THE DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND - YOUR MIND! BY PASTOR DAVID J. LEET, First published on 02/02/1999.

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

The Macquarie Dictionary says: Success Is:

1. Favourable or prosperous termination of attempts endeavours.

2. 
   

3. The gaining of wealth, position, or the like.

4. 
   

5. A thing or a person that is successful.

You know, true prosperity or success, is not great wealth or huge estates.  True prosperity is doing God’s will each and every day.  Having enough to pay all of our bills, having a job of some kind to copy our days, having good friends, having children, a roof over our heads and most importantly of all, being able to show God’s love  in our lives, and give joyfully.

Romans 5 v 5:

"And hope maketh not ashamed: Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is give unto us."

IN HIS IMAGE: Now then Let’s understand what it means to be in His Image.

The Macquarie Dictionary says: IMAGE: Optical counter part, similar in appearance.

Genesis 1 V 26-27:

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Genesis 1 V 2B:

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

John 1 V 1-4:

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

..make man in our image after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the Earth.

Genesis 1 V 27: So God created man in His own image in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.

So we can know by these two (2) scriptures that our physical appearance is the optimal copy of what God’s spiritual body is like.

Genesis 5 V 1-3 (Image and likeness of Adam)

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:

Colossians 1 V 10-23:

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Jesus is the image of God to us:

2 Corinthians 4 V 4:

4 In whom the God of this world (satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

So then let’s think on this for a moment. 

Why are we trying to look or be like Jesus?

Who is the image, or looks like God? 

Could the answer lie in the old adage, “You are the only Jesus that the world will ever see”.

IN HIS LIKENESS: Macquarie Dictionary “Similar in manner, characteristic, similar in nature”

Genesis 5 V 1:

1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made.

Philippians 2 V 7: But made Himself of no reputation and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,

Just three aspects of God’s own character are seen here: No reputation, a servant’s heart - Likeness.

For more attributes of Christ read:

Matthew 11 V 26-30:

26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Romans 8 V 3-4: to see what Jesus did for us:

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Sop much more, we need to strive to be more like Jesus each day of our lives.  By doing this, we too can stay what it says in:

Psalm 17 V 15: As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake, with Thy likeness.

LIKE MINDED: Now well will see shy our minds are in need of daily renewing, and Godly control.  This is why our intellect is under such heavy attack from satan!

Philippians 2 V 2-5:

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Romans 15 V 5-6:

V 5: Now the good of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

V 6: That ye may with one mind and pone mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What a peculiar and wondrous thing is the mind of man.

Macquarie Dictionary - MIND - Thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges, reflects, as in a human or other conscious being.  Intellectual power or ability, purpose, intention will, decision making, to apply oneself/attend to, be careful, cautious car, concerning, to perceive or notice, to regard or mattering.

MINDED: Inclined or disposed.

DISPOSED: Mental or moral constitution.  Turn of the mind.

Whew!  Is it any wonder that the devil plays hack with our minds!

Can we see now from these descriptions found in the Macquarie Dictionary, just how important it is for our minds to be renewed each day?

This tends to shed light on another aspect of the importance of having a quiet time with God, every day of our lives.

Our Father in heaven knows that alone, we would not be able to maintain this need, or requirement,  But we are not alone!

Deuteronomy 31 V 6:  Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13 V 5:  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Psalm 44 V 14:  Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.

James 1 V 5: There shall not any man be bale to stand before Thee all the days of Thy life: As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 

2 Timothy 1 V 7:  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

God is always there for us, and He knows how hard it can be in life for our frail humanity to carry on, under the most arduous of life’s trials.  But by His precious Holy Spirit, through His dear Son, Jesus Christ, He is there for us.

Macquarie Dictionary - FORSAKE: To desert or abandon.  To give up or renounce.

Think about it!  No matter who you are, or where you are, or how had you are, He will never give up on you!

So don’t you give up on you!  You have no right to, in light of this have you?

THE POTTER’S HANDS: We have God as our helper through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  All we have to do is “As It IS Written” in His Word.

Sp without all the fanfare, self righteous pride, we need to humble ourselves before the living God of heaven and earth.

Isaiah 45 V 9:

Woe unto him that strives with His maker!  Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth.  Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, what makes thou?  Or thy work, he hath no hands?

ROMANS 9 V 20-21:

20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

We should ever strive to be humble and contrite in heart and in spirit, before the Lord.  So as to do “As It Is Written”

Jeremiah Chapter 18 V 1-6: Read through these verses prayerfully.

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

FINALLY - By doing this which is written in:

Philippians 1 V 1-9:

1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

We can change hearts and our minds.  You can do this.  Don’t give up on God or yourself, because He won’t give up on you.

If you feel that you re not strong enough, or that your human condition is holding you back, you’re right.  However, see this next verse of Philippians 4, and apply it liberally to all situations in life.

Philippians 4 V 13:

"I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me."

The is the blood covenant promise to hold on to, and a fact of Christian life!