Scripture Text: Genesis 11:1-9
Memory Verse: And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” Genesis 11:6
Lesson Aim: To validate the power of the mind to imagine and visualize and to encourage members of the Body of Christ to utilize this tool in the context of God’s will.
Key Points - The imagination is where our creativity begins. - We all carry within us a picture of ourselves that we believe in. - Our faith is upheld by the image we have of God’s Word.
Imagination is the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses. When God created man in His image, He gave us creative power. Man was given a powerful mind and thought processes far superior to the animals. The imagination is where our creativity begins. This God-given tool is powerful and can be used to either glorify God or wreak havoc in our lives. Unfortunately, many of us are not aware and either underutilize this tool or use it mostly to our detriment.
The Hebrew term for imagination is #3336 (yetser). This word connotes a frame of mind, form, conception. You put pictures in frames. The mind functions by pictures. Most of our thoughts are unconsciously captured in pictures. That is why we are able to dream when we are asleep. The mind produces these pictures. These pictures are powerful and can often produce the same physiological effects as the real thing. The same is true when we are awake. We act and behave in the context of what we imagine to be true about ourselves and our environment. We carry within us a picture of ourselves that we believe in. This picture is developed based on life experiences and the influences of people close to and around us. We use the term self-image to describe the picture we have of ourselves in our mind.
As born again believers, we are now new creatures in Christ Jesus. Our desire should be to have the mind of Christ. However, our minds have to be renewed and how we think of ourselves and what we see inwardly needs to be subjected to that renewal process. A person can be in church their whole life and never renew this part of their thinking. Our challenge is to see things the way God sees them. That takes time and the repetition of hearing the Word, meditating on it and actively applying it to our hearts.
Too often we use our imagination to imagine evil. We can imagine someone is talking about us or doing something against us. Turn it around. I challenge you to daydream about God’s promises in His Word. Instead of imagining evil, imagine yourself doing good. Imagine yourself healthy, eating right, exercising, losing weight. When relationships go wrong, imagine yourself forgiving the offender. Picture your healthy marriage. Picture your obedient children. Picture yourself living in the promises of God. Imagine yourself keeping the commandments, living holy and growing in grace. Picture yourself wholly following the Lord.
There is a powerful link between our imagination and faith. Hebrews 11:1 lets us know that “… faith is … the evidence of things not seen.” Our faith is upheld by the image we have of God’s Word. When we lose sight of God’s Word, we lose direction, we lose hope because it is through the Word that we become conformed to the image of Christ. It is not merely peering at the words on the paper, but it is the infusing of the Word in your heart and mind (forming a picture of it) that will impact your spirit and life.
Questions and Discussion
- What did God have to say about the man’s imagination before the flood? Genesis 6:5; 8:21.
- God continued to monitor man’s thoughts after the flood. What is the significance of imagination regarding the Tower of Babel? Genesis 11:6.
- What can we learn from David’s advice to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28:9 and his prayer to the Lord in 1 Chronicles 29:18.
- God understands the power of pictures in the mind as evidenced by the fact that He often speaks to His people in dreams and in visions. What can we glean from these Scriptures? Proverbs 29:18; Joel 2:28-29; Habakkuk 2:2-3.
- What is the link between our faith and our imagination? Genesis 15:5; 22:17; Hebrews 11:1, 8-12; Mark 11:23-24.
- What does the Word say about our ability to control our imagination? 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.