Mike Parsons
Acquainted with perfection
Become acquainted with perfection. To accommodate yourself to the delight and good pleasure of him will transform your thoughts afresh from within (Romans 12:2 Mirror Bible).
“Become acquainted with perfection…”
That can be challenging for many, as they struggle to see themselves as perfect. This is often because they view themselves through the lens of their present circumstances rather than seeing themselves as God sees them—as who He created them to be.
When we accommodate ourselves to his delight and good pleasure, it transforms our thoughts from within. By agreeing with who he made us to be and with who he is, our thinking is renewed. This transformation is not by an external but an internal process, where we embrace the life of God in us.
The word for transformation—also translated as transfiguration or metamorphosis—comes from the Greek word metamorphoō. It combines meta, meaning “change after being with,” and morphoō, meaning “changing form in alignment with inner reality.” True transformation happens after being with Him, as we are changed to reflect our authentic selves.
It’s important to realise that we don’t need to change ourselves through our own efforts. Instead, it’s intimacy with him that brings about change. This change flows from our inner reality—who we are, our true nature, our scroll, and our authentic real self. This is what will bring about the external transformation: realising that inner scroll of who we were made to be.
Jesus demonstrated this transformation in the Transfiguration.
And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:2-3).
This wasn’t about his physical garments; it was a revelation of his true nature as a spiritual light being. There aren’t any particularly high mountains in or around Jerusalem, so this could signify the heavenly Mount Zion that Jesus was introducing them to. Jesus was showing them who he really was. The word transfigured here is the same as transformed—metamorphoō. He gave them a glimpse of his true glorious identity, his true majesty in light. Seeing Jesus as he truly is also helps us see ourselves as we truly are—as sons of God. If we are willing to embrace this metamorphosis from lies to truth, we’ll understand that we’re not meant to remain earthbound caterpillars. We’re meant to be like butterflies—able to soar in the heavens and live in both realms (a butterfly can both land and fly). We are destined to live in a totally different dynamic, a spiritual dynamic that goes with the physical. Jesus demonstrated this reality to show us what is possible.
After being with God in an intimate, face-to-face relationship, we are transformed. And it is face to face: we are not going there hiding, walking backwards or afraid to face him. [Now, I was afraid to face him, and literally I couldn’t face him until I had gone through my Dark Cloud experience; but I did engage him in a relationship that brought about transformation.]
This relationship brings about inner change, aligning us with our true origin and who we are at our core. The third strand of our DNA reflects this inner reality, and when it comes into alignment, we are transformed through encounters with God.
This video blog is an excerpt from Mike's current teaching series, Restoring First Love. Get the full length videos every month, only at eg.freedomarc.org/first-love
Agreeing with God’s mind
Agreeing with God’s mind (metanoia) brings transformation through the renewing of our minds. This renewal allows us to know our true origin, aligning us with it. We are made in the image and likeness of God, which means we are designed and created to be Godlike—that is our true identity. Renewing our minds is key to transformation so that how we think about ourselves aligns with how God thinks about us.
The Greek word for renewing is anakinosis. Ana means “up” or “completing a process,” and it intensifies kainos, which means “make fresh and new.” Properly understood, this renewal refers to a new development—a transformation achieved by God’s power, not by our own efforts. It is not by self-help, self-improvement, or a makeover. Instead, it is allowing him to transform us through encounters that renew our minds.
But we all, with unveiled faces, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).
This means we don’t need to approach God with a covering—whether that covering is self-righteousness, offerings, or sacrifices. We come with unveiled faces, without fear, doubt, or unbelief. We can go and engage God as he is. When we look at the essence and character of God, we are being transformed into the image of what we are looking at. We look into the mirror of his face and look into his glory, so that we can see our glory reflected back. Through this, we are transformed from glory to glory and embrace who we really are.
This process happens gradually because if God showed us the full truth of who we are all at once, we wouldn’t be able to handle it. It would overwhelm us. So, he reveals it bit by bit, glory to glory.
To experience this transformation, we need face-to-face encounters with God. When we look into the mirror of his face, we see our reflection in his love. During these encounters, relax—don’t get tense or try to make something happen. Just allow God to do whatever he wants to do. Whether you feel it or not, God loves you and wants you to know that love. He wants you to know it in relation to who you truly are.
Face to Face with God (Activation)
I’d encourage you to begin now to relax as we enter into a short activation. Close your eyes and slow down your breathing. Start to focus on your breathing. Let it slow down. Begin thinking about God as love. Focus your thoughts on him loving you, wanting to show you his love.
Start breathing deeply. As you breathe in, know that you are breathing in the unconditional love of the Father. Breathe in, and breathe out slowly and deliberately. Consciously engage with what you are breathing—you are breathing in his essence, his love.
As you breathe in this unconditional love of God, feel it flowing through you, touching your innermost being. It moves in and around you, creating an atmosphere of rest. Rest in his love. Rest in his work. Rest in what he has done and in who he made you to be.
You are in a safe place—this is a safe place. In that safety, you have the choice to step out of the boat, to abandon yourself, sinking into the vast ocean of his unconditional love. He is there. Sink deeper, and deeper, and deeper.
As you sink deeper into his love, the Father longs to meet you. He wants to embrace you. Fix your thoughts on the Father’s embrace, on meeting him face to face, even in the depths of his love. The Father will draw near to you. You may sense it, feel it, or see it. He wants to hold you, to breathe his life into you so you can receive his living words, his living breath. He desires to be face to face with you in the intimacy of this wonderful relationship. You are safe in the Father’s arms of love. Secure. No fear. Perfect love casts out all fear.
As you are embraced within the depths of his love, listen. The Father may communicate his thoughts to you—those wonderful thoughts he has for you, his original desire for you. Allow yourself to be entwined with him, with the Father, in love.
Sons of Issachar 