They Changed Their Minds
Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. (Acts 28:6, KJV)
The mind drives our lives; when our minds change, our lives follow. Yet, changing the human mind is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks. Acts 28:6 presents a captivating example of a dramatic shift in perception, which we’ll explore for its relevance to us today.
This story revolves around Paul’s voyage to Rome following a shipwreck, culminating in their arrival on the island of Malta. Here, after a snake bite, the locals initially thought Paul was an evil man deserving of death despite surviving the shipwreck. However, when he did not succumb to the venom, their minds dramatically shifted to thinking he was a god. While Paul was certainly not a god, this event illustrates how a significant occurrence can radically alter people’s minds.
But what does it mean that “their minds changed”?This change signifies a shift in what the islanders thought and believed about Paul. The term “mind” here encompasses both thought and convictions.
The narrative continues: once their perceptions shifted, they became open to Paul’s ministry, and land miracles broke out on the island. Consider the mind a colossal gate to your life, closed or open to divine influences. Your current views on God, the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer, finances, etc, shape your beliefs and, subsequently, whether your life is open or closed to experiencing God’s power in that area. For instance, a Christian who believes miracles are a thing of the past will likely never witness such events. Similarly, a church denying the validity of speaking in tongues will probably never see anyone in that Church speak in tongues. Our minds matter—a lot.
The people of Malta changed their minds with a little more information. Similarly, God has provided His Word to transform our thinking. His Word is the new information to change how we think about Him, ourselves, the world around us, finances, relationships, etc.
Renew your mind, and your life will be renewed.
Meditate
Do you hold beliefs that contradict God’s intentions for your life? If you think you have none, you pray and ask the Spirit to show you things about yourself you do not even know!
Apply the Word
None of us, except for the Lord Jesus, is free from thoughts or beliefs that misalign God’s purposes in some areas of our lives. He desires that we be honest in acknowledging these, seek His Word voraciously, and surrender our ideas, strongholds, and convictions to the Spirit. He wants us to remain open to His Word and willing to embrace His truth. Let the Spirit renew your mind as you reflect on and yield to the Word.
Pray
Ask the Spirit to guide the necessary changes in your mindset to witness His glory.
Recommended Reading
- How to Renew your mind
- The Mind and Spiritual Life
- Biblical Psychology: the Mystery of the Human Mind
- Sermon: How to Renew Your Mind—Sermon
- How to Yield to the Holy Spirit
- View All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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