Ever wonder why some people who are passionate for Jesus yet are still spiritually blind? I had an ah-ha recently while reading the Bible with my children and the LORD revealed a rhema on top of a logos.
Mark 4:11-12 KJV – And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to KNOW the MYSTERY of the KINGDOM of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should BE CONVERTED, and their sins should be forgiven them.
I’ve read that many times over the years and always equated it the same as “Repent” but the LORD gave me a check in my spirit this time and told me to look it up. The previous verse about knowing the MYSTERY of the Kingdom of God intrigued me because several prophets have mentioned we have entered into the Kingdom Era.
“Be converted” (G1994 – epistrephō) is different than repent (G3340 – metanoeō). Be Converted means to physically turn which is in the action realm. Repent means to change your thinking so in the thought realm. We must first change our thinking if we are going to change our actions, which is why Jesus’ mandate was to preach repentance (Matt 4:17).
The difference between repent and be converted is why you don’t develop spiritual sight at the understanding & discernment level until AFTER you obey in walking out the commandments.
Step 1: You REPENT (change your thinking) because you ACKNOWLEDGE the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 4:17).
Step 2: You TURN and DO God’s commandments which unlocks your spiritual sight, your spiritual hearing, and you receive spiritual (and often physical) healing. Notice it is at THIS stage the sins are forgiven. (Mk 4:12)
Step 3: Progress to KEEPING the commandments from your heart when you’re thinking and emotions are fully engaged with your will (the sum of your soul that is converted by obeying the Law – Ps 19:7), you advance to the LOVING and ABIDING stage (Jn 14:15-24).
You are to plant the seed of God’s word in your thinking and progress to aligning with His word in your actions. Ralph Waldo Emerson sums it up best. ““Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” And if I would add one more step based on the verse above – Sow a destiny, reap the Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven.
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