Mental Training

We often face situations where we must give answers or responses that mean something or that could initiate a change, action, correction, conviction or realization. How often do we do it? Timely answers are bold, convincingly accurate, and fearless and one that at times even our peers do not expect from us. Believers are meant to produce them. It takes great strength, wisdom and training to speak only when necessary and that which is necessary. We usually see people making ‘x’ number of statements whether or not the discussion at hand is noteworthy. And when it is utterly important to say the right word or an honest statement they face constipation for words. It is for this reason people end up getting embroiled in flared arguments. Timely answer is all it matters when we want to give solution to a problem or especially end the discussion, for in it is the truth. It may not signify acceptability; it may certainly appear strange and unnerving. Again, it may solve or end the issue for us, but not for the opposition. Owing to this there may be further effects, but the fact is we will have effectually shown we are in the right and with full confidence regarding the things we said. If it did not solve the issue right away, it laid the foundation for it.

Giving an apt or timely answer does not come by birth. It requires some form of mental training. Our mind must be programmed to analyze the situation, people and context. In order to attain such a mind we need training where we focus on controlling our thoughts and emotions for the sake of someone or something. Even people with excellent I.Q’s falter regarding life and its nuances, since their I.Q’s are concentrated, i.e. wholly directed to one thing. When we speak of life and managing it, it is a whole different matter, since it involves many things as well as the unseen maneuvers. Things do not always go the way we planned and they do not always come out the way we wanted. Therefore, while there are many intelligent and knowledgeable people on this earth they cannot be all the more called the wise. Intelligence and knowledge from this world have realistic limits and at times are one-sided and misguiding. It is simply because there is a wisdom existing that shows intelligence and knowledge their limits. People who do not understand this become hard to live with.

Being intimate with the Father gives the mental training necessary to acquire wisdom and the ways to operate it. God’s wisdom has access to every situation. It is able to penetrate every matter to see the end of it. It is full of truth and awareness giving confidence and strength. What it primarily does is train us to think and act above human intelligence and knowledge. It is for these reasons there are fewer people that can actually proclaim the mind of God and fewer than seen that can actually practice the will of God. With God’s wisdom we practically become a people that live for someone or something, in this case the Father, Christ and their values. When Jesus was brought before Pilate, there were many things said about Him. But He waited for the opportune time. His purpose is to live for the Father and His will. So, He did not respond to every silly, foolish and false statement against Him. It is when “Pilate questioned Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ And He answered him, ‘It is as you say’” (Mark 15:2). It is all that mattered at that time. He analyzed the situation, people and the context. He eliminated the unnecessary noises by wisdom. Though His answer marked the beginning of other things that were to follow, He spoke poignantly. It appeared for a while that He lost the case, but He did not. When He rose from the dead all the flaring arguments of the opposition stood condemned. It is because He spoke the only words from heavenly wisdom. The Father trained Him to be perfect concerning all matters by giving Him timely wisdom.

For someone to think that Christ did it because He is God maximizes their naïveté. He faced more trails and temptations than we ever would. And He resisted them all when we may not. So, He went through great turmoil in His inner man and is the reason for His wisdom. Throughout His ministry on earth He spoke aptly, for He was first mentally trained to serve God before He spoke His kingdom. When John the Baptist saw Him, he was sure of the kind of perfection he was witnessing. He said, “…Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). It is that when sin is removed wisdom appears in us by the power of God. The removal of sin is the catalyst to intimacy with the Father. The wisdom of sinless Jesus before Pilate allowed us, who believe in Him, to begin receive the wisdom that finds limits to knowledge and intelligence. With it men find it difficult to find weaknesses in our reasoning. When this is the case, they choose a different path to suppress us. It is persecution. Others find our wisdom real and joyful and choose to accept Jesus. Nevertheless, as long as sin resides in us, there can be no chance for heavenly wisdom to prevail in us. So, what makes us the habitation for wisdom, since we, having been saved, are walking toward perfection?

  1. Completely attach to Jesus. We must come to practically believe that He is real, alive, with us in the Spirit, and is able to fully direct us and that He is not just a past glory. When John spoke the following verse, it is clear that His capability has no bounds. “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).
  2. Be expectant. Because when we attach ourselves to Jesus, it is pointless to be otherwise. To be expectant is to trust He will help, lead and strengthen us. Though the arrows of the enemy such as fear, doubt and words of men engage with us in battle, to expect that Jesus will not let us be disappointed gives outstanding result. “For the Scripture says, ‘WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED’” (Rom. 10:11).
  3. Always keep hold of the guarantee. “Knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you” (1 Thess. 1:4). Sometimes we may forget it, but it’s truer than our poor memory.
  4. Rejoice in the good news. Rejoice in what you already received so that by the degree of the issue you feel confident to receive the same in increasing amounts, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” ( 3:17).
  5. Do not code-switch. Remember that our timely answers as well as the effects of it are for God’s glory. Step aside and let God have all the glory. We ought to never change for our sake, the sake of people or situations. For “to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 1:25).
Posted in 2017, Archives, RECENT ARTICLES.