Like Father, like Son – Part II

Last week, we saw that our identity dictates what we do, how we live, and what we receive from life. Because Adam and Eve sinned, we inherited their identity as sinners and an alignment with the kingdom of darkness the day we were born. But if we turn away from darkness and accept Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death and resurrection, God the Father adopts us and calls us sons or daughters and saints.

To see ourselves in this new light requires unlearning some things as we get to know our new Father and His ways.

The scientific process explains that things that we encounter through our five senses are converted into physical thoughts in our brains. These chemical reactions and electrical currents grow from thoughts and emotions into memories that dictate how we behave and respond to life.

Meditating on negative thoughts produces negative strongholds, and for many of us, the negative stronghold is our default. For example, say that you have a pre-existing memory that is like a toxic, thorny tree of bitterness towards your boss. When you repeatedly meditate on how she has wronged you, you build more branches and strengthen the thorny tree of bitterness in your brain. These toxic chemical and hormonal reactions can lead to physical illness.

The good news is that the same principle applies when we meditate on God’s instructions consistently. He says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him... ” (Isaiah 55:7, NKJV) . When we think on things like forgiveness, there is the release of chemicals such as endorphins and dopamine, which are healthy for us. A new, healthy memory will be built on top of that old toxic thorn tree and start to kill that old way of thinking. These chemicals make us feel good and help bring about healing. If we do this consistently, we can actually help to reverse the damage caused by negative thinking. In the Bible, this is called repentance. “ …do not imitate what is evil but what is good,” says 3 John 1:11a (NCV).

It’s possible for us because when we get saved, the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and gives us the power to make the right choice. In science, this process is called ‘retranscribing those memories neuroplastically’. In the Bible, it’s called “renewing the mind”. “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude] so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you],” says Romans 12:2 (AMPC).

So, right out of the blocks, we must capture negative emotions because emotion is as important as thought. Say, for example, you struggle with anger. During COVID-19 physical-distancing restrictions, you are standing in line at the supermarket, and someone comes up closer than three feet behind you. Your emotions may lead you to shout at them, but you can instead acknowledge the emotion and decide that it is better to just stay calm and kindly ask the person to step back. In other words, you replace that emotion with a very reasonable decision. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” says 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV).

You need to hear and believe the truth, apply it to your life, and watch yourself being set free to walk as the new you — a son or daughter of God.