14 “You are
the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No
one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on
a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”
--Matthew 5:14-15(NLT)
Have you ever wondered why there are Christians (myself
included at times) who are just as depressed, discouraged, and defeated as the
rest of the world? According to the
above scripture, they might be putting their light under a basket.
Do you know any basket-case Christians out there? In the Greek, that word for “basket” can also
be translated as a “bushel” or a unit of dry measure. This scripture indicates that we can dim the
light within by measuring or limiting God by the way we think.
A believer with an unrenewed mind is like an eaglet that
grows up in a chicken coop. While that
precious little eaglet has everything within him to soar in heights the
chickens have never dreamed of, he never will as long as he perceives, thinks,
and acts like a chicken!
However, there is a way to break out of our old way of
thinking and totally take the limits off God.
John 3:34 states: 34
For since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God’s own
message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but
boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!
God has given us His Holy Spirit without measure, so we can
live the victorious, overcoming lives we were destined for—the God kind of
life!
Romans 8:5-6 states: 5
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but
those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the
Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But
letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
God loves us tremendously and longs to share His thoughts
with us, but He is the ultimate gentlemen.
He will never force His way into your mind and make you think about Him,
His Word, and the things of God. We must
freely yield to the Holy Spirit.
If we can submit our minds to sin—worry, lustful thoughts,
fear, stress, & negativity, why shouldn’t we just as easily be able to
submit our minds to the Holy Spirit Who is far more powerful than sin and the
things of the devil?
I encourage everyone and myself every day to take the limits
off God and allow His Word and His Spirit to dominate our minds. You don’t need a theological degree or
masters in divinity to be able to do this.
It’s the right of every believer, from the least to the greatest! It’s who you are. You have a new divine nature within; you are
a believer and a LIGHT to this dark and hopeless world.
When we yield to the Holy Spirit in our minds and hearts, we
are removing the “basket” and will truly shine just as we are. Don’t
copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a
new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s
will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
