It’s All in Your Mind

Verse twelve says. "t1li,.a,. tD4!- lttuu ~ m,.i /Ju. JfJ].,11 "I Ou tDNl.d. .." No we have this spirit by birth. What can we know about "tlu JJl}.m t,/ 1/u UJNltl?" Three important characteristics. First it is the "l.fl ,i,il o/. u,mc" (1 John 4:6). Second it is a "J,flUil tluJ1 ftul.t II,. e#tJUJ," (James l\-:5). And third it is the "... ,puit tJud tDMlttJJt ut flu. eld/.d,m_ o/- ~,, (Ephesians 2:2). Although we, as believers, have by nature the spirit of man, we have received "IJ,.edpim wltiJt u o/,-lp,d." The Holy Spirit is directly opposite to the spirit of man. He is the Spirit of truth and love and obedience. How do I know when the Holy Spirit is directing my mind and thoughts? First, He always confirms truth. Second, He will not cause me to sin. And third, I will be obedient to Christ. The moment a believer listens to his human nature he will fall from the position and practice of his spiritual nature. I personally believe that this is why many believers are easily led to cults, isms, and other unbiblical fellowships. A good criteria for the Lord's leading and will is to check whether the decision or action contradicts any of God's revealed truths. Does it cause me to be disobedient to any of His commands or promises? Will it cause me to be a jealous, envious person? Any yes answer would disqualify it as being the Lord•s leading. Our minds need to be stopped and e><amined for our minds control our conduct. Until the Holy Spirit renews our minds to the place of automatic yielding to Him, we will have to stop, think, and examine. And nobody likes to think. We have not received the spirit of the world to envy and error and disobedie·nce, but we have received the Spirit of God. Why does God give the believer the Holy Spirit? Verse twelve says, ". .. llud ID"- milpd kn.om tlu. tJwuµ IJw1 llll /udiJ, (Jiom. to. UL t,/ ffed," That may be the prepared Heaven of John ll\-, but I rather believe that it includes a great deal more knowledge of what our salvation really encompasses. Paul is leading to the mind of Christ. In writing to the Philippians he says in chapter three verse five, ".l!d, lira mind hE m. tpm, UJlthh uua alw. in fdluul (feuu." This is the study of the next chapter. Look at verse thirteen. "70hidi tJwuµ a/.uJ. tJJ.L .1/Jlll.R,, ltlJ.l l.n flu. fDM.lU. wlueh man~.,_ wiuuun ~ Ind wluJt du 7&,l_y, .(}Ju,.d wuluflt; e/J-lffflOIUUJ J.pi ,JJ.aal tl,ing,J. tJJiJJ,_ ~" You do not need to compare the Bible and the world. You compare spiritual things with spiritual. "(]Jul llu IW1.lu.ld man" refers to the sensual man. James 3:14 says, "... fl£ It.mu biJJu. t.lWg.inlJ lllU/. u,J/1. in ·IJOUI- ltl.lUlt. .." This describes the Corinthians. This is the spirit of the world. Continuing in James we read, "fjJNIJ, m,.t, o.nd . lk ,wi_ lUJilll'-H du l.ndJ,,. g/w._ tnh.dom duttn.ddh Ml /,Mn ~ 6u1. u ~ llfU1l,(l/.,, dn,.i,/,uh." The believer needs to get above earthly knowledge, and he will do so by the Holy Spirit Who indwells him. The natural man is blind to the things of God. He will never understand God. "gtu,_ ,udund man RHi.odh no/, tJu lhi.nt, µ o/- tlu Jplm oJ. IJ,nd" (1 Corinthians 2:14). Who can receive them? The believer inJesus Christ. The natural man counts the things of God as foolishness. He cannot appreciate the things of the Spirit of God. He cannot appreciate love, joy, peace, longsuffering. gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. He cannot appreciate teaching, and the truth. and the things to come. 51