76 - You Are Light

"For once you were darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light, live as those who are native-born to the Light (Ephesians 5:8 AMP)."

We are light in the Lord, washed clean, a new creation with a new nature; the old is gone, and the new has come, with Christ living in and through us. As recreated beings, our minds and focus are now set on who we are rather than who we no longer are. "For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh which gratify the body, but those who are living according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit—His will and purpose. (Romans 8:5 AMP)." Setting one's mind on the things of the flesh indicates living according to the flesh, while setting one's mind on the things of the Spirit characterizes living according to the Spirit.

In light of who we now are, recreated in Christ, and in the context of the new covenant through His blood, we understand that when Paul lists in his letters the deeds of the flesh, he is not speaking to those who live habitually in accordance with the Spirit, but to those who are forgetting their true recreated nature. These acts are no longer part of who we are, our new identity in Christ that we should fixate on them. We don't set our minds on the things of the flesh as if trying not to do them makes us holy; we are already holy, living as those native-born to the Light. In other words, we live and think as those who have always been Light, not trying to become, but as those who already are.

Setting our minds on the things of the Spirit means setting our minds on the attributes of our new nature in Christ, the fruit of the Spirit. "These are the result of His presence within us: love—unselfish concern for others, joy, inner peace, patience—not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23 AMP)."

Our new mindset is part of the process of our walk in the body being transformed into who He has now made us in the Spirit, through the renewing of our minds. "Be transformed and progressively changed as you mature spiritually by the renewing of your mind, focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes (Romans 12:2 AMP)." Renewing our minds is not about setting our minds on the things of the flesh to avoid becoming something we no longer are; this brings about no transformation. Rather, it is about setting our minds on the new Light of who we actually now are.

"Be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind, having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude, and put on the new self—the regenerated and renewed nature, created in God’s image, godlike in the righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:23-24 AMP)." Who we now are is regenerated with a renewed nature, created in God's image, godlike in the righteousness and holiness of the truth. The act of putting on that new self is the process of setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, who we are so that our minds renew and we are transformed.

This process is clearly seen through scripture: "I have been crucified with Christ—that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith—by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20 AMP)." Being crucified with Christ means sharing in His crucifixion; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. This is the recreated self—the old is gone and the new has come. Setting our minds on this is the renewing of our minds. The transformation of this life in the body comes through faith, the renewing of our minds, faith in who we now are while adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself up for us.

Remember when you are reading God's word to see yourself in the context of who you now are in Christ under the new covenant. If you have habitually strayed from your new true nature, taking your eyes off who you are, then repent—meaning, change your mind back to focusing on who you truly are. Desire in your heart to see yourself in the Light of who He has made you, regretting the meaningless and ignorant desires to follow who you no longer are. Instead, desire for your mind to be renewed and thus transform your walk with Christ, realigning yourself, and your mind back to the attributes of your new nature.