After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. "There," he said, "all the air is now removed." He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by "sucking out a sin here and there," but by being filled with the Holy Spirit. -Today in the Word, September, 1991, p. 30.
People live life with one of two mind sets. One type of person’s mind is set to seek those things he/she is most interested in, constantly talking about, engaged in and boasting about. Those who walk according to the flesh yield to the dictates of the flesh. They have their desires set on the things of the world; the things this world has to offer.
Those who live according to the Spirit aspire for, or have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. To walk after the Spirit is to align or subject oneself to the Spirit. The person who walks after the Spirit cannot act independent of Him (Galatians 5:16). He/she acts in subjection to, or in accordance with, the Holy Spirit. He/she may have many failures but their basic orientation, and uppermost concerns, have to do with the things of the Spirit. The things of the Spirit are the things which the Spirit proposes and approves.
One’s mind, or the concentration of one’s life, either sides with one group or the other. It's impossible to be on both sides at once. You can't serve both God and mammon (or wealth, the world). The basic disposition, or direction of our lives, is either on God’s side; or on the side of sinful human nature. The sinful nature and the indwelling Spirit are in conflict (Galatians 5:17).
Dear reader, we are involved in a real battle for the mind as Romans 8:6 states, "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace." As Christians, we are to be self-disciplined not only in our physical appetites, but also in our thoughts.
To lose the focus of our minds is to fall prey to the devil. Satan wants to control your mind, to have mind-control over you; so he can brain-wash you to see life his way. He will use your thinking as his weapon to control you, defeat you (spiritually), and eventually devour you. If you don’t learn to control/master your thoughts, Satan will win the inner war. You must win the battle for your mind!
The mind is so much a part of everything we do and it is difficult to discipline it. How often we fail in disciplining that vital part of life! Our thoughts begin to drift from the God-centered life into worldly and forbidden areas, and we let them go. We become anxious, lustful, hateful. We think proudly. We give in to self-pity.
It’s the same in the battle with Satan. When you let the him control the way you think, you will live in fear, anger, depression … and some even live with thoughts of suicide. You are what you think. Proverbs 23:7 says – "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Your thought-life affects everything about you … how you act … how you feel … how you live. If you think negative thoughts … you will act in a negative way.
Each of us needs to surrender our mind to God, or Satan will influence us more and more. Then he will control more and more of our thinking, then more and more of our life! Therefore, if a person persists in being worldly, he is on the side of the world, and unfortunately must pay the price.
On the other hand, if the things concerning God and His kingdom are his chief concern, he can expect life. In other words, sweet communion with God! This includes: the light of God in the mind, God’s love poured out in the heart, and joy unspeakable and full of glory! He can also expect peace, which implies contentment, a sense of security, and an inner calm.
Those that set their mind on the Spirit have the inner assurance that past sins are forgiven. And, that present events, no matter how painful, are being overruled for good. On top of that, nothing that might occur in the future will be able to separate him from the love of God in Christ. Such peace means basic freedom from fear, anxiety and restlessness!
The greatest blessings of Christ are granted to those who walk after the Spirit. The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace and this becomes our experience as we learn to walk in the Spirit. Isaiah 26:3 says, You will keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.
According to the Bible, every person is either under the control of the Spirit, or under control of the "old nature." They are either on a road of peace, or on a road that leads to death. Walking in the Spirit, is living with Him as the director of our lives.
Scripture: John 14:26; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:26; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 6:19; John 14:15-17; Luke 11:13
Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for today. Please be grant me the wisdom to help those who are in need. Give me the wisdom so I may help guide them in their journey. Amen
Have a blessed day!
Stacey
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