It’s All in Your Mind

b. Next the verse says he· was clothed. A proof that you know Christ is how ycu appear on the outside. He no longer was naked. He no longer felt him-self hampered with clothes on. Right-mindedness has something to <lo with clothing. We wHl see that later on in our chapter. He was a changed man when it came to appearance. Third~ we are told he was in his right mind. The word here is sober-mindedness or right-mindedness. H€ has the ability to think. He has the ability to control his mind. He did not have that before. Why did he run around the tombs and the mountains? Why did he cut himself? Because he couldn't think. When Christ touched -him, He not only healed him, but He gave him the ability to use his mind. He is now a right~minded individual. This is an important teaching in the Word of God. All Christians are right-minded, but many Christians are not practicing that. Now, in verse seventeen. the people of the region are asking Christ to leave. He had spoiled 2,000 pigs _and possibly bankrupted- a business. There is also, in this conduct, a feeling that they not only wanted Christ to leave, but they would also like to get rid of the man who had met Christ. When you meet Christ, those who are not of Christ will not want you around. This man became a praying individual. He prayed that he-might be with Jesus (Mark 5:18). He talked to Christ. That is proof that he had met the Savior.· However, it is not the first proof. If the-chronology of the paragraph is important, th~n prayer is the fifth trait .of meeting the Savior.. Notice, the right-minded :individual is right-minded because of Christ and he has the ability to be c-ont€nt. He is toncemed with dothing. He thinks! He is going to be a person not wanted by sinners, and he desires to talk with Christ. In verse eighteen, the right-minded person wanted to stay with Christ. In verse twenty, the right-minded person departed and began to publish the great things Christ had done for him. He became useful. A wrong-minded .person is good for nothing. A right-minded person is good for everything. "(fino.J.l.,J,,, huJ1tnn, wlwhuou t/w,.tp.. -(Ill inll, .~ I.himµ UR.~ ~ ·llt.i,up, ·'"~ ~~ I.himµ till pun, ~ I.himµ au li,oJ.y,, ,olulh1u.o.u th.in ,µ. flll ol guJ. up.NI_,· ii t1un be tlll.lJ, win£, and i/. Hull he anJ,J ~ flwtk. on llu.u. I.himµ" (Philippians 4:8}. This is eJ(actly what took place when the maniac met Christ. Isn't that magnificent7 Come back to right-mindedness. Paul seems, by the Holy Spirit, to have coined the word right-mindedness in his life and in his-writing. The following verses and passages wilt show you the chatlenge and the test of right-mindedness in the believer. In Acts 26, Paul is before Agrippa, and he has presented _a number of doctrines; the doctrine of the resurrection. the doctrine of conversion, the doctrine of missions, the doctrine of witnessing. Then., in verse twenty-four, Agrippa stops him and says, "q)md, tlw« tu/, bmde l/,y-1,,f/; nu.ult l.uunimJ- .JMJ,, mnltt littt mml." Agrippa is accusing Paul of being wrong-minded Now, if Paul was wrong-minded, he had to live in the wrong place; he- had to be unrestrained; he had to- lack self-control; he had to be against that which was 21