This is what I stand upon. I am not commanding God to heal. And I do not blame myself or God if my healing does not come when, where,  or how I want. My prayer is to align my mind, my will, my spirit with God to such a degree that I, like Paul, can pray to the Father three times in  full faith and confidence, and be at peace when He answers and says to me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” II Corinthians 12:9,10

Or like Job, who said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.   He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite (or profane, godless person)  shall not come before him.” Job 13:15,16

My goal, through prayer, is to strengthen up the inner man. Ephesians 3:16 says this: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Who or what is is This inner man? If you are born again, your spirit is reborn. It is new. It is our minds which we have to work upon.  Paul says this, in Romans 12:2;

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The word translated “renewing” is anakainosis ( an ak ah’ ee noh sis) strongs number 342 and it means: renovation, complete change for the better. The mind must be renovated to come into harmony with our recreated spirits. II Corinthians 5:17,

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:23, 24 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Now think about the process of renovation. If  I were to renovate a home in the natural , I might follow the steps:

Designing  and Planning . Have an idea of what want to have done. What will my new home look like?

• Begin examining and renovating the Roof, Foundation, Siding, Windows to make certain the house won’t collapse on me
• I  may have to do some  demolition work.
• I may need to  perform some structural  work such as Moving  or constructing new walls, enlarging window openings, Adding beams to support a greater weight, adding or removing doors.
• Redesigning Heating, AC, Electrical, and Plumbing systems
• Install new insulation and  Drywall
• Installing the new flooring
• Install replacement windows.
• I will need to do non-structural  carpentry work such installing baseboards, molding, trim around windows and doors
• I’ll need to do Interior Painting, Wallpapering
• And finally do the Siding and Gutters

Contrast this process to the process of  building a new home.  I would need at a minimum the following:

• Hire an architect who produces my blueprints,
• hire an engineer to assure that the plans are sound and complete
• buy A plot to build upon
• get A building permit
• Get Cost estimates, financing options
• hire  A surveyor, a building contractor.
• Lay the foundation
• hire a master carpenter
• hire Framers and builders, and other finishers

As we strive to renovate our minds, know that we have at our side the Lord Jesus Christ  who was  not only a  Carpenter and a carpenter’s son in the flesh, but He is also the creator of all that is in heaven, on the earth, the visible, and the invisible.   Jesus is our teacher, our example, our foundation, and our pattern.  He is the author/designer/architect/engineer and the finisher of our faith. He is the one who assures that the whole building process is complete and perfect. And we have the Holy Spirit who guides us, comforts us, assures us, and strengthens us during  every step of the way,  through the word, rhema revelation, and the still, small, voice within.

And as our mind comes into resonance, into harmony with our recreated spirits, our bodies will follow along. The physical toll of worry and stress is attenuated. We are reasserting dominion over our appetites for foods and drugs which harm us. And we strive as God gives us knowledge and strength to become fit temples for the Holy Spirit. When er renew our minds, after the new man, our body follows suit.

Now, we respond to what Jesus said here in many ways.:

• We might say: I can’t just stand there and let someone attack me and not fight back. My survival instincts  will take over. It is foolish not to try to defend yourself.We could think, I have to protect the things I worked for. No one can just come up and take what belongs to me without a fight.
• Or we could say, and some commentators say that Jesus was speaking to a 1st century Jewish audience. He gave them the wise way to handle the abusive tactics of the Roman soldiers. He was teaching how to live in a godly, dignified way in the face of an oppressive state.
• I might even say, I don’t understand what Jesus is saying. But I know this. No one is going to disrespect me. I can’t be a push over. I can’t be used and abused. I can’t be a doormat, a pushover, a punk, a weakling, a wuss. Lay a hand on me and draw back a nub
• What is your reaction?

The issue Jesus raises here is in keeping  with the general message of the Sermon on the Mount. In the Kingdom of God there is a new paradigm of living. A new way of relating to others and to God. A radical change which is in opposition to the old way of life.

The old way of life which was dominated by the flesh– not the physical body, by flesh I mean the sinful nature, as the old-time black preachers used to say, the flush. In Hebrew, it is the  Yetzer ha-Ra. (evil inclination). The problem is that the flush does not want to relinquish control. The concept of life of the spirit the words, of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is foolishness to him.

But, what if Jesus meant what he said -literally? What if a child of God in the Kingdom of God is expected to turn the other cheek. To allow others to hurt us, cheat us and steal from us?

Let’s return to the Sermon on the mount where  Jesus says, “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:” The Greek word translated resist here can also mean stand against, withstand, oppose. (antihistemi). Example. We are told to Resist the Devil and he will flee. (James 4:7). It goes without saying -but I will say it anyway less I be misunderstood – obviously we are to resist Satan and his imps. But for as humanity  is concerned – and especially our brothers and sisters – there is another way.

Here is an example of the new way of thinking we should have. 1 Corinthians 6:7 Paul is talking about Christians suing Christians who wrong them. Paul says,

Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

Now in this,  Jesus  is our prime example. Here is what Apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 2:19-23.

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even here unto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:  1 Peter 2:19-23.

Paul says this in Romans 12:17-19
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

God does not want us to be punching bags: but we must. have faith in God. We must trust God.  There was an incident in Luke chapter 4: around the 18th verse. Jesus had given perhaps his inaugural message in his home church,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord

Jesus sensed their doubt and unbelief and he prophesied against them. The people became so angry they grabbed him, took him out of the city and  started to throw him off a cliff. Now Jesus didn’t say. “I will suffer thee to toss me off yon cliff. Yea though you toss me of yon cliff anon and breaketh my body, yet wilst I rise again. No it says in verse 30 that Jesus passed through their midst and went His way to the next town. It was not his time. God provided a way of escape for Jesus. And He will for us as well

1 Corinthians 10:13
13 There hath no temptation (testing, trial) taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.