The practical way for us to be transformed is by being renewed in our mind (Rom. 12:2). Transformation takes place by the renewing of the mind. The mind is of major importance. Our whole being is under the influence of our mind. Whatever we do and however we behave is very much related to our mind. The mind takes the lead to direct at least ninety percent of the activities of our entire being. Therefore, if we want to be transformed from the natural form into the form of Christ, we need to be renewed in our mind.
In 1946, the year after World War II ended, I went to Nanking, the old capital of China. I stayed there for a while to work for the Lord. While I was there, I was invited to dinner and introduced to a nice Christian gentleman. This man told me that he was very grateful to God, for he had the assurance that he was regenerated. He proceeded to tell me his thoughts about doing this thing and that thing for the Lord. His mind was very active in thinking about doing many things for the Lord. Although he sounded very good, I realized that this man had been regenerated in his spirit but not renewed in his mind. He still possessed a natural mind.
Our mind must be renewed in many respects, and the first thing that needs to be renewed is the thought that we can do something for God. If we desire to be transformed, our mind needs to be adjusted in this particular matter. We should not think that we can do something for the Lord. Rather, we need to receive something of God into us and enjoy Him. When that gentleman was talking with me about his thoughts to do this and that for the Lord, I said in my heart, “No, you need to change your mind. You must realize that your need today is to receive God and enjoy God. Stop thinking so much about doing things to please God. You must give up this thought of doing things and realize the fact that you need to take in something of God to be filled with Him. Your need is to be fed with God and satisfied with Him.” If we intend to be transformed and be normal Christians, the first thing that needs to be changed is the thought that we are able to do things for God. We need a renewed mind in order to realize that we should take God into us as life. As a rule, most of us have the thought that since the Lord is so good to us, we can express our gratefulness by doing something for Him. This is a natural thought which we have spontaneously. Whenever we have such a thought, we have to realize that there is the need of the renewing of our mind. May we abandon the thought of doing something for the Lord and realize the fact that we need to receive something of Him.
Some may still ask what they should do for the Lord. If we receive the Lord into us and enjoy Him, something will spontaneously issue forth from our enjoyment of Him. Our real need is to be filled with Christ and be satisfied with Him. Therefore, if we want to know the Lord in the way of life and not in a natural way, we need to have our mind renewed from the thought of doing things for Him. When our mind is renewed in this way, we will be clear that we need to enjoy the Lord and be filled and satisfied with Him day by day. We will desire to have not only more fellowship with the Lord but deeper fellowship with Him. Not only will there be a change in the way we think, but many things will be different; our way of choosing and deciding will also be renewed.
We are told in the Scriptures that we need to deny ourselves (Luke 9:23). In order to be transformed by renewing, we need to deny our self. More than ninety percent of our self is expressed through our mind; our mind is the expression of our self (Matt. 16:23-24). Hence, to deny our natural mind is to deny our self.
One day a brother came to me and said, “Brother Lee, I do not know how to deny my self. The Lord tells us to deny the self, but I simply do not know how to deny it.” I said, “Brother, to deny your natural mind and natural way of thinking is the real denial of your self. You need to hate your natural mind.” Many times believers like to use the expressions I think or I thought. This is often the self expressed through the mind. Whenever we use the words I think or I thought, we need to tell ourselves that our natural mind has been crucified on the cross. It has been brought to an end by being put to death. We need to deny it. Our old man which has already been crucified with Christ is expressed almost exclusively through the mind. Therefore, we need to be renewed in our mind. If we want to be renewed in our mind, we need to deny the natural thoughts.
Recently another brother and I were traveling together. As we stayed together, we had differences in our way of thinking. He considered me merely as a northern Chinese, and I considered him merely as a Cantonese. Much trouble like this originates from our unrenewed mind. The more I thought about that brother in this way, the more ground I gave to the enemy. If I had gone along with my thoughts about him, I might have gone to his room and started quarreling. In order to avoid this, I needed to deny my natural mind, my thinking, and my self. I even needed to say, “Satan, get away from me. I will not go along with you. I will not go along with my natural mind. I will walk according to the spirit. Christ is now indwelling my spirit. I will not follow my mind, but I will walk according to the spirit.” Then I was able to go to the brother and say, “Let us pray for the Lord’s work and for the meeting tonight.” I had a different attitude.