We are constantly bombarded everyday with “toxic sludge” of this world. We hear it every where we turn—at work, in the grocery store aisle, at the dentist office... it has surrounded us.
Humanism (or simply man’s reasoning) has invaded nearly every facet of our society. While everyone in the world has always their options in the past, they used to ‘agree to disagree’ to get along with their neighbor but now, it seems that the ungodly crowd and their agenda have become so dominant in our society and so bold in their opinions that are trying to force it upon others to “think like they think”... (even all this “cancel culture” and “woke” movement are just avenues for them to bully people to get their way) Unfortunately, however, it has began to ooze into the church world as well... we are seeing so many people (good people!) losing their convictions, veering away from “what sayeth the Word of God” and what was once black and white in the Bible now is being viewed as gray areas... with room for personal interpretation...
This is all due to us not allowing the Lord to fully transform our minds... some of the worldy reasoning will make sense to this old carnal flesh. We begin to look at life with the same mindset as the world. We begin to question stuff that has been already confirmed by God to be true. This is a tactic of the enemy!
Just as Satan deceived Eve in the garden, he is saying the same thing today to us... “yea, hath God said...?” in other words, “Are you sure that’s what he said?? That isn’t what he really meant...God is trying to keep something from you...”
Genesis 3:4-5 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Satan messed up Eve‘s thinking. He got her believing God didn’t know what was best for her. He got her to give into the flesh but first, he attacked her mind !!
We can’t afford to be carnal and fleshy! Carnality is the enemy of God ; it is death!!
If we are walking in the flesh, we cannot please God!!
Is there Bible for that? Yes, there definitely is:
Romans 8:5-14— [5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. [10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. [12] Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. [13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. [14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
We are instructed to walk in the Spirit! We must allow the Holy Ghost to fill our minds and to change our hearts!
Romans 8:1-4 says
[1]There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit
Romans 12:2 instructs us —
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We have got to have a “renewed mind”. We can not think or act like the world !
We are the people of God—we have been “called out” from this old world!! (1 Peter 2:9 says—But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:) 🙌🏻
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 reminds us that we have weapons that are mighty through God to fight against carnality and our fleshly nature...
[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We must allow the Holy ghost to walk ‘guard duty’ around our minds— we must allow the Lord to pull down some strongholds that the enemy has erected in the battlefield of our minds. We must allow God to filter our thoughts- (Bringing every thought into the captivity to the obedience of Christ)
yes, bad thoughts may still come but just allow the Holy Ghost to open the door. The Bible was given to us as a weapon to war with - it’s not just a book full of stories and idle tales! It is alive!!
Hebrews 4:12 says:
[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
[14] But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them ; [15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We must start allowing God to renew our minds!
When thoughts or something unlike the Lord and His ways begins to bombard our minds- we should “Philippians 4:8” them !!! Huh??
Use it as an action verb instead of a noun!!
Ask yourself:
is this true?
is this honest?
is this just? is this pure?
is this lovely? is this of good report? is this full of virtue?
is this bringing praise to God?
Just asking ourselves those few questions can drastically change our thinking if we desire to be pleasing to God!!
Philippians 4:8 —Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
As Christians, we must walk in the Spirit. We must feed the Spirit daily! We can not cater to the flesh and expect the Spirit to remain strong... we must allow God to renew us each day!! We need spiritual eyes to see! We need to allow God to change our thinking and renew our minds.
Philippians 2:5 - Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
2 Corinthians 4:16-For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day
Ephesians 4:20-24 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
1 Peter 1:13 - Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
Let’s gird up the loins of our mind and allow the Lord to refresh us and renew our minds—for our minds be like Christ Jesus! When we are following after Him and full of the Spirit, our thinking and our hearts are changed by the Power of God and we will think differently... we will act differently... we will be a witness of God’s amazing power!! We will be a light shining in darkness!!
-Tiphanie
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