Religion The Placebo Effect Vrs. The Renewed Mind By: Minister Speed

Religion

Most Christians are just church goers.  This is what I call A Nominal Christian, or in Name only.  This is what I call Religious people. Their Belief System is so Polluted and Diluted from the Truth of Gods’ Holy Word that what they call the Holy Spirit is nothing but Satan’s Placebo. 

They are devoid of Biblical Truth and therefore cannot realize that their minds have not been renewed and that ANY thoughts they have on God, Christ, Spirituality, or life is a problem.  This is what I call Religion.....

1. Romans 10:17- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2. 2 Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

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

4. 2 Corinthians 4:4 - In whom the god of this world 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.

5. Romans 8:7- Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

6. John 8:32-And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.

7. Ephesians 4:22-24 exhorts us to "... put off concerning the former conversation (behavior) the old man (old self), which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man (the new self), which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

8.  2 Corinthians 11:14, And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

A Placebo is a substance that has delusional positive effects as a result of a patient's perception that it is beneficial rather than as a result of a relevant ingredient.  In medicine a Placebo is a pharmacologically inactive substance or a sham procedure administered as a control in testing the effectiveness of a drug or course of action. 

In all cases 100% of the time the person giving the Placebo does not know he has been administered something that is not real.

To put it as simple as possible, a Placebo in Christianity Is a psychological and emotional attachment to a church house, religion, denomination or a man.  These people have a psychological loyalty to the philosophy and traditions to their Placebo Christianity.  

A Christian under a Placebo effect is a person who has not responded in repentance and faith to Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord. There is no Transformative Power although this person professes belief, faith and love in Christ.

As a minister, I truly believe  that "nominalism or the Placebo effect is a major issue and that the majority of the  Christian populations know nothing of a personal faith, true repentance, and a trust in the finished work of Christ for their salvation.

Some have drank poison willingly, spent thousands of dollars attempting to appease God, neglected their own families and fell prey to many scams and schemes because of the counselings and teachings of the Placebo effect.

Colossians 2:6-9, as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

A Recovered Mind is a Renewed Mind

Romans 12:1-2 tells us that the way we are "transformed," the way we learn to live Christ's Life, is by the renewing of our minds - putting off our own negative and corrupt thinking and putting on God's Thoughts.  As we continue in our series on being transformed by the renewing of our minds , we want to cover two important questions. 1) What is "mind renewal?"  and, 2) Why is "mind renewal" so important?

Ephesians 4:22-24 exhorts us to "... put off concerning the former conversation (behavior) the old man (old self), which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind ; and that ye put on the new man (the new self), which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

A "renewed mind," then, is one that has done two things: It has "put off" any sin (any hurt, doubt, fear, rebellion, self-centeredness, lust, bitterness, etc.), any corrupt thinking, or any barrier that would quench God's Spirit and has "put on" the Mind of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Renewing our minds is not simply "changing" our thoughts, but actually putting off the old, negative thoughts as well as putting on God's Thoughts.  In other words, we can't just say to God, "Lord, give me Your Thoughts," and somehow expect Him to "automatically" give us His Mind.  We must first put off our own self-centered thinking by confessing, repenting, and then giving it to God.  At this point, we can then put on the Mind of Christ.

To renew" means to exchange one thing for another.  In other words, when we put off and put on, we're exchanging our thinking for God's.  If we're not willing to Set Aside and relinquish our own thoughts, then our thinking process will never be renewed and our lives will never be transformed.

Reasons A Mind Renewal Is So Important

There are many reasons why "mind renewal" is critical.  But there are several reasons worth pointing out in this series:  God wants us to have His Mind (His thoughts, His viewpoint) in every situation.

He wants us to have the supernatural ability to discern everything that happens to us from His vantage point and His perspective, and not get dominate down and buried by our own negative thoughts and feelings or by what we can "see" going on.  If we can see from His perspective, then we'll be able to "soar" above our circumstances, our problems, and our trials and not get buried under them.

An Example of A Renewed Mind

Joseph in the Old Testament, I believe, is a wonderful example of someone who was able to see all that happened to him from God's perspective.

The story goes like this: Joseph, the most beloved of all the sons of Jacob, had a dream.  However, he made the mistake of telling his brothers the dream.  His brothers were already jealous of him because he was their father's favorite.  But after hearing Joseph's dream, they were resentful and determined to get rid of him any way they could.

The brothers put Joseph in a pit and finally sold him to the Midianites.  The Midianites, in turn, sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer in Pharaoh's guard.  After an incident with Potiphar's wife, however, in which she tricked Joseph by making it look like he had seduced her, Joseph was sent to prison (Genesis 39).

While in prison, Joseph met the King's baker and butler and did them a favor by interpreting their dreams.  He begged them to remember him when they were released from jail.  However, when it came time that the chief butler was released, he soon forgot Joseph and his favors. 

I'm sure you know the rest of the story.  Two more years went by when Pharaohs dreamed a dream and the chief butler finally remembered Joseph in prison and the interpretation of his own dreams.  Pharaoh’s men contacted Joseph, released him, and eventually Joseph became Pharaoh’s right-hand man.

Joseph was only 17 years old when his brothers threw him into the pit to be sold, and he was well over 30 when pharaoh finally released him.  He had been "in bondage" for over 13 years!

Now you know Joseph must have struggled with "justified" hurts, resentments and bitterness.  He was not a "super saint," but a human being just like us.  Scripture tells us, however, that all who saw Joseph "knew God was with him." (Genesis 39:3) 

Somehow, in spite of all the horrendous circumstances and all the justified natural emotions Joseph must have had, his countenance and his life actions still showed forth his love of God.

The only way Joseph could possibly have made this impression was by constantly "putting off" his own natural bitterness and resentments and putting on God's wisdom and understanding, thereby being able to see all that happened to him not from his own viewpoint, but from God's. 

This is validated in Genesis 50:20 when Joseph finally meets up with his brothers and says to them, "...ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." 

This is an incredible response.  It's not a natural reaction.  Humanly, I'm sure Joseph would have loved to have had his revenge, but that's not how he acted.  He saw all things that had happened to him as being used for God's purposes in his own life.

Do we "see" like this in your own trials?  Do we see all the things that God has allowed in our lives as being used for our good?  I know I still have a long way to go in being able to do this continually.

Joseph received the Promises of God

He knew a new freedom and a new happiness.

He did not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

He comprehended the word serenity.

He knew peace.

No matter how far down the scale he had gone,

He saw how his experience could benefit others.

His feelings of uselessness and self-pity disappeared.

He lost interest in selfish things and gain insight in his fellows.

Self-seeking slipped away.

His whole attitude and outlook changed.

Fear of people and economic insecurity left him.

He intuitively knew how to handle situations which used to baffle him.

He suddenly realize that God is doing for him what he could not do for himself.

Are these extravagant Promises for God? 

By the way, there were no psychologists and no psychiatrists in Joseph's day.  Yet somehow, Joseph was able to become free from his traumatic past (and his dysfunctional family), and his life was transformed anyway.

It takes constant discipline not to give in to our negative thoughts and emotions that are trying to crush and drown us.  Often, it seems like it would just be easier to give in and let our own feelings rule.  But, you know what happens if we do that?  Those negative thoughts and emotions "take us captive," and then we'll drown for sure. The devil works in our feelings and emotions.

This, of course, is exactly what Satan wants!  He revels in our bondage to our own negative thoughts.  He wants us totally immersed and consumed in our own problems, bound to him by our hurts, our fears, our pain, our wounds and our circumstances (chains of sin) because then we'll see everything that happens to us from our own horizontal viewpoint and not from God's perspective or the Mind of Christ.  As a result, we won't be transformed into God's image, but simply conformed to the world's image and the Gospel won't be passed on.

The Eagle

Scripture often refers to the eagle as a symbol of this renewing process.  Psalm 103:5 says that "our youth will be renewed like the eagle."  "Youth" here, I believe, refers to the "original image" that God created us to have - His Love, His Wisdom and His Power.  As we renew our minds, it's true, we'll be transformed back into God's Image, which is what God intended for us all along.

One of the reasons I believe God uses the eagle as a symbol of this transformation process is that the eagle is the only bird whose whole physical strength is literally renewed after each molting season.  In other words, only after the eagle has "put off" his old feathers, so to speak, does he actually receive "new" physical strength to soar above his enemies.

It's the same with us.  When we "put off" the old and "put on" the new, we too receive God's supernatural strength to soar above our enemies (Isaiah 59:19).

Another reason I believe God uses the eagle as a symbol of our renewal and transformation is because the eagle again comes from the only bird family that has "telescopic sight," a kind of "zoom-in-focus" lens.  An eagle can search out objects literally miles away (indistinguishable to the human eye).  Eagles can see a quarter from over 200 yards away and a rabbit from over a mile away.  This, of course, increases their ability to judge and discern the true situation.

It's the same with us.  Our minds, when renewed by God's Spirit, have the same supernatural ability.  We are able to judge, discern and pick up things that the natural eye (natural mind) would never be able to see or understand.  We are given the supernatural wisdom and ability to discern the true situation and see everything that happens to us from God's vantage point.

Lastly when it comes to the eagle I've found out that in a severe storm the eagle does one thing that no other bird can do.  When it is caught in a storm it instinctively locks its wings and soars above the storm without effort.  This puts this bird due to its size and power at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world.  They are on the highest level in their world.

 Isaiah 40:31, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

These are the true over-comers.  "Overcoming" simply means freedom from self, freedom from our circumstances and freedom from others' responses and freedom from what my carnal resentful mind is telling me.

Having a renewed mind, putting off our own negative thoughts and putting on the Mind of Christ is the only way we can begin to see everything that happens to us from God's perspective and not get buried by our own.

Excerpt From my 2nd Book 2014 Release Minister Speed

To all my friends my next book "The Revealed Word of God" is the second in a 3 part series to be released 2015.  It is design to move us away from the religious experience which is entrapping the American Christians today.  These books are written through the Holy Spirit to help you develop a Spiritual Fitness Plan which will enable you to strengthen your relationship with God/Christ and develop strategies in this deadly warfare we are living in.  

Be sure to contact me or follow link below to  purchase the first book "A Declaration to the Spiritual Soldier".  

Order copy here "A Declaration to the Spiritual Soldier"

Enjoy the excerpt and please feel free to leave a comment, questions, or statements. 

The Explosiveness of the Word of God

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrew 4:12 NIV

So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Have you ever been in church service and heard a word from God that changed your very life?  Did it propel you into a dynamic new and exciting adventure in which you knew that you were being spoken to and led by God Himself?  The truth is, this is what should happen every time you come into contact with the word.  The most powerful weapon in the universe is the word of God.  The bible says in John 1:1-5 NIV (Paraphrased) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The Word was with God in the beginning.  Through the Word all things were made; without the Word nothing was made that has been made.  In the Word was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

According to scripture this Word is so powerful and so explosive that it is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrew 12:2).  It goes on to say that this Word has the power to bring us to life and discern our thoughts and attitudes and even penetrates our life to divide the spirit from the soul (Hebrew 4:12).  Saints we can see that this Word is Jesus Christ.  His Word is the voice within that creates the very faith we operate in.  Through the word God has chosen to speak to us in these last times.

Saints God’s Word supernaturally transmits information concerning the Purpose, Pattern, and Plan that He has for your life.  His Purpose, Pattern, and Plan are His Divine Design for your life.  There is no scrap in the Kingdom of God, and everything is used to get you into position to be of maximum service.

Hidden within the constitution or makeup of the word of God is the living power of Jesus Christ.  When he said I am Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8), He was saying I am the alphabet or the structure of the very word in Holy Scripture.  Alpha is the beginning letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter.  The New Testament was written in Greek and Aramaic.  Christ was making the statement that every word of Scripture testifies of His deity.  This is given veracity in John 5:39 KJV, when Jesus says “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

Most people miss the promises of God because they do not understand that they even exist.  The majority of churchgoers today will not pick up their bible and read them at all.  With the exception of once a week Sunday instructions from their pastor there is no interactions with the word with carries life within itself.

This negligent attitude and their busy schedules have created the very issues in which they attempt to escape.  The children run wild and rampant with abortions and illiteracy, and drug addiction, as the parents seek to fulfill the worldly dreams of success and reap sickness, alcoholism, and other forms of mental illnesses.  All of these are symptoms which come from one single root cause.  They cannot hear the voice of God and are operating in a self-imposed system of bedevilment's which could be avoided by simply hearing and obeying the voice of God.

It is time to listen for God with expectancy.  To know that He cannot lie, that He is constantly transmitting His message to you personally.  As I stated in my last book, “A Declaration to the Spiritual Soldier,”  “The word of God is not locked into the ancient of days, nor is it conditioned by man.  His word is both timely and timeless”.   It is time to develop the ability to hear God’s voice.  This is not something that happens overnight and just like anything else can be lost through non-conditioning.

I will share with you seven dynamics that you can use to help you develop the ability to have the word of God literally explode in your heart.  Remember the main problem is not God speaking but mankind is block because of his busy schedule, calamities, drug addiction (prescription or illicit), or just plain ego.  When these are removed we become naturally adapted at hearing God’s voice.  Whether through the Holy Spirit speaking audibly to us, listening to our pastor preaching, or reading the word for ourselves, we were created to be instruments and channels for God’s power in our lives.   

While these seven dynamics are simple they will create a supernatural ability within your life to hear from God Himself.   Remember serving God is a choice and likewise with the things of this world.  A percentage of you must live in this world, but you must not be dominated by a world that is an enemy to God (James 4:4).  Most people truly do not understand that they partake of two kingdoms and must choose and strive to live in the Kingdom of God.  It is not a given because you believe in Christ.

7 DYNAMICS TO DEVELOP EXPLOSIVE GOD HEARING ABILITY

 1. Authority – The word authority carries with it a negative connation as most people have had a problem with authority some at point in their life.  The truth is authority is what brings order to our world.   Whether we chose to live in the present wicked world, or serve in God’s kingdom we will live under someone’s authority.  The key is to understand that God has authority in all Kingdoms.  This is why it is necessary to get under and obtain His authority so we can hear from Him and no one else. 

The Word of God is explosive in that it can change and rearrange circumstances. What your present circumstance is saying now does not really matter. What matters is what the Word of God is saying about your circumstance. That is why it is very important for you to wake up and get yourself aligned with the Word of God.  It is time to get excited about God's Word, taking a firm hold upon God, believing His counsel implicitly, as well as the things that have been proclaimed to you and about you by His Spirit.

This can only be done through His revelation power. We must be able to hear, take authority in what He has said and move through to its manifestation.  This can only take place when you decide today to take authority over this world through the word of God. The power to create a change is already within you. Now hear Jesus: "Behold, I give unto you POWER...!" (Luke 10:19). That is the authority you have to create a change.  Nothing is going to change until you take authority and CHANGE IT!

2. Attitude - When listening for the word of God, you've got to develop the right attitude.  I've seen people with no skills but a great attitude and they are very successful.  Listen saints life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react.   When you change your attitude you become contagious to hearing God’s voice.  Everyone around you will begin to take notice and God will promote you seemingly with ease because you are now reacting to what God is saying rather than what is happening to you in life.  I will now list six stages that occur within this principle of attitude change.  Practice them on a conscious level and you will soon hear the still small voice of God coming through.

 1. Identify the problems and negative feeling you have.  This requires an accountability partner to share and bounce off godly ideas and concept to create a solution.

 2. Identify the problem behavior.  Know that you can’t live in constant sin and expect to have a proper attitude.  That which you can change should be spoken to with authority.  Make a public declaration to change it.

 3. Identify the right type of thinking.  There may be stuff going on upstairs that is not real.  Remember we are a product of what we think whether fancied or real.  Think on those things of God and meditate on His word.

4. Identify the type of crowd you hang around and receive advice from.  Birds of a feather stick together.  Stop being unequally yoke with those who are not believers.  They carry a different spiritual DNA, and a different attitude.

 5. Identification repentance.  Don’t just ask for forgiveness of your sin.  Make a list of those things that are an offense to God and yourself.  Look for fixed patterns of behaviors, feelings, and thoughts.  Take these to your accountability partner and then to God in prayer asking Him to remove these shortcomings.

 6. Identify a plan to produce righteous thinking.  Remember the devil is keeping a log book of what irritates you.  Decide to be proactive and less reactive.  The most important thing you can do in developing a proper attitude is to be true to oneself.  Know thyself.

3. Altitude – Did you know that your altitude determines your attitude? Jesus, the highest being there ever was and ever will be, voluntarily lowered Himself. He put Himself in such a low position that He was called a servant.  The bible states He that is least is the greatest in the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:48).

A surefire way to limit your altitude is to be content to just sit there. And yet that is the attitude of countless Christians. To just sit. They view Christianity as a spectator sport. They come to church to watch others perform. They’ll put some money in the plate if they liked the show that day. If the performance wasn't up to their standards, they’ll be sure to criticize it. They smile, shake a few hands, and they leave with their religious buzz for the week. God’s plan for us is to fly high in our lives and in our church. But to achieve those higher altitudes, we have to have the attitude of Jesus who was the greatest servant.

 4. Acknowledgement – We must acknowledge that God is real and that He is sovereign.  When we do this He recognizes that we are worthy to receive His blessings and He communicates with us just as a father would to bring about an advantageous lifestyle.

 In 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 (NIV) we see Solomon give God His due praise and receive the fruits of his acknowledgement.  “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.  Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” To acknowledge God is to be guided and protected by God in all that you would do (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 5.  Acceptance – Sometimes we do not accept God’s will as well as we think we do.  This is especially true when it comes to hearing the voice of God and discerning his will for our lives in something we disagree with Him upon. Yet this is the fundamental pursuit in the life of faith.  The greatest temptation we face as a people of God is to be diverted from accepting His will. It is the constant struggle with which we live.

  

Acceptance Prayer

 Lord, I do not know what it is I should do.  I trust that you understand me better than I understand myself.  Father please direct my thinking.  Lead me to the place you would have me to be.  I give you all that I am Lord.  You know better than me what I need.  Please Lord reveal to me those things which are blocking me from you and my fellows.  Speak to me clearly oh Lord so that I may follow you and not become lost.  I accept your will for my life.  Amen.

 6. Adjustment – The word adjustment mean to align or adapt to a new environment.  This dynamic suggest the action of coming into harmony with God to bring about an explosive ability to hear His word.  Trust and believe that every adjustment is God-directed and fulfilled. Accept this truth quietly and faithfully and you can experience your refinement without taking offense at the very conditions that must take place to in order to move you to the next dimension of life God has in store for you.

 7. Advancement - In Philippians 1:12 Paul the apostle wrote, “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance (advancement) of the gospel.  Understand that every encounter whether negative, positive, or unclassified is used to further the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.  It is now time for advancement.  It’s time to hear the voice of God and be changed.  It’s time to pick up the mantle and know that the most important activity in the world is the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  This happens when men and woman hear the voice of God and it explodes in their hearts, they become sold out and have their lives led by God.  The voice of God is the certainty that creates men and women who do not falter in their purpose.  They understand that if it came from God, then it is a spiritual manifestation of their destiny.

  Remember all it takes is one word from God to completely transform your life.  The great fact is just this.  God is transmitting and His voice can be heard every hour, of every minute, of every second, of every day.  Prepare yourself for the explosive word of God.