Last Sunday my preacher said “perception is 90 percent of reality” from the pulpit, and I was wondering what the Bible has to say about that idea? Is this like the idea I can create my own reality?
Yes, it does. In Ephesians 4:22 Paul said we’ve been taught with regard to our former way of life to put off our old self which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, and to be made new in the attitudes of our mind and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
And in Romans 12:2 he said, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind.” These verses describe changing our perception to change our reality.
Our old reality was that of a hopeless sinner who delighted in the evil things of this world. Because of that we were by nature objects of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3).
But through the power of the Holy Spirit we can change our perception of ourselves and create a new reality, one where we’re no longer slaves to the things of this world but a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) free to live in a manner that’s pleasing to Him.
A lot of what Paul wrote is devoted to describing this new reality to us. Galatians 5:22-26 and Ephesians 4:17-32 are good examples.
His didn’t write these things to show us what we need to do to get saved or stay saved. His purpose was to show us how to express our gratitude for the fact that we already are saved forever (Ephesians 1:13-14).
In Philippians 3:16 he called it “living up to what we’ve already attained.”