to a sound mind that understands and applies the intent of the law, a holy mind, pure and undefiled with corrupt thinking and desires, a mind having power and operating according to the love of God, and guided by the agency of the Holy Spirit as part of that mind.

The Col 3:2 group promotes the estabilishment of a mental reality based on "things above" as enabled by joining our minds with the Mind of God through the agency of the Holy Spirit as opposed to the reality that alienates man from God as entertained by the carnal natural mind. This "above" reality should be reflected in our behavior.

The Phil 2:5 grouping again reminds us that Christians should have the same mind and character as Jesus Christ and make every effort to take on or establish or set themselves into this kind of mental framework and not a framework fixated on earthly things.

Then the 1Cor 2:16 grouping reminds us that if we are true believers we have the mind of Christ established by the agency of the Holy Spirit as part of our mind which should lead to participaction in the Divine Fellowship of Believers (the Body of Christ) and in so doing our mind and behavior should demonstrate appropriate attitudes to fellow believers. There are numerous scriptures that describe these attitudes of trust, caring, and intimate collaborative sharing and social intercourse.

But most important is the type of caring we are to demonstrate in our life and we do so as a result of the last grouping - Luke 10:27 which has its counterpart in the other 3 gospels.

Each grouping has to be considered with respect to the others as these are artifical groupings taken out of their physical context and meant only to show how the New Testament speaks so often about the responsibility of the believer with respect to the transformation that should occur with the mind of the believer. This process of grouping does not distort the intent of these verses as the mind altering process towards the Christ Likeness requirement is a basic New Testament universally employed intent and assumed in the mind of the New Testament writers and is scattered across all the New Testament and is fundamental to the resolving of the actual issues being dealt with that form the actual scriptural context.
.
IPet 4:1
IPet 3:8
IPet 1:3
Rev 17:9		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Heb 8:10
Tit 1:15
2Tim 1:7		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Col 3:2
Col 1:21		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Phil 2:5
Phil 3:15-19		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
ICor 2:16
Phil 2:2-3
Phil 1:27
ICor 1:10		 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Luke 10:27 Translation X Exposition X Greek Exegesis X Clarify X Greek Read X Key Words X
Health And The Scriptures

For those who know their scriptures, certain areas of scripture deal with health issues.

Here is just a sample taken from the gospel of Matthew: (Matt 4:23-25;8:5-13; 8:14-17;9:20-34,35; 10:1,:5-8;12:15,22-23; 14:14,34-36;15:22-28,29-31;17:14-20;19:1-2;21:12-14).

Peter healed and raised the dead: (Acts 3:2-16;4:9-14;22;5:15-17;9:32-35,36-42).

Phillip healed: (Acts 8:5-8 ).

Paul healed and raised the dead: (Acts 14:8-11;28:7-10;20:9-12).

James even gives out advice about what to do when someone is sick: (James 5:14-16).

And the disciples of Jesus were instructed by Jesus regarding the healing of the sick, the blind, the lame, and so on: (Matt 4:23-25;10:7-8) Jesus and most of his followers dealt directly with sickness or health issues in many forms and even categorized the forms. And scripture teaches us that we should do likewise.

But in our world today the medical profession consists of people of degree ranging from practicing physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, chiropractors, herbalists, and a variety of specialists who combine diet and exercise as cures, and on the list goes. Optometrists for example prescribe glasses, detect and attempt cures for various eye diseases, and even perform eye surgery. Without eye glasses, contact lenses, and surgical techniques many in our society would not be able to read or even get around. I have seen many so called faith healers wearing glasses and hearing aids and there are probably some using a cane to help themselves walk. I know of one faith preacher who contracted cancer and had to receive treatments from a medical institution.

In many ways the above listed professionals add great value to our society and it is not the intention here to dispute that fact. Take for example a pregnant mother to be who develops internal bleeding. Doctors are able to diagnose this condition as well as thousands of other conditions and administer some kind of medical help that promotes the person healing themselves. The field of medicine has associated with it technicians and specialists that can examine a blood sample and other kinds of body samples, make measurements using a variety of medical equipment and provide an analysis that indicates deficiencies that have lead or will lead to health problems or as just one example, show causes such as tumours in the brain and other places. Therefore, the field of medicine and its associated professionals are an important feature of our society. It is not the intent of this article to dismiss their importance or contribution to society. In addition, Luke was apparently a physician.

However, the New Testament does clearly teach that God can be the source of our healing and depending upon our faith can be the sole source of our healing. The degrees and the institutions to which these professionals belong entitle them according to the laws of our society to practice their particular form of medicine and charge a fee. These same laws do not allow the average citizen to practice medicine or if they do, they do so at their own risk. Laws like this vary depending upon the country. And I am no expert on the laws of the land, we have another breed of humanity, called lawyers for that purpose. No such mandate as that provided for medical professionals is provided for Christians that wish to honour the healing teachings of the scriptures and to practice their beliefs as a kindness and in a way affecting the general public as did Jesus and his diciples in the above New Testament examples. In addition, many of these professionals have nothing but contempt and scorn for the whole issue of healing by faith. And yet there are also professionals that claim that they can only help healing to take place because healing essentially depends on the state of the human mind, the will to live, and sometimes a miracle.

Therefore, when reading from this web site or the OOLSB any kind of information regarding or that could be applied to affect your health, you are instructed not to consider that you have received any medical advice such as a qualified doctor or an individual from one or more of the above listed professions or any other government recognized professional would give you for your medical condition. If you feel you are sick and need a doctor or one of these professionals to attend to that sickness or problem then that is what you should do.

If, as the New Testament teaches, your faith can heal you and you do not have the required faith then you should not be forcing the issue. One needs to crawl before they walk, and walk before they run, and run before they jump. If you have sufficient faith it is evident by your works. If you don't it is evident by your health and other conditions.

Pretending to have faith or forcing a faith you do not have is tentamount to suicide and we condemn such personal dishonesty. When dealing with faith issues you should be objective and realistic. Not only you but anyone associated with you. The encouragement "Just Believe" is a farce of faith when given against the objective evidence to the contrary. Unless there is definite, rapid, concrete and continuing improvement to your health condition, which should be monitored by a doctor anyway for serious conditions, then you should not indulge and deceive yourself that you have faith sufficient to the challenge. You either do or you don't.

You do not suddenly develop sufficient faith just because you want to. Only the seriously misinformed think this way. In addition, it is not a lack of faith to be examined by a doctor. Rather, in fact, it is an objective proof of faith when the doctor verifies your belief about yourself. Such proof builds your faith and is a witness to the doctors involved. I have heard stories about people who after being diagnosed by a doctor as fatally ill have rapidly gotten well and convinced the doctor by successive examinations of the proof of their faith. I don't know where their faith was when they got sick in the first place but apparently these things can happen this way.

Examine first hand any so called miracle ministries and discover what is actually going on. Prove to yourself that miracles are occuring with that ministry. Talk to people and examine the basis of what they say. Get to know those in that gathering to determine if they are all strangers to each other. Find out if there is more than just hype involved. Talk to some who claim to have been healed. Get to know them. What are the facts. It is a dishonest world filled with deceitful people who would rob the weak and the blind. While being objective keep an open mind as miracles do happen.

There are many ways to be objective and without objectivity there is no way of measuring your actual available faith. Faith is a specific state of mind that is present at all times in your life - if you have it. True faith is not an off and on situation like a stop light on the corner. If you have not developed that state of mind prior to an incident requiring faith then it is ridiculous for you to even try to exercise what you do not have. Faithful living requires faithful preparation. You do not develop this state of mind on a whim or as a result of a guilty conscience or other social pressures. Faith is not magic that suddenly enters your life. You don't suddenly have miraculous faith because you just read a scripture and God revealed to you that you could have such faith. God will not tell you you have faith. Your faith will tell you you have God in your life in this way.

You cannot force faith you have not developed to suddenly appear to rescue you. Faith without works is dead. Faith builds. The same is true of prayer. Prayer without the corresponding behavior and associated faith is simply dead prayer or weak prayer. Prayer without evidence of operative faith in your life is most often an act of fear when the revelation comes to a person that this could be the end for them or someone they love.

There are those who have developed faith and who do not pray in vain and they might be able to help depending upon many things that we have yet to get into. But if there are those pumping out the words "Just Believe" and the person they are supposedly trying to help is not rapidly getting better then the evidence is to the contrary. There is no faith there! Get that person to the doctor before the lack of faith kills them.

What has to be clearly understood is that God made man with a mind and free will as part of that mind. Our ability to take hold of the power and authority of Divine Mind depends on how we have developed our mind and will into an alignment and synchronicity with the Will of the Divine Mind. That is what this theme is all about. Involved in this is also an understanding that we must develop regarding faith and prayer and how the application of faith and prayer must be according to the Will of God. For example, to pray that God will violate the freedom of will in another would be contrary to the very intent of giving man a mind with free will. Jesus never forced his will upon anyone. Even in his teaching to his deciples he tried to teach them how God reveals things to us, how the Will of the Divine can be felt and understood in our mind. It is a learning issue and takes time. Every person values their ability to exercise their will. This is most evident with young adults and teenagers. There is a difference between forcing our will on someone and being convincing in our witness. And it is at times frustrating to know when we have passed from being convincing and are pressing too hard, where that pressing is almost violence. But to continue with the example; to pray and believe we will receive wisdom and other kinds of help that may so influence some individual or group is a prayer according to the Will of the Divine Mind. Here there is is both alignment and synchronicity with the Divine Will as well as attitude and behavior which corresponds to this alignment and synchronicity. Here we are praying for our own effectiveness not the violation of another's will.

As a further digression it should be pointed out that the issue of the human will as part of the human mind will be covered as we progress into the subject. However, we should note its importance at this time as will is an essential ingredient of faith and prayer. The English word "will" can be used as a noun, verb, adjective, and infinitive. The base word means to wish or to choose. It is described in English dictionaries as having several but related meanings. It means the act of the process of volition involving the following possibilities of wish, desire, longing, inclination, disposition, pleasure, and at one time appetite and lust. It can refer to something wished by a person especially one having power and authority in which case the word carries power and authority. It can mean a command or decree. It implies purpose, intention, and determination and can also indicate activity having energy and dedication as well as reflecting a sense of self control, self direction, and self power. The word can be used to indicate the power of conscious decision making and deliberate determined action. The word "will" contains the sense of it being free and exercised by the individual having that will. The more inclusive sense denotes the power of free choice, action, decision making, and general intentions. The word "will" is used by the translators of the NIV almost 2000 times in the New Testament alone. Although it can often reflect a sense of futurity that sense is tied to a willed sense and the inevitable character of the situation bringing it about. To will is an act of thought occuring within the mind of man and God. To will based on knowledge and intellect coming from the mental act of conscious or unconscious reasoning is a key attribute of the mind of man. The will is active in the state of mind called faith and the activity of prayer. The focus and energy of the human will is the channel by which the creative power of the Divine Mind can be directed with a certain determination. The tie in between the Will of the Divine Mind and the will or willing process in man's mind involves a key understanding that leads to rock solid victorious faith and prayer. Click here for the article "To Will or to will - that is the question".

Also, bear this in mind. God will not contradict His purpose and plan. Neither will God reward disobedience but He will forgive and help the sincerely repentant. In other words, faith and prayer have to be applied according to wisdom received from God. These attributes of our mind need to be developed in conjunction with God's Spirit. In all cases, except for heavenly gifts, issues of the mind such as faith and prayer must be developed. God does provide gifts such as the gift of healing which is not to be confused with what we have been outlining here regarding faith and prayer in general as developmental. There are always exceptions and God calls the shots on these not us. And if He is calling the shots and our will is not in alignment and synchronicity with the Will of the Divine Mind then we would not be aware of those situations. There is simply no way of avoiding the need for alignment and synchronicity on a dynamic moment by moment basis. Click here to read the document "Not According To Scripture" which is a real life news article of misapplied faith and healing.

Establishing Intent Of Scripture

The information provided by this web site and the OOLSB is provided in a particular form and style in order to help you understand the intent of scripture. If scripture is strong on an issue so then also are the exposition statements that reflect that intent. What you do in that regard is your decision.

The documents in this web site are intended to explain the intent of scripture and provide you with tools to verify any exposition on any subject so that you yourself make the final decisions on the intent of scripture and what you are going to do with respect to the intent. Greek exegesis with parsing and encyclopedic lexicon information are two OOLSB tools. Word studies are another tool. The themes are yet another tool. The expositions associated with these are aimed to bring out scriptural intent as we see it. But you are encouraged to use these same tools and challenge the expositions or seek other tools to challenge the expostions. You have a mind with a will and we expect you to use it. It is all too easy to believe what someone tells you but it is rewarding work to make those determinations yourself and that is what the OOLSB is all about.

You can use any available tools for this purpose as you do not have to use the tools provided in the OOLSB. Therefore a theme such as this one, the mind, should be considered a high level exposition. You examine the validity of that exposition using the tools provided or available elsewhere - for that purpose - as well as your own bible. So if an exposition has a specific slant that causes you concern and you want to verify this slant then use the tools.

As the OOLSB comes together in pieces there will not always be tools available that reach the particular issues you want to examine. It takes time and much labour to get these tools all into place in a way sufficient to address every subject. Therefore tools such as the colored button like choices associated with the first part of this theme are intended to bring up tools to help you analyze the intent of scripture identified to support and/or justify various parts or paragraphs of the theme. The theme is an application of scripture which the tools are addressing. This is quite different than just applying the tools to scripture with no application in mind but the simple desire to start at one place in scripture and proceed through to another point. This type of general application of the tools is being developed alongside the tools application to support the themes. The themes come first as there are already Bible Study Tools and expositions that don't really get heavy into themes but apply themselves to a text by text, chapter by chapter, book by book approach. It is the contention of this web site ministry that unless one understands the New Testament themes they cannot properly understand the scriptural intent on a verse by verse basis. A theme, as meant here, is the general prevailing and widespread assumptions, teachings, and expectations, held by the authors of the New Testament and their followers and which serve as the underlying basis for how they addressed any problems or issues such as sin, salvation, belief, carnal man, spiritual man, righteousness, evangelism, fellowship, grace, and hundreds of other topics. In addition these themes, such as mind, are scattered across the entire New Testament and are imbedded in the form of assumptions and references as well as clear and simple statements bearing directly on a theme. Contrary to popular opinion, probably the most common such theme is the human mind with it's associated topics such as mind in general, "will", "knowledge", "faith", and many other words which relate directly to the faculty of mind.

Digressions In the Theme
Occasionally as the theme develops it is necessary to digress and include relevant and important supporting information. If that information was not included or was made optional a misunderstanding might occur. It should be evident when these digressions occur because they branch off from the main theme of mind but the digression material directly ties into the theme as an associated concept, or adds a necessary clarification. A good example of such digression follows directly below under the heading "Christianity". The fundamentals of being a Christian have to be in place before one can even develop the so called miraculous power of faith and prayer operational in the human mind and thought processes and it's resultant expression as attituide and behaviour.

Christianity

Religion Or Experience
Before getting any deeper into this theme or any other theme provided in the OOLSB (Overcomer On Line Study Bible) the reader should understand that this material is intended for Christians - true Christians. Just because an individual professes Christianity to be their religion does not mean they are a true Christian per the standards set in the New Testament.. Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ and His deciples is far more than just a religion based on articles of so called faith which express some kind of understanding or belief system about God, man, and life in general. Christianity is more than life style changes and commitments performed in agreement to these articles of faith. These things are "religion" and characterize most of the so called religions of the world. [(Ref. Matt 7:13-(7:21-23)-27) Strong Words by Jesus. A mind given over to the Holy Spirit is the good fruit whereas a mind that calls upon God when it desires is the evil fruit.]
Christianity is not such a religion, it is more an experience than a religion, inspite of those who try so hard to make it a religion. Christianity is a living dynamic experience with God in a way not taught by any other religions in this world and as such this experience is not achievable by any religion by means of religious approaches involving articles of faith, forms of worship, mandatory behavior, or even attitude changes and lifestyle changes. [(John14:1-(14:6-11)-29) Strong Words By Jesus. No one (mind) comes to the Father, but by the Son, as a fusion of spirit joined into "one".]

The fundamental teaching of the New Testament is that Jesus Christ is both the example of this experience and the enabler of this experience. In the most simple terms we can say that Jesus Christ is positioned between God and man as the interface to God. The term used in the New Testament is mediator referring to the historic functionality of the priests that attended the temple of God. Because Jesus is positioned as our interface he sends a special manifestation of the Spirit of God into the life of a believer. It is this relationship that is the beginning of a transformation process of the believers mind into a mind having the same character as the mind of Christ. This manifestation is called the Holy Spirit and is a manifestation of the person of God in the life of a believer. Any manifestation God makes of Himself is to be considered an agency. Therefore the Holy Spirit is an agency of God that comes into a believers life and binds to that life. God is spirit but by being the one source of all that is, He manifests Himself in various ways which we will get into further on. God is the beginning and the end of all that is said to exist. Therefore, nothing can exist outside of God but exists in spirit. This also will be clarified further on. Of extreme importance is how this all happens. The New Testament teaches that the mind is fundamental to this binding process.
The Experience and The Scriptures
There are writings in the New Testament that provide historic accounts of Christian actions. These writings also provide understanding, encouragement, and counsel to Christians. These writings describe how to find your way to that experience and how to maintain yourself in that experience so that it does not die. This experience can only be obtained through Jesus Christ. There is no other way by which God has provided this experience. God established a process of reconciliation between mankind, not having this experience, and Himself, the provider of this experience. So far we have talked about this experience but not qualified it. This experience is personal that is it is between you as a person and God as a person. It happens when your mind becomes an integral and active part of the Divine Mind.

Fundamentals Of The Experience
The experience begins by accepting the fundamentals. The fundamentals of becoming a Christian involve the belief that God became incarnate in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. If you cannot get past this point you cannot be a Christian. Many who call themselves Christians do not accept this concept as declared in the New Testament. God took on the form of man and was with us. God entered this physical dimension, his own creation, in the same way we do, born into it and faced with the same challenges. For Jesus Christ is God's example, the perfect example, of how that experience is to manifest in the life of a true believer. God not only dwelt among us, the person of God can dwell in the person of man or woman that so desires. But this does not happen when we are born as it did with Jesus because his spirit was the Spirit of God and our spirits are created by God.

Even though the New Testament teaches that all things that exist cohere and have their very being in God there is a personal separation at a spiritual level between creator and created. Therefore, for us to share the person or presence of God as did Jesus we need help because we cannot do that naturally. Having this personal experience with God, as did Jesus, is the experience and Jesus is the expression of that experience and that experience is enabled by Jesus.

Purpose Of Christ And The Experience
God had a purpose in Jesus Christ. That purpose was to save humans from the consequences of not having the experience. Not having this experience is separation from God in a very personal way. Jesus came to provide humans with the means of becoming "one" with God in a very personal way both in mind and spirit so they could be co workers with Christ, their friend, their leader, their lord, their king and before all of these, their very savior.

Humans are not naturally one with God as in the sense meant here. Jesus Christ came to be an example of what this "oneness" means by manifesting in His life that oneness. The words person, personal, mind, as well as oneness will become clearer as we proceed because they have meaning relative to mind and thought covered further on. But the sense of these words and their useage should now be clear even if a lot of detail is still missing. Briefly put, the experience is becoming like Christ and having the intimacy and oneness Christ had with God the Father as well as the manifestation of the love or caring that comes from this oneness and intimacy with Divine Mind and it's associated power.

Jesus Christ The Mediator Of The Experience
Jesus Christ came also to be a mediator or interface between man and God to effect this "oneness" by sending the Holy Spirit from the Father into the life of a believer as well as preparing a heavenly place for believers to be (in the present tense) with Him.

Jesus Christ, Sin, And The Experience
Finally, Jesus Christ came to take upon Himself the consequences of sin on behalf of all mankind. Sin is the state of the human soul that is not "one" with God, prevents man from having this experience of "oneness", and is characterized by the natural human mind, character and perception of reality. Christians are to hate sin and love righteousness. The thoughts and behavior of natural man are predatory, self-serving, and manifest as craving or lusting after pleasures and things of this world that are of no value when the body dies. Therefore, regardless of what you say or have done, or your religious views, none of these will bring you into this experience. You must turn from sin and receive the Holy Spirit sent to you from the Father by Jesus Christ in order to have this experience of oneness. Refer to the article "Receiving the Spirit and Baptized in the Spirit" to develop a better appreciation of this issue.


Potentially Confusing Terms

Key Christian Words
Terms like Holy Spirit and others used above may be confusing to some readers. Also I have referred to scriptures that express a relationship between Jesus Christ, God , God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Although there is a reference given in this theme to theology it may be wise to clear up some word meanings. Bear in mind that theology can only define relationships for the benefit of the human mind and does so in the form of human language.

God
God is beyond the comprehesnion of the human mind and any definitions we apply will tend to distort the truth. Thus God is called Holy - set apart and unapproachable by the creation, an awesome being when considered by the mind of man or angels. Certain writers in the Bible were reluctant to apply a name to a Holy God which probably gave rise to terms like God our Saviour, God our Healer, God my Protector, God my Refuge, the Kingdom of Heaven as opposed to the Kingdom of God and so on. If God is beyond human comprehension how can Jesus and the New Testament writers teach that "oneness" in spirit and therefore mind is achievable? Is it possible to be one with or part of or an extension of the mind of God and yet not possess the full knowledge and resources of the Divine Mind? The answer is "yes" it is possible. It was the case with Jesus. Jesus did not have all the knowledge and resources of the Divine Mind available to him. Yet the fullness of the Godhead was in him. He is our example in this regard. Jesus had a separate mind and his own will just like every other human. This is more than evident during his prayer time preceeding his crucifixion where he repeately said "not my will but yours be done". He also indicated to his followers that there were things only his Father who is in heaven knows, an example being the physical establishment of the Kingdom on this earth. Man's mind can only be an extension to the mind of the Divine. By being an extension to something in the physical sense does not make the extension the thing from which it was extended. The motor of an automobile when installed into the auto chasis is not considered the car but it is part of the concept of the automobile and is a functioning part of the automobile. By being an extension of the mind of God we share in certain attributes but will never be in charge of the Divine mind, rather it is the Divine mind that is in charge of our minds. But more on all of this later.

Mind
Another word used above was the word mind. The word mind has a variety of meanings. The word as used here has the basic meaning of force, energy or ability functioning in a sense that implies function, structure, organization, form, and relationship, and here called the attribute of intelligence and named so as a perceptive statement of being within the human mind. That is to say, the human mind employs the term to name something it perceives. At the higher levels of creation mind employs thought and the manipulation of thought as thinking, again as a perceptive statement of being within the human mind. More of this later. You can click on the reference "What is Mind" and "What is Perception" for more on this subject.

Person
The word "person" is used with respect to both God and man. A derived word "personal" is also used. Let us look at the appropriateness of these terms when used with God and man.

We have 7 dogs. This may not sound relevant but bear with me. Each has an individual mind and personality and even individual fears specific to them and emotions specific to them. In a way, they are little persons. They are intelligent and can figure out how to do things. They would give their life to protect me but probably do not realize the consequences of many of their actions such as protecting me as it comes very naturally for them. But they are no where near being human. We are above them but in many ways like them. And there is no shame or disgrace in this. For God created all life as he saw fit.

We also have 3 birds. Each like the dogs has an individual mind and personality. But they are not as smart as the dogs and their personalities do not develop as fully as does the personality of a dog and it is hard to consider them as little persons. A Dog will understand some of the things I say to it. But for the bird this is almost impossible. Dogs are above birds in this respect. There may be exceptions. We also have a tank of fish. Each fish is an individual but they are very similar unlike the dogs. They are most often preoccupied with foraging for food. They are no where near the individuals or intelligence of the birds. And so it goes. The word "person" is intended to apply mostly to humans, not animals. It is a term meaningful in the human mind as more of a reference of respect regarding the equality between people having common intellectual capabilities and character. Since it is the human mind which creates and gives rise to this distinction I think the word "person" has the best part of it's meaning tied up with the notion of intelligence and character of the sort exhibited by humans. Most dictionaries agree.

If man deserves this notion of respect based on intelligence and character then more so does God.
Usage Of The Word Mind
But the term mind can be applied to the human mind, the animal mind, and much more broadly to nature as the force or ability functioning in a way that implies intelligence as defined above but not having the human application of the word intelligence which incorporates the ability to respond to events in meaningful ways. Do not confuse the word intellect which applies to the reasoning skills of the human mind and is an extension of intelligence. So when we use the term mind it can mean many things. Therefore, there is a scale of intelligence across the creation. So obviously when the term applies to God, it incorporates and transcends the meaning applied to man. But it is still man's useage of the word that gives the word any kind of meaning to man. Click here to refer to the document "Mind, words, and meaning" and also "Divine intent for man as revealed in the human words of the scriptures" for more detail.


Divine Mind And The Godhead

The Personal Character Of Divine Mind
The mind of God consists of 3 agencies called persons. Because Divine Mind (one mind, not 3) is associated with each agency these agencies are as much persons as you or I except humans are part of creation and each has a unique mind. Remember the term person was a word of respect acknowledging intelligence and character. We are like the Divine Mind in this respect not the other way around. We are persons with names like Michael, Mary, and mother or sister. We have names because we have mind and that mind has self awareness and can perceive and form relationships between things animate, inanimate, living, animal or human, of this earth or celestial, many things and in many ways. The human mind can define and use a language with others similarly endowed. We are above the rest of the animals in this regard for our minds can control our very being and we can manage the natural world and our societies and rise above the natural instincts. And the mind of God is above that of man and can control His very being and can form and manage creation. Creation is formed by His thought and His Word. And as a person we can employ a name acknowledging His intelligence and character. For the Christian as it was with Jesus, He is our Father who is in heaven. Therefore, the relationship is very personal.

God And The Godhead
Together the 3 persons or agencies are called the Godhead. The term God often means Godhead. This is evident by means of a correlative word study that yields word useage intent. The term Godhead occurs in only 3 places in the New Testament in Acts 17:29, Rom 1:20, and Col 2:9. Click here to refer to the document "God and Godhead" for more detail. When I use the term God I mean Godhead and when I refer specically to one of the agencies then I do so by name. I understand this is how the writers of the New Testament also use the terms. Therefore, when attributing something to the Divine Mind (the one mind of the 3 agencies) I mostly use the word God as in "God formed this physical universe". If I wanted to explain how, I would refer to the functions of the specific agencies or persons as in "God through His Spirit" or "the Holy Spirit moved them to do that". Here is a scriptural incident exemplifying this useage. On the Day of Pentecost Jesus sent the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit...and they received the Holy Spirit. There are many other such expressions. The Godhead is one Divine Mind. There is only one God. Do you see what I am saying? The 3 agencies or persons are called God the Father -the first person or agency - as the source, power, and designer of all creation including this physical dimension into which we are born. In the New Testament the word God is often associated with the pronoun "He", which isa way to show respect to the first person of the Godhead as sovereign.

The Will of the Father is made known to the "Living Word". The actual term most often translated into English from the Greek is "Word" as in "Word of God" not "Living Word". (John 1:1). But implied here is the life giving expression of Divine thought occurring within Divine Mind. When something is said to be living, this means it is manifest in some form. The term "Word" is used to capture both the relationship between the first person and the second person and also to show the inseperable function between the two and how the second person manifests the Will of the first person. The second person is the expression or manifests the expression of Divine thought. Therefore, and many scholars agree, it was the Word of God - often called the Son - who is the "God" of both the Old and New Testament when dealing with the Israel nation. These terms are theological and for the benefit of the human mind. The term Son implies derivation and the passage of attributes.

The gospel of John explains that the Will of the Father is exectued by the Son. It is this "Word" or "Son" (the 2nd person in the Godhead) that incarnated into human form in the person of the man Jesus Christ. Thus the man Jesus (Son of Man) became an extension of the Godhead (Son of God) in human form. (John 1:10-17). The second person is an instance of the first person but performs a different function in forming and managing the creation and is subject to the authority of the first person being in a sense derived from the first person. This shows the remarkable ability of Divine Mind to configure His own being as well as the agencies necessary to form creation within Divine Mind. God is a super entity capable of anything and who has set Love and creation as His ruling principle. Note the use of the terms word, life, light, children of God and born of God. All these terms have thological significance. These terms are designed to show how a personal relationship with the Divine Mind can be a reality. The use of the term darkness when contrasted to light points out the separation between natural man and man born of God. Also there is repeated the term "Son" who is in the bosom (NKJV) of the "Father". This reinforces the idea of derivation and attributes that the "Word" inherits from the Father as well as the closeness or oneness.

There is an interesting computer coding language called "OO" standing for object oriented. It came from the human mind and reflects as a modelling tool how the human mind works in the formation of thoughts and concepts to create a mental framework consisting of concepts and thought based operations called intellect associated with those concepts. An object is defined as having certain attributes and associated methods like functions or operations. An instance of a high level object is that object but can be specifically tailored with regard to inherited attributes and methods or functionality. As a language OO can be useful in explaining how mind actually works. Regardless, perhaps in time those that study the human mind may develop a language specifically geared to explain the formation of thought and reason in the human mind. That language may look like OO in some regards.

The Divine Mind can create a dimension involving time and not be subject to it because the second agency deals with the matters of time and the second agency is an instance of the first. Totally awesome. And then to top this off, the second agency becomes part of the creation in the form of man. Even more awesome. But some find the notion of a Trinity - 3 in one, offensive but I think this self configuration shows the awesome greatness of the mind we call divine once we understand the purpose and character of the 3 agencies. Many do not take the time to understand the Godhead and profess it as an article of faith which makes no real sense to them. As we progress into the issue of mind it should become clear how the New Testament theological terms are designed to explain how the Divine Mind forms and interacts with His creation, specifically man who inherits many of the attributes of Divine Mind.

Jesus And The Godhead
Jesus Christ was born a "soul" when conceived, carried, and born to Mary just as a soul is formed when each of us was born into this physical dimension. The soul is the imprint of the human mind and character on the human spirit. The soul grows as the mind and character grows. The English word spirit is translated from the ancient word having the base meaning of "breath". However, the common New Testament application of this word is to refer to our initial essence or meaning in the Divine Mind. As the body cannot exist without breath the human soul cannot exist without spirit. Spirit manifests into form and we become part of the creation and grow a soul by having a physical form with (within) an associated mind and character all driven by the spirit our essential identity as a entity within the Divine Mind's creative process. The soul is not a static thing. The soul is dynamic and grows over time as we learn. The word soul encompases body, mind, character, and spirit but emphasis of the word is on mind and character. It is the basis of form imparted to the human spirit. The human spirit is the Divine thought of who you are as a free will agency and your purpose which is up to you to bring into reality. We inherit from the Divine Mind the very attribute of mind but tailored to be less than the angels and higher than the animal life on this planet. You take a form as mind and character which needs a body to express this in behavior - relationships and interaction with others. The mind and character aspect remains a living thing when the body is dead. The soul is the core for a new "glorified" body. As God became a living soul in the form of Jesus Christ, God has enabled our spirits to become living souls. But as with all words the Greek word translated as soul has several meanings not just this specific meaning. And also the word spirit has several meanings not just this specific meaning just discussed.

When Jesus was crucified, buried and then resurrected he took on a "glorified" body", ascended into heaven in that state, and also returned to God the Father as the "Living Word" and subject to the Will of the Father. Jesus as the incarnation of the Word was to resume his position with God figuratively described as being on the Right Hand of the Father meaning receiving the highest regard and authority from the Father. Jesus made it clear that the Father was greater than him. This unequal state between the 3 agencies is contrary to some statements of faith that declare the 3 agencies in the Godhead are equal. Then there are some statements of faith that declare Jesus Christ as the singular entity, person, and agency and that there is no Godhead. This implies that it is right to pray to Jesus as God contrary to his own teaching to his disciples that we pray to our Father who is in heaven. We are to pray to God the Father relying on the interface provided by Jesus Christ effective in our souls by the Holy Spirit. New Testament word useage clearly marks out the 3 agencies and their roles in the Godhead. God the Father is sovereign. The term "son" implies "father". The term father implies the carry forward of attributes and the source of being. The "Living Word" therefore has the attributes and Mind of the Divine as contained within the first person - the Father. The "Living Word" is an instance of God the Father. Jesus is a human instance of the second person of the Godhead. Jesus said that whoever has seen him has seen the Father. The only way a human can comprehend God is through the manifestation of God in human form. This is why the Greeks fashioned the conception of gods as some kind of physical form. The human mind simply cannot grasp or compehend the one true God.

Rightly or wrongly, I often think of God the Father containing time as part of creation and therefore not as a person or agency of the Divine Mind or Godhead subject to time. Rightly or wrongly, I often think of God the Son - the "Living Word" as interacting with the creation He formed while bringing it through the stages of its development according to the Will of the Father. God the Father predetermines, that is plans and establishes purpose and ordains events and functions such as free will, the incarnation, and so on. The second person as an instance of God the Father manifests this as a reality and interacts in time with that reality. How can we believe in a 3 person Godhead and then try to figure out the intent of terms like predestined by applying that term to a singular divine person? But when we speak of a single Divine Mind that can configure itself and from within itself form the agencies of the Godhead and thereafter creation there are no inconsistencies.

Jesus often referred to his Father who is in heaven and taught us when we pray, to pray directly to the Father for Jesus has made that possible. If Jesus makes these distinctions so also should we. But we should understand why the distinctions are legitimate. That means we have to understand the Godhead exactly the same way as he did. It is of no value believing in 3 persons just for the sake of it, and not recognizing that each has a different function. Each is an agency to accomplish creation. Each agency is required.

The Holy Spirit and the Godhead
The 3rd agency or person in the Godhead is the Holy Spirit. God is spirit. The Holy Spirit is God's very being which is characterized as Divine Mind with the key attribute being love. The expression of the Will of the Father is implemented by the second person by means of the 3rd person. It is a convoluted interaction between the agencies. It is debateable, but I think more scriptural to believe there is one mind for the Godhead, not 3 separate minds that happen to agree on absolutely everything. Being human it is easy to forget that all these terms are theological and designed to help the mind towards the experience of "oneness" with God. There is but one God, but for that God to create such a complex and sophisticated creation containing free will agencies and not be the creation, He must become 3 persons or agencies. And regarding the use of the term 3 persons, the Divine Mind meets the human requirement or definition of person as much or moreso than does the human. We previously dealt with this issue. So God is as much a person as either you or I and even moreso having incarnated into human form. We see the person of God in the form of Jesus Christ. You might have to think about this for a while. We provide more detail later.

Suffice it to say for now, all that has been created has been done so in spirit, that is, within Divine Mind and all that coheres as a creation does so in spirit - in the Mind of God. Remember, we are not talking "brain" as in the physical human brain. Rather, we are talking about "mind" as defined above. The agency responsible is the person of the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person in the Godhead. (1) All things that are made are made by and in the spirit of God. A passage in the Old Testament often quoted is "Not by might or power but by my Spirit". (2) Not only does life cohere and have its very being in God's Spirit but action within that creation is by God's Spirit. And finally, (3) the personal relationship of the human mind and the Divine mind is effected by God's Spirit. So we have by the one agency 3 different functions of action with respect to creation. And the one action of most significance to man is the personal relationship of the human mind joining with the Divine mind. Truly a remarkable personal experience with the Divine. Words cannot express this awesome creative effort. Holy in front of the term spirit as in the term Holy Spirit indicates and differentiates the personal active work of this "God's Spirit" or "Spirit of God" with respect to the purpose and plan of the Mind of God as distinct from the presence of this agency as a force in which all of creation coheres. Specifically, Holy Spirit has significance with regard to the relationship between God and man. Holy also conveys the incomprehensible beauty, purity, elegance, sophistication, love, and power of God the Father. From the perspective of man, the unapproachable character of Divine Mind is made available to the mind of man. The term spirit also applies to the dimension of spirit within which all things exist. The term spirit and soul are both used in several ways in both the Old Testament and the New Testament as is the case with other words including mind. Click here for extensive details on subject matter involving terms like spirit, soul, mind, etc., in the document called "Specific Word Studies". Click here for extensive details on subject matter involving the Godhead and creation, in the document called "Theology".

Receiving The Holy Spirit

Joined to Divine Mind By The Holy Spirit
We digressed above in order not to confuse you as to the meaning of the word Holy Spirit, mind, and other words that we use when referring to the experience of being one with God. If you have not received the Holy Spirit into your soul and so joined minds with God since you professed to be a believer then you are not a true Christian. The New Testament puts it quite clearly. If you do not have the Holy Spirit then you are not saved. Rather, you are a false Christian - because as soon as you receive the Holy Spirit into your life you have God in your life, and you should begin to change as your spirit is fused, made one, joined, connected, or established in God, where His mind begins to affect all your willing processes as you enter into and begin a transformation into the likeness of the mind and character of Jesus Christ. This is obviously not only a personal experience with God but the ensuing transformation into the mind and character of Jesus Christ is compared to being born again (John 3:1-21). The term "born again" is used by Jesus.

How God Works In Man Via The Holy Spirit

But listen, as it is important to qualify this! Many people who have received the Holy Spirit are deprived of a proper understanding of what it means to receive the Holy Spirit and live according to the influence of the Holy Spirit. I received the Holy Spirit. In addition, I received God's stamp on this, as I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In addition, I also received several spiritual gifts. But I did not receive ministries from other Christians and Christian leaders that were designed to prepare and equipment to live in the Holy Spirit. It was like this for me. Take this to be my testimony. I lived many years where speaking to God was a "Special Event" by not realizing that my human will and identity, my mind and all it's real estate should be a projection of the Divine Mind as was the Mind of Jesus Christ. By His grace I have come to understand that the Divine Will for each of our lives should express through our minds influencing our thoughts and entire willing process. We must take on the mind of Christ. We have to personally get involved with the Holy Spirit towards this goal. It is our responsibility and must occur as an expression of the free will given to each of us along with our mind. Many are not properly taught upon becoming a Christian how God will work in their life. You may be one of those people or be in a situation having the same effect on your life.

If you are now just discovering what you have been missing out on, it may be that you have been deprived of a proper understanding and fellowship. You may simply need to understand that you are already positioned to collaborate with the Holy Spirit. To collaborate means to work with, share with, communicate with, resolve with, to co labour with, to join with, to meld with, to establish one accord with. You may already be one in spirit and you simply need to seek the leadership of the Holy Spirit. To be "one" in spirit with God - having received the Holy Spirit - is to be positioned to engage in the transformation of becoming Christ like in mind and character.

Many people are alone and do not understand the need for Christian fellowship and how the Holy Spirit works in this fellowship to further your transformation. Christian communities are to care for one another - specifically with regard to the transformation that is supposed to take place in their lives. If that care has not been there for you then your Christian walk may have been very difficult and faulty. Most likely, if you desire the Holy Spirit and understand how receiving the Holy Spirit should affect your life then you probably have received the Holy Spirit but have not learned how to listen and obey the Holy Spirit. Remember, the Holy Spirit is the agency of the Godhead sent by Jesus Christ the "Word of God" -the Son, into your soul from God the Father. This interaction is done at the personal level of your mind. It is a specific kind of personal relationship between your mind and the Divine Mind. Your spirit joins to the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit your mind is joined to the Divine Mind of the Godhead. And it does not stop there. Your mind is also joined to all the other minds so joined to the Godhead through the Holy Spirit. Many Christians do not realize this to be the case and therefore neglect this aspect of their experience. But this experience is a one to one (the believer and God), many to one (all believers and God), one to many (the ministry of one believer to all believers driven by God), and many to many (the ministry of all believers to all believers as driven by God - the one accord established by the Holy Spirit in the corporate Body of Christ, the Divine Fellowship of believers) set of relationships made possible by the Holy Spirit and managed by Jesus Christ from a place in heaven. And these are the Christians from whom you should seek fellowship - those that recognize and honour the personal work of the Holy Spirit, and who know how to collaborate on a personal level with each other and the Holy Spirit in a supportive and intimate social intercourse with the prime intent of caring for each other's development or transformation towards the mind and character of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit And Schism
Also, listen to this! Many Christians judge other Christians unfairly especially if these other Christians do not behave exactly as they did upon receiving the Holy Spirit. In fact some carry this even further and condemn other Christians that do not believe exactly what they believe and express themselves in exactly the same way. They try way too hard to create religion and not foster the experience of oneness with God. Any so called Christian that does not practice and in every way attempt to establish the 4 above described relationships and just focuses on the one to one relationship is in big trouble. They sort out their differences through confrontation and name calling rather than in an attitude of genuine caring for one anothers development in Christ. The evidence of the love of Christ in our life can be measured by the extent to which we care for the transformation occurring in the life of other Christians. If our behavior damages this transformation in others then our love is callous or non existent. If our behavior fosters and builds this transformation - this experience- then we are being Christ like. To dismiss any relationship associated with this fellowship before attempting in every possible way to heal the problem is not Christ like.

The fellowship is the Body of Christ, the corporate presence of Jesus Christ. The Divine Fellowship is God incarnateat at a personal level in each believer and collectively via the Holy Spirit. If we are partial, spurn other Christians, are non supportive and discriminatory in our behavior, we don't do this to just another human, we do this directly to God because we all share in this personal experience. A lot of people just cannot get their heads around this shared personal experience. It is all just a one to one relationship for them, that is, me and God, you and God. You take the high road and I'll take the low road kind of mentality. The transformation is the experience unfolding and it is not just one to one (you or me with God) it is also one to many ( you or me to everyone else) and is also many to many and many to one. Try and visualize this. It is the attitude which does not recognize the value and importance of Divine Fellowship which creates schism and division. We are talking a specific kind of fellowship here not organizational unity. Organizations like denominations are a human form of control. They may be helpfull towards fellowship but have nothing to do with fellowship. Fellowship is the kind of relationship you have with other believers and has the attributes mentioned previously that lend themself to believers ministering to one another. Schism exists because there is not Christ Like caring for one another and there is an absence of real trust between believers.

The Holy Spirit - Proof And Collaboration
Because of the lack of knowledgeable Christian leadership with regard to the issue of receiving the Holy Spirit and collaboration with the Holy Spirit, many believers are left on their own to sort this out. This can lead to catastrophic problems both for them and for others. Often it is so called Christian leadership itself that creates confusion over the issue. If collaboration with the Holy Spirit is not understood then you can be certain that the character of the so called fellowship is inadequate towards the maintenance of the transformation of your mind into the likeness of the mind and character of Jesus Christ. And if new believers try to get help in this kind of confusing environment then they get conflicting and inadequate information depending upon the denomination and community and people they consult with. But the truth is this. For many, the receiving of the Holy Spirit and/or collaborating with the Holy Spirit occurs over a period of time as the human mind adjusts to the whole proposition. If one is not properly collaborating with the Holy Spirit it is almost as bad as if they did not receive the Holy Spirit. We know by their works that they have received the Holy Spirit. If there are no works, that is, fruit of the Sprit, then we cannot know other than through discernment.

The qeustion is: Is there evidence in the believers life that they are collaborating with the Holy Spirit? Of course there will be confusion if the environment of the new believer is hostile to the concept. Therefore, people may require fellowship that is not available to them. What is available may be the wrong kind of fellowship. The fellowship may be the product of pivital human church leaders from whom the congregation seeks occasional spiritual leadership and nourishment. The leaders organize it this way to maintain human control. They train their congregations to accept and require this kind of spiritual leadership and fellowship as opposed to the Divine Fellowship. These leaders construct highly orchestrated and pre programmed gatherings which occur in a way where the Holy Spirit has minimal interaction. This is because these leaders want control, for they neither trust their congregation nor do they trust Christ through the Holy Spirit to ensure order, harmony, and ministry. Some have the audacity to even invite the Holy Spirit into their assembly. Their very words and expectations and plans give them away for what they are. It is Christ who leads believers to assemble together and it is Christ through the Holy Spirit working in each believer who administers according to their needs. A lot has been said on this subject in this web site. And more will be said in this theme further on as the relevance of fellowship becomes more obvious. Jesus Christ administrates true fellowship which I call the Divine Fellowship. He does so by means of the Holy Spirit. In all ways Jesus is the interface and Jesus is in charge, and never is man to be the interface such as to replace Jesus Christ. The issue of fellowship is discussed further on in this theme. Refer to the theme, "The Divine Fellowship of Believers" for additional detail but it is also covered in some detail further on.

Also, depending upon the persons mental state it may not be immediately evident that the Holy Spirit has been received or that collaboration is occuring. To repeat, the difficulty lies in the fact that unless there is evidence in a persons life that they have received the Holy Spirit there is always the question whether they received the Holy Spirit. This is a legitimate concern. For some, receiving and/or collaboration with the Holy Spirit happens quickly because there is no resistance in their mind and they are in an environment that fosters this. But when the Holy Spirit is received the transformation begins - that is true of all. With some, the transformation begins in a dramatic exciting way and with others in a quiet and hidden way, and still with others in a bewildering way. Transformation involves change and eveyone to some extent differs in how they respond to change. Some people are not as emotional, as analytic, as knowledgeable, or as confident as others. Some people cry. Some laugh with joy. Some begin this experience and fail to follow through. Some begin the experience and stagnate. But it is suppossed to happen this way. Refer to the parable about the sower. Upon receiving the Holy Spirit we proceed into what the New Testament calls "righteousness". And we move from what the New Testament calls "unrighteousness". We turn away from sin and move towards the righteousness of God. God views us as having the "righteousness" of Christ which is to be a template directing our transformation. We are not imputed with the righteousness of Christ so that we do nothing. We are imputed with the righteousness of Christ as a template of what we must be transformed into and work towards and make the most important thing in our life. This theme is for those that have begun that journey by having received the Holy Spirit and have not been equipped and prepared to make that journey. To live that journey is to live within an on going miracle, your transformation into the mind and character of Jesus Christ. Let us now proceed further!

The Power Of Thought

The power of thought can stagnate our lives, change our lives, vitalize our lives, and even change society around us to the worse or to the better. This is true regardless of our belief system. It is true of all of us. We will get into this as we proceed further in order to develop the power of thought in our lives. You will come to understand that thought, whether Divine or human is a living thing which extends from your mind out beyond your soul from where it was created. Thought is a part of your mind and when your mind is enjoined to the Divine Mind it can take on Divine attributes. You will come to understand that thought as part of your life can reach beyond your physical dimensions and the physical space in which you find yourself. You will discover that thought is creative power and as the thoughts of God become your thoughts the power of the Divine Mind will establish itself in your life and thoughts.There are things we can do to properly establish the human mind into a state of alignment and syncronicity with the Divine Mind. Here are a list of some. Meditative analysis and communion with the Holy Spirit as we examine thoughts, feelings, and other mental phenomena that appear to be in collision and competition with this alignment and synchronicity. This is a learning process and takes time to develop recognition of what is actually going on in our mind. A second is Meditative analysis and communion with the Holy Spirit as we examine scripture with regard to it's most important themes and discover where we lack alignment and syncronicity. The example above regarding Divine Fellowship is a good starting point. A third is Assertive Meditation which involves using personalized statements (a good source being the scriptures) such as the following:

  • I present my body a living sacrific, holy, acceptable to God as this is my reasonable service.

  • I will not be conformed to this world.

  • But I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind so that I may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

  • I will be humble before God and men and not think of myself more highly than I ought.

  • I will think soberly according as God has dealt me a measure of faith.

  • I am a member of the Body of Christ and help form the Body of Christ so I am also a member of each, an extension of who they are as they also are to me.

  • In any situation of conflict against me I will stop and momentarily pray that the aggressor be freed from the state of mind victimizing them.

There are thousands of these all derived from the New Testament where the writer is providing advice and counsel. Click here for a more complete list of the techniques called "Techniques to set the mind in God". Click here for a more complete list of the assertions called "Meditative Assertions".

There is an underlying theology(DG) in which we can root our minds, and if this theology is understood and fully accepted can infuse our thought with Divine power and inspiration. This theology must become the basis for our very thinking.. As a result the world around us will automatically change for the better. We have already touched upon this in the form of digressions and will get into this theology and how it relates to the power of thought as we proceed further.

But, in addition, you should realize, that there are influences exerted by the culture we live in, our upbringing, education, the denomination or church we attend, as well as the world order at large, all of which mould the very way we think and piece together in our minds an unconscious belief system. Every person born into this physical dimension develops either unconsciously or consciously or both, a belief system - a sense of reality. The unconscious belief system(DG) is what we truly believe, what we deem possible or impossible - our common sense, our sense of reality, and is driven by inherent values that are the basis for our desires, motivations, behavior, planning, and decision making.. This unconscious belief system can be at odds with what we say and profess to be our belief system and our values or it can be in agreement. But it is integrated with the faculty of mind and it controls how we think, the thoughts we are capable of entertaining, meaning in general, what is truth to us, and it prescribes the limits of what is possible. The implication here is that this unconscious belief system is telling us what is possible and what is impossible, what is probable and what is improbable. It is holding us back from going beyond these limits. And it happens in a way so that we are not conscious or aware of the influence. It is the reason why we doubt and why we lack faith to achieve what scripture indicates we can achieve. It has within it's very definition a built in denial of the God we wish to serve. This underlying and mostly unconscious belief system which develops naturally from the time we are born is incomplete and will keep us from reaching our potential and becoming overcomers no matter how hard we try, unless we voluntarily participate with the Holy Spirit in the development or transformation of our mind into a mind like the mind of Jesus Christ - our example.

Of all the things that worry Christians this should be the first on the list, but you will rarely hear a word about the subject because most people do not know they have an unconscious belief system that controls their mind and therefore their thoughts and will. This unconscious belief system will also define what they deem possible and impossible. If you collaborate with the Holy Spirit but refuse to recognize that this unconscious belief system must be uprooted and transformed, then your interaction with the Holy Spirit is tentamount to disobedience and you are trying to use God rather than letting God use you. The unconscious belief system formed in our minds from the time we are born into this dimension is the "old man" as referred to in the New Testament. The unconscious belief system formed into our minds from the time we are born into this dimension is the "carnal mind" condemned in the New Testament. The transformation of our mind and character as constantly and in a variety of ways referred to in the New Testament, is the transformation of this unconscious belief system. The following chunk of poetry brings out the irony of the professing Christian who does not engage in this transformation.

Raise the bible high and declare it's truth aloud. Blow the trumpet hard and make a powerful sound. Raise your hands in worship. Bow your head in shame. Nothing will change the fact - you don't believe His Name. For doubt has cast it's shadow and set your soul afflame. It rises in your mind when you hear His Holy Name. For doubt and lust remain - to become your fate and God.--Anonimous


At the heart of such issues as belief, faith, prayer, worship, praise, knowledge, is the human mind. Virtually any kind of change or capabilities occuring as a result of education, learning, motivation, and attitude involve the human mind. Even the personal presence of God in our lives in the form of the Holy Spirit, requires the human mind. Without the human mind there is no human based belief, nor faith, nor prayer, nor worship, nor praise, nor knowledge, nor ability to change what we are or even discover what we are, nor any abilities or skills or even desires. There would be no buildings, relationships, nothing, because for any kind of creativity to exist there must be mind. Even the ant who constructs the ant hill and is part of an organized social construct has mind. It is absolutely essential to understand the part the human mind plays in the Christian experience of God.

Mind in some parts of creation is more dynamic and capable than mind in other parts of the creation as was mentioned above. The doubting scientists declare the reality of mind but in a way they do not understand. We see this happening even in the fundamental expression of nature by science in the form of physics and chemistry which for example, involves what their practitioners call laws. They propose laws of nature as in laws of physcis or mathematics. These laws are simply relationships between chemicals or forces and/or time, space, and matter whether astronomical in size or the smallest conceivable particles. Mathematical formulas are used to describe these relationships and predict behavior. Whether they talk about a law, a hypothesis, or a theory they simply describe relationships. These relationships serve as models that describe the behavior of what science deems to be reality. Their reality ends when they can no longer measure. Their reality extends when their measurements get more precise. Their models fail when they can no longer predict what they measure or seek to measure. What they do not recognize is what underlies these so called laws of nature which is a force called mind. This was defined above. It is the great miracle of creation. That force is the Holy Spirit in whom all things cohere and have their being - the means by which the thought of the Mind of God creates from His own Self who is Spirit. This is the theological basis of our physical dimension.

If we think like the scientist we will be limited by our ability to measure. If we insist on measuring life based on concepts of matter as the ultimate reality and refuse to entertain relationships of energy which transform into a reality of matter then we limit our scientific discovery and technological innovations.

Thought is an expression of engergy within the human mind. Energy is the ability to do work. When energy is directed to accomplish work then power is said to flow or to be consumed. Thought energy comes from mind as directed by will (which is simply another form of thought). Thought is living energy that radiates from the soul having mind. As creation was formed by thought from the Mind of God so also if we have joined our minds to the Divine Mind, we can channel His thoughts as they apply to our life as creative energy and transcend the natural reality or that which is normal. We can possess and execute the authority and power of God as did Jesus Christ and his followers. He did say, "Greater things than I shall you do also". By means of our human will as aligned and synchronized to the Divine Will by means of the Holy Spirit, we can direct the thoughts of the Divine Mind through our minds thus making ourselves co workers with God. Divine thought is the creative energy of our universe. It is our responsibility to master the delivery of this power according to it's God given intent because the power itself has imedded intelligence as described earlier. An analogy might help here. In the field of data communications a technique of creating packets of information is used which not only contains the original information but routing and other information. The information packets contain everything that is needed to get from one point in a data transmission network to another point. The thoughts of God could be compared to such packets where the human mind is a node in the data transmission network. Obviously, to take such a comparison literally would constitute a gross distortion of what is intended. But the idea here is to realize that the thoughts of the Divine Mind are not simple in character like those in the human mind. Divine thought expresses as creative energy containing intelligence not as simple energy such as the electron flow called current that lights up a light bulb.

Reality is a perception within the mind defining what we are and what we can become. The corollary is; Reality is our perception of what we are not and what we cannot become. The Divine Mind encloses all that is within itself and the thought of Divine Mind is the force of creation.. It is that concept we have to come to terms with. There are those Christians that cannot come to terms with this and who profess the belief that God created the universe as an absolute and autonomous entity independent of Himself - God over there and the universe over here. Then they declare God as omnipresent within the physical universe. God is omnipresent, that is not the issue. But the abolute autonomy is the issue. By so believing, they have made in their minds another God out of the universe or physical dimension - for they say it exists as an absolute and autonomous and independent entity from God and does not cohere and have its being in God as Paul explained to the Grecian philosophers on Mars Hill. Who created the universe is not the point. They also imply God is matter as they claim that he is over there and the universe is separate and over here. To be separate from a physical space is to be in another physical space. To inhabit an absolute and autonomous physical space implies similar attributes. By saying the universe is absolute and autonomous from the being of God while yet claiming God is spirit or non material implies a contradiction for it makes God imaginary. To say such a thing they make God an entity within some kind of space separate from Himself and sharing it with the creation and by so believing they make Him in their minds not God but a creation in something. God is the beginning and the end. In error they claim that to say the creation exists in the Mind of the Divine is pantheism. Pantheism is a philosophy that says the universe is God. This theme teaches no such thing.

Those making the statement that pantheism is promoted in this theme disclose their inabilty to understand. This theme has slowly, carefully, and painstakingly delineated these issues out into the open to prevent just this kind of criticsm. This theme has clearly stated that the physical universe coheres in God and has it's being in God, that is, it exists in the Mind of the Divine but is not the Mind of the Divine. By this being so, the creation so existing is independent of the person of God but not absolute and autonomous from the Mind of God. This was discussed above in the digression on theology and the role of the 3 agencies of the Godhead. This is not double talk. Examine it carefully so you understand the concepts. To help you visualize you can use the analogy of the dream and the dreamer. The analogy of the dream and the dreamer is used further down so you will encounter it again. The dream is not the dreamer it is a creation within the mind of the dreamer. Creation is not the creator, rather its exists within the Mind of the creator, but not independent, absolute, and autonomous. The unifying aspect is spirit or mind as God is spirt but also mind. The two terms spirit and mind are near to equivalent except, to rely back on the analogy, there can be multiple concurrent dreams in the mind of the dreamer. So therefore, there can be multiple creations of dimensions within the Divine Mind and they need not have the same attributes as does this physical dimension. Spirit then is also used to represent the domain conceived within Divine Mind for these other dimensions. Paul speaks of other dimensions when he speaks of conflict with principalities and powers not of this world - not of the physical dimension. He was not talking about the world order or the planet. He was referring to forces and entities outside the physical dimension which we inhabit. He was not talking about space aliens but rather the mental wrestling that the human mind encounters when it impacts or is impacted by forces, agencies, and entities in the spiritual dimension. When Peter tried to convince Jesus that Jesus should not die, Peter was impacted by a spiritual force at odds with the Will of God. As a result t