Imma Be...Holy pt 1

There’s a popular pop song entitled, “Imma Be,” by the Black Eyed Peas. They sing about ‘being whatever I like.’ In our world we are required to answer the question of what we will be or who we will be. This is not an easy task and our naturally tendency is to respond the same way as the Black Eyed Peas.

But God calls us to something different. It is a very clear and direct command – Be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15). This direct call, however, is rather daunting and unattainable on our own. So how can we reach this lofty goal and fulfill the command of our heavenly father? For this we look in verse 13.

Peter says, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action…” It takes a mind ready and focused to be able to live in such a way. This is not something done accidentally or the first time we try it.

Athletes all over the world on every level of the game go through this routine of focusing mentally in order to compete and perform at their top level. Why? Because our minds are the engine that drive any activity. Without clarity and focus, no amount of physical ability matters – as seen with the Thunder recently.

So here are 4 ways to get our minds ready for action:

Purge:                  It is necessary to cleanse our minds of the things that detract, destroy, and pollute the appropriate course of action. We need to clear out the useless junk. 2 Corinthians 10:5

says to “take every thought captive making it obedient to Christ.” That is forceful and intentional. We cannot let the outside world or our circumstances and fears rule our minds.

Revise:                 We will most likely have to change the way we think about things. We need to see them differently. Rene Descartes changed the way he and everyone thought about self

realization with his famous, “I think therefore I am,” statement. Before we can do things in a new way it is significant for us to see them first, whether in real life (through someone else) or in our mind’s eye.

Engage:               Familiarity with that which is new will bring confidence. We need to walk through the newness, learning the details involved, once we’ve seen it done, to become familiar

with the process and practice. It takes time and is a slow going initially but to learn it right takes diligence and commitment to the cause.

Practice:              Finally we will go full speed – we need to rehearse. That is what practice is – dress rehearsal, doing it repetitively when the stakes are low and the pressure is off. A golfer doesn’t change his swing in the middle of a round. A quarterback doesn’t change his motion at half time. These adjustments take time and are implemented when the pressure is not on. Same is true and vital for us to make changes to our workouts in our spiritual journey.

Romans 12:2 says that we can BE transformed by the renewing of our mind. Paul says not to conform to the things of the world any more. Conforming is something we do – it’s an active choice on our part so it is something we can stop as well. But the transforming is something done TO us as Paul says, when we think differently.

Be holy is an active statement. To be relates to existing. So in other words, “In the very state in which you exist, be holy.” But we must FIRST prepare our minds for action.