It’s All in Your Mind

.. do it, then either it must be possible or God wrote a lie. Peter's word mind is somewhat different. It is not the same word that Paul used so often. The word here means the intelfect. It would seem to say that in the age of grace, the believer is going to have to discipline his intellect. He is to bind his faculty for thinking. This is the word to understand. It is also the word for thou9ht Do you realize, believer, that there are times when you have to keep your mind from thinking? There are times when you must discipline, girdle your mind, or it is going to run rampant against God's Word. All the illustrations or definitions of the mind are important to this command. Ifyou have a girded mind, you wiH have a mind that is sincere, earnest, and prepared. You have to decide to brace your mind for that which is to come. A girded mind is a prepared mind. Why do people wear girdles? Well, for appearance sake, but many are worn for support. The girdle supports the back. This causes a good physical feeling. When your mind is girdled, you will be ready for service. The Christian who becomes disoriented when an emergency comes is a Christian whose mind is at loose ends. A believer with a girdled mind is concentrating on all his faculties and can stay in control of all these faculties. Why does a Christian give in to his appetites? Because he does not have a girdled mind. All of his faculties are not bound and therefore he cannot do what he is supposed to do. One of the major problems a believer has is that he has not seen that the Holy Spirit can control his mind. Such control would cause him to live the way God wants him to live. Why does a believer give in so easily to that which is placed before him, whether food, or pleasure, or evil? Because he does not have a girdled mind, a disciplined mind, or a prepared mind. Have you ever thought about binding or tightening the belt of your mind? Along with the girding of your mind, Peter commands a second thought. "<JJL MJhu.." We often think that the word for sober means to do no drinkin9. Certainly the Christian with a girded mind will not drink. But that is not the lesson. This word sober means to make sure of where you are walkin9. The word means to be clear-headed. Christians with girdled minds will walk with their eyes open. They do not go around half- asleep. Paul wrote, "guuJwu.,_ UL IJud, dllUJLnl,J lUtl}Ml1inuL tutd ~ buu, WL JwuJ.d ~ ~---" (Titus 2:12). A dear thinking, right-footed, awake believer will, through his spiritual mind, have control of himself. Peter knew this by experience because he was the one who said,"~ ;J. uulL ntd dnUj. tpJU" (Mark 14:31). And then he did. Part of this command includes a third exhortation: "~ fD. tlu aul.. ,, But the phrase does not really stop there, for It says, "Jto,u.. l.o- tJu end I"'- tlu rpatt. llw1 u ID- lu. ~ UldtJ. (JOIL. •• ,, You do not have it all now. When will you? ".. .didu~ o/. (fam.L ~" This phrase goes completely in a circle. Peter writes, "Because ofthe unique salvation you have, tighten the belt of your mind, be clear-headed, and trust you'll receive grace at the revelation of Jesus Christ." John wrote, "&uq_. man I.Jud h«1h llt.u Jto,u. in. him, ,uui/hlh Jw.uJ./, W-tJt tu lu. i.t p.JJ.ll ,, (l John 3:3). So, the expectation of Christ's return causes the believer to live the life that is pleasing to Christ. The only doctrine in the Bible that will keep you living the Christian life is the fact that Christ may return today. This will cause you to gird your mind and to be dear-headed, and to look for His coming. The circle always continues. 65