Louie Giglio - The Power of a Transformed Mind
This message is called «The Power of a Transformed Mind.» Your mind is the most important thing about you. Your life is built by a series of things that you do and decisions that you make. However, the things that we do and the decisions we make are informed by the way we think. Therefore, the most important thing about you is what you think—what you think about yourself, what you think is possible, what you think about God, and what you think He has for your life. The power of a transformed mind.
The way Paul wrote it in Romans 12, verse 2, presents us with this challenge: «Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.» Remember, this isn’t something that you do just once in life or in one season of life; it is a process. It is a daily opportunity for you and me to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
What Paul is setting up for us is a situation where we are either going to be conformed to the pattern of this world, shaped into the mold of how this world functions, or we are going to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and become the person that God intends for us to be. Interestingly, in this text, there is no middle ground—there is no neutral in life. Many of us live as though there is—"It wasn’t a really great day; it wasn’t a terrible day; I’m not really living like hell, but maybe I’m not living fully for God either.» It’s kind of like being in coast mode. But there is no coast mode; there is no neutral in life.
C.S. Lewis said it this way: «There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.» In other words, every thought, every moment, every opportunity, every step, and every place is contested space. In that space, you and I will either gravitate toward the way the world thinks, or we will renew our minds to align with God’s thoughts. We will be conformed to the pattern of this world, thinking and acting like it, or we will be renewed with the mind of Christ and conduct ourselves as He would. This is our opportunity.
What’s powerful about it is that no one can stop you—no circumstance, no past, no failure, no one’s opinion—nobody can prevent you from renewing your mind. So today’s message emphasizes that there is no «but.» There is no moment where we say, «Well, I would do that, but…» No, you have the power through Christ to change the way you think. When you change the way you think, trust me, it will change the way you live. You can do that through the power of Christ today, and nobody—no economy, no meltdown, no voice from the past, and no one else’s opinion—can stop you.
Today, you have the opportunity to change your life and embark on the path toward having a transformed mind. The word «transformed» in Greek is «metamorphosis,» a term we know well; it paints the picture of a butterfly. Today, you can change your life. God is inviting you to transform yourself by renewing your mind. You can come from wherever you are and fly in beauty. You can emerge from whatever struggles and processes and change, if you will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, into something beautiful and amazing. You have the power to live a different kind of life.
The term «metamorphosis» is made up of two components: «meta,» a word we’re hearing a lot now, which means change after being with, and «morpho,» which means changing form and keeping with inner reality. What does all of this mean? Simply this: if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are a new creation. That is the first renewing of the mind—you are not the old you. You are not just flesh and blood; you are not simply a product of your environment; you are not just a chip off the old block. You are born again, saved, brought from death to life by Jesus Christ. You are a brand new creation in Him, and therefore, you have a new destiny, a new identity, new possibilities, and new power. You have a new plan; you are in God’s will, and you will live your life in such a way, as Paul said, to show the will of God for your life—a good and perfect plan that God has for you.
If you are saved today, something has happened to you. Paul gets to chapter 12, but he has unpacked some amazing truths along the way. He said, «For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by the gift of His grace in Christ Jesus.» He said, «The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.» He wrote, «There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.» He said, «Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.» He said, «God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.»
He has been dropping truth bombs for eleven chapters, and then he gets to this chapter and asks, «Do you understand that you have been invited into this story? Do you understand that God has invited you into the story of salvation? When you said yes by faith in Jesus Christ, you entered a new relationship with God. You became a brand new creature; therefore, renew your mind to who you are and what God has done.» God’s will is that you have been changed through faith in Christ into a new creature, united with Jesus, filled with the Spirit, purposed on earth, and destined for heaven. That is who you are. By God’s will, you have become a new creature through faith in Christ. You are united with Jesus, filled with the Spirit, purposed on earth, and destined for heaven. Renew your mind to who you are and where you are headed in life.
So what does a transformed mind look like? Here are a few things to help us calibrate and gravitate in God’s direction today.
Number one: the transformed mind is grateful. The pattern of this world is entitlement; that’s why everybody is so impatient. We are never happy with what we have; we’re always looking at what somebody else has. We can’t take time to stop and say, «Thank you so much; I appreciate this; I am so grateful.» You might ask, «Grateful for what?» Grateful that I am woven into the story of God’s grace. Grateful that I’m not under wrath but somehow included in mercy. That is the way Paul starts this chapter. He says, «Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship.» Some translations say, «This is the most reasonable thing you can do.»
In other words, we are living now with a renewed mind that says, «I didn’t deserve it, but I got it. I didn’t earn it, but I received it. I could never merit it, but God was gracious enough to place a brand new story into me; therefore, I will be marked by gratitude.» The transformed mind is grateful; it walks around looking for ways to say thank you. It moves through life looking for ways to express appreciation. It wakes up each morning and says, «I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet, but thank you, God, that I’m alive and part of a story filled with possibilities. Thank you that, by Your will and my faith in Christ, I am united with You, filled with the Spirit, and I have purpose on earth today—ultimately destined for heaven. I am grateful, God; I am grateful.»
Therefore, I will move in gratitude. I will not traverse life in entitlement; I will live in gratitude. Paul understood this. He saw it even in the doxology that sets up chapter 12. He ends this text reflecting on how God, in His sovereign plan, somehow invites all of us through faith in Christ into a brand new story. He pauses and praises God all by himself. Imagine writing this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He is writing a letter to the Romans and suddenly overwhelmed, he exclaims, «Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To God be the glory forever!»
Imagine Paul writing this surrounded by a band of brothers. There’s no sermon, no message, no amplification—it is simply the Holy Spirit inspiring words on a page through Paul’s pen. And he is like, «Whoa! Are you kidding me? To God be the glory forever! Amen!» I came from Him; I move and breathe through Him; my destiny is in Him. To God be the glory forever! In view of His mercy, I want to live a grateful life.
And that gratitude spills over. You see people living in that gratitude, and it reflects the King.
Secondly, the transformed mind is secure. If we ever needed more security, now is the time. I’m not talking about physical protection; I’m referring to a heart that knows who it is. I’m talking about navigating social media, understanding who we are—not conforming to the world’s pattern as we wait for the crowd to tell us who we are—but understanding that the cross has already spoken. The cross tells us who we are.
Paul kept God’s mercy in view. It’s not just a Good Friday thing; it’s an everyday reality. He understands what God did for him and what he wants to offer back to God. He knows the price that was paid and, informed by the cross, he declares: «Hello! I am loved, I am chosen, I am forgiven, I am holy, I am included, and I am secure.»
The transformed mind is secure. You are a son of God; you are a daughter of God. Therefore, you navigate life under the power of these seven words: «I am who He says I am.» The world is all about the flesh, and that flesh has got to be fed. We all understand that appetite. It’s the appetite that Paul discussed a few chapters back in chapter 8 when he said in verse 5, «Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds"—there’s our word—"set on what that nature desires. But those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.»
The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. The sinful mind is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. The conformed mind has become a fleshly mind, and that fleshly mind is asking this temporary world to fill its needs. That is what the world is all about—it’s searching for satisfaction from the world’s offerings and others in it to tell us who we are. The renewed mind says, «In light of God’s mercy, I already know who I am: I am chosen, I am loved, I am forgiven, I am made holy, I am included with God, and I am secure in Him.»
I have dropped my anchor in the cross of Christ, and nothing can change who I am. He goes on to say, «You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit.» Does the Spirit of God live in you? That’s the question today. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if the Spirit is indeed in you, that changes everything.
Next, the transformed mind loves others; I put it another way: the transformed mind is others-focused. The conformed mind—the world’s mind, driven by the needs and desires of the flesh—uses others to get what it wants. But the transformed mind sees others as God sees them and loves them as God loves them. Paul puts this into action a few verses down in verse 9: «Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord; be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need; practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another; do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.»
In other words, do not inflate yourself. Don’t shove yourself into view; think about other people and how you can serve them. He concludes in verse 21: «Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.» Love and move to bless people. The transformed mind searches for opportunities to bless others. It doesn’t approach the day thinking, «I hope I get blessed today.» Instead, it moves forward saying, «I am so blessed today that I have a lot of blessings; I’m looking for someone who needs a little blessing.»
When I have interacted with God today and renewed my mind to the truth, I feel so right with myself and God that I can reach out to others and speak life, truth, and encouragement into their lives. I move through the day declaring, «I have enough and I am enough.»
By the way, it is the renewing of our mind to the person of Christ through the power of the Spirit that enables us to do this. A few months back, when COVID was winding down, I was invited to speak at an event in Texas. It was the first time I’d been on a plane to speak somewhere in quite a while. It was a leadership event with mostly an online audience. A few people were in the building, and all of us speakers attended, one of whom was John Maxwell. If you’re not familiar, he’s a renowned leadership author—check the airport bookstore next time you’re there, and you’ll see his numerous titles.
As a bit older than me and speaking after my session, I had only a five-minute overlap with him in the hallway. I’m not usually the type of person to approach someone before they speak, but for some reason, I decided to take a shot. I walked up to him and said, «Hi, Mr. Maxwell, I’m Louie Giglio, and it’s such an honor to meet you. You’ve had a huge impact on my life.» He responded, «Oh, great to meet you!» Then I thought, «I might as well go for it,» so I asked him a question I’d never asked anyone before: «What is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning?»
He replied without hesitation, «Well, Louie, I wake up really early, get a cup of coffee, go down to my study, and open the Word of God. When I finish reading each day, I ask this question: What can I do today to bring value to someone else’s life?»
I cannot tell you how many days since that encounter that question has echoed in my mind: «What can I do today, not to extract value from others, but rather to add value to someone else’s life?» It shifts the focus from «It’s all about me today» to «I want to be available to others as You are available to me.»
If you want to see a change in your attitude, outlook, and everything else about you, just lean into the idea of being a blessing to others. You might wonder, «How do I bless people?» Just by speaking something kind over them, encouraging them, and finding ways to help. It’s as simple as being open to God’s guidance.
Number four: the transformed mind is alert. The conformed mind may appear awake, bustling with activity, but the conformity to this world puts many to sleep. A lot of us have dozed off, but Paul is telling us to be alert. The transformed mind knows what time it is. A few verses down in chapter 13, verse 11, he writes, «And do this, understanding the present time.»
Can you say that with me? «The present time.» Do you know what time it is? You will not know if you are simply shaped by this world, driven by appetites to gain from it. However, if you are renewing your mind in Christ, being controlled by the Spirit of God, you will be alert to God’s timing in your life. You’ll be present in moments and able to function in God’s will because your mind is renewed. You won’t be a leaf floating down the river; you’ll be a boulder thrown into a lake, creating ripples.
He continues: «The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because your salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.» How cool is that? You are a day closer to heaven than you were yesterday. You are a year closer than when you put your faith in Jesus, and heaven is getting closer every time you inhale and exhale. He says, «You have to wake up to that reality, come out of your slumber, and be awake.»
Finally, the transformed mind is confident. The transformed mind has a mindset of victory. I love how Paul concludes this book in chapter 16. While greeting many people in the final verses, he inserts a powerful thought: «The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.» Don’t you love that? I mean, it can be crazy out there, but Paul is saying, «I need you to live awake, alert, and aware of who you are. I need you to walk in your identity, remain others-focused, and live a grateful life of worship and surrender.»
Even amidst the chaos in Rome, he assures them, «The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.» Yes, He is a gentle-hearted God, but do not mistake His nature for passivity. Remember, if you are in Christ, Christ wins. His Word prevails; His character will not tarnish; His throne is established forever, and you are part of that amazing story.
Yet, even if life seems upside down now, and everything appears chaotic, trust that you can maintain confidence in the midst of it all. The God of peace is going to soon crush Satan beneath your feet. You may say, «That sounds great, but my life feels like a mess right now.»
Let me share an insight I had regarding the thief crucified beside Jesus—the one who was invited into paradise in his final breath. He had lived a life of rebellion, facing execution, only to end up next to the Savior of the world. Imagine the chaos of that moment as he realized who Jesus truly was.
In this moment of desperation on the cross, he seized the opportunity and asked Jesus to remember him. You see, the renewed mind remains confident even in times of chaos and can trust the ultimate outcome will unfold as God has promised.
Ask yourself: Are you confident today? Are you navigating life apprehensively, skeptical of how everything will turn out? Or can you proclaim, «I am confident today; I know how it will turn out»? The God of peace is going to soon crush Satan beneath my feet—that’s how it all will end.
Sometimes life feels overwhelming, just like a talk I’ve given countless times about the cosmos and its vastness, only to remind the audience about the Creator. I vividly recall an event on a different continent where I was sharing this message. The room was dimmed to showcase visuals on the screen, making it hard to see the audience. Suddenly, a voice from the back interrupted, asking, «What about Jesus?»
I could have stopped and addressed him, but instead, I kept my focus. I knew what was coming next: in just a few minutes, the audience would see Jesus depicted on a massive screen, as I presented the Gospel. I was confident in the unfolding of the message.
What about Jesus? He is coming. Similarly, we can be assured that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet.
So, whatever your situation looks like now, keep reminding yourself that if you are in Christ and Christ is in you, then the end of your story is victory in Him. The power of a transformed mind is not just in positive thinking; it’s the power of Spirit-informed truth in Christ. You can start a path to a new life right now and witness the metamorphosis happen as God’s Spirit changes you from the inside out.