The mind trained by Faith, the ascended life (James 3:13-18)

Listening to The Mind Trained by Faith - Bill Johnson

The mind is worth renewing (Romans 12:1-3), the un-renewed mind is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7). Your mind is independent, your free will/choice is protected so that God can illustrate bringing heaven to earth (Matthew 6:10). To hear what the Father is saying, do what you see him doing, as Jesus did (John 3:11-13; 5:19; 8:18, 26-29) and said we will do (John 14:12-14). The yielded imagination, becomes the sanctified imagination. A sanctified imagination is positioned for visions and dreams (Joel 2:28), postured to hear from God (Psalms 27:8). The renewed mind is the target of the Lord, every day of our lives (Romans 12-15). We can see clearly, God before us like a pillar of fire (God precedes all who follow his way). Faith comes from the heart (Romans 10:10), not the mind. But the renewed mind creates a context for faith, like the banks of a river create a context for the river flowing (Proverbs 21:1). The centurion understood the ways of God and Jesus called it faith (Matthew 8:5-13). Faith will demonstrate itself in kingdom understanding. Faith comes from surrender not striving. Faith is the product of yielding to the Spirit of God, the Word of God and the experiences he lead us into, to think and see differently. Be faith we understand (Heb 11:3). 

• The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind [of/set to/governed by] the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8
• In view of God's mercy, give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
• Jesus was radiant when he was transfigured before them (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2–3, Luke 9:28–36), his clothes like lightening. 
• ...Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Enemies of the renewed mind, disengage us from God, disguised as virtuous ideas but they don't result in peace and righteousness. 

James 3:13-18 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic (bait of Satan is offense). For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness

Jesus’s heavenly authority: John 3:11-13; 5:19; 8:18, 26-29

• Jesus came from heaven, tells us, he sees what the Father is doing, "Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.", Jesus is one witness, his Father who sent him is the other. 
• So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.”

Joel 2:28 fulfilled 

• Luke 1:67 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
• John 7:39 He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
• Acts 2:17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
• Hebrews 1:1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets.
• Numbers 11:17  And I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put that Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.

Jesus transfigured with Moses, Elijah witnessed by Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2–3, Luke 9:28–36)

The renewed mind is brilliant, seeing God and able to prove the will of God: Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. We prove the will of God, heaven on earth. We see God's purposes, the greater reality (eternal), and impact the temporal (here and now). 

Illustration, a painting is found and it's signed "Van Gogh" - so you take it an expert to see if it's really from him, he's studied the life of artist, subject mater, style, brush strokes, medium/oils, colors, every bit of his personality in his painting. Carbon test on the canvas, after weeks - it's determined this is an authentic Van Gogh. A piece of art that may have been worth 100 dollars in now worth 100 million. The point is after thorough examination, it's proved (Romans 12:1-3 "Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.").