Quotes to Chew On: Experiencing Truth

“Many Christians have learned that they need to “be transformed by the renewing of [their] minds” (Romans 12:2) and have been taught that this involves telling themselves the truth about who they are in Christ over and over again. This is certainly a helpful and even necessary practice. But its power will be greatly enhanced if you not only give yourself true information but also routinely practice imaginatively experiencing yourself living this truth.”

“To illustrate, instead of merely telling yourself that you are the temple of God because his Spirit lives in you (I Cor. 6:19), it will be helpful also to imagine in vivid detail what you look, sound and feel like when you perfectly manifest this truth. Run it through your mind like a virtual-reality movie in which you are the main actor. Experience yourself incarnating this truth “with all five senses.” Ask the Holy Spirit to help you accurately and vividly play out scenarios in your mind that reflect real-life situations in which you typically feel the most empty or powerless. Only now see yourself in these situations perfectly manifesting God’s truth that you are a walking, talking version of Solomon’s temple, filled with all of God’s glory! How do you respond to difficult situations differently when you manifest the truth rather than the lies you’ve internalized from the world?”

Boyd, Gregory A., Seeing Is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer, Baker Books, 2004, p. 98.