It’s All in Your Mind

I have been increasingly concerned about Christians who do not seem to have any discernment: discernment in the areas of music. reading, study, and people they follow. Christians should be careful when they say they read the Word of God and get little from it. One ofthe marks of a Christian is that he has the privilege and the mind to read God's Word and the indwe!Hng Holy Spirit to lead through that Word. Many Christians have the happy· go-lucky attitude of being saved and make light of the age of grace and say they can live like they want in the present world. So many Christians that I counsel say, as we discuss areas of their lives, "Pastor, I never thought about that."' This scares me. The Holy Spirit who indwells us always works through our minds and therefore He guides us in our thinking. The Holy Spirit is concerned with those characteristics listed as His fruit in Galatians 5:22,23. «rBul tJu /lalJ. o/. tJu J,,l,il u UW-t,, ~? ~~~ ~ /o..i1l4 m.ulm.n"7 [ufl~..." The spiritually minded believer is concerned with manifesting love; no, not erratic or erotic love, but God's love. He wants to manifest joy, not sorrow, discouragement, and disappointment. As a spiritually minded Christian, you will be concerned about peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self- control. A spiritually minded believer will be concerned with that which concerns the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:6 continues to describe the spiritually minded Christian by saying, "... la lu. l.pi. ,i1aalJ.y, m.i.nLUd. u Iiµ muL peaa." life and peace are possibly the results or manifestations of the spiritual mind. This is the opposite of the carnal mind. A spiritually minded Christian really lives. When you discern the things of the Spirit, which is first of all Christ, you really begin to live. Think of what Matthew 6:33 says, "(]Jul Jll.k. {JR, /inl tJu kbup/bm, o/. ~ and hit ~ .. ,, Are you really living? You won't be unless you put the things of the Spirit first: Christ, discernment, fruit. But Romans 8:6 goes further and says that to be spiritually minded is not only life, but also peace. This is the same thought we find in Isaiah 26:3 and John 14. In Philippians 4:6,7, we find that peace is the result of prayer. A spiritually minded believer prays and, the peace of God, which passes all unq.erstanding keeps and guards his heart and mind through Christ Jesus. When are we as Christians going to team that we can either follow the flesh and the carnal mind and live like the sinner, antagonistic toward God, and we will be miserable; or we can listen to the mind of the Spirit and have peace and relaxation? According to Romans 8:7, the carnal-minded believer has enmity or animosity toward God. The opposite is true of the spiritually minded believer. He agrees with God. He has no animosity, no enmify. If you carry that thought far enough, you will find that the spiritually minded believer gives in to God. God will always win. We may argue with Him, try to get out from under God's voice and leading) but our spiritual mind will always come to the place of agreement with what He says. What God says to do, we will do. In His grace He continues to urge us and quietly waits, but in the end, the spiritual mind will say, "Not my will, but thine be done.» Aspiritually minded believer obeys. Romans 8:8 says, "Jo. l.hm. llutJ, l1w1 tu, in I.Ju,,, /Jn,h llUtltJJI. pl,n.,, fµ,d." The spiritually minded person will please God. How will this take place? Only one verse is needed- 34 ,. ,.