" For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." (Rom 7:19)
In our last study, we saw how we need to renew our minds. We, also, saw that we need to arrest the thoughts that are not pleasing to God and to put them under our feet. Brethren, letting this mind be in you which is the mind of Christ takes work. Our salvation is work! I am, not, saying that you have to work your way to get saved. That is, already, done through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith and that is the gift of God. When you confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were saved. (Eph 2:8-9, Rom 10:9-10)
Having established this, We need to work our salvation through
soul and body. Yes, the Spirit Man was saved the moment you received Christ, but the soul (mind, will and emotions) as well as the body needs to get saved. This misunderstanding has given way to legalistic doctrines of works and not faith. The word says that we are seated in heavenly places---That is a spiritual fact. We are not doing all we can to make heaven our home. Heaven is our home! It is already settled in the spirit, but the soul is a different story! There is a difference, my friends, between soul and spirit. (Heb 4:12)
Many will accuse me and others of saying that we are preaching grace as an excuse to sin. The true Christian does not want to sin and to be fair to this argument, the word says to work our Salvation with fear and trembling.(Phil 2;12) Why? Because not renewing our minds on a consistent basis will make us enemies of Christ. Think about it---Would Christ allow an enemy to enter his kingdom? Mind renewal is work, so let's not get lazy and say that I am an old sinner saved by grace and not do our part. That is damning to the soul and will get you in hell. Remember there are no lazy people in heaven,either!
I know that this is not a popular theme--Losing your salvation, but we need to work at mind renewal on a consistent basis. As long as you work at this, even when you fall, there is grace. Grace is there on the condition that you confess your sin and dust yourself off! Why? First, of all, the moment you confessed your sin, you got rid of it. Second, because with working on mind renewal, you are putting away the sin consciousness way of life and being God-inside minded. Remember you are the righteousness of God! Develop an appetite for God's word. I remember a fellow minister who said that if you eat something you don't like, eventually, you will develop an appetite for it. Let's develop an appetite to the word. Then we will awake to righteousness and sin not. (I Cor 15:34) Confess the word daily and work on renewing the mind.....
Confession--I love righteousness and hate iniquity. I have the mind of Christ. I love what you love and hate what you hate. No habit, sin or circumstances is stronger than your word, for it is the anointing that breaks the yoke. I thank you that today I walk in victory for I am more than a conqueror---In Jesus name---Amen! (Heb 1:9)
Verses provided by Biblegateway.
" For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." (Rom 7:19)
In our last study, we saw how frustrated the Apostle Paul was with his flesh. How he experienced failure and the solution God gave to him in Rom 7:25---With the mind he serves the law of God. That is a powerful statement. I believe that God at that moment showed him that he has the mind of Christ! We, also,saw how the word Christ is the yoke breaking, burden removing power of God. (Isa 10:27) So, think about it! Jesus is not only our Savior, but he was known to break yokes and lift burdens. It's the same association when you think of computers, the name Bill Gates comes to mind.
My question to you is are you allowing this mind (Christ) to be in you? Brethren, we need to understand that God's blessing is not going to fall on you and presto you have the mind of Christ. We have to fight the fight of faith. God is not a Santa Claus and yes he has given us all things to enjoy but we have to do our part. There is an enemy called Satan and he uses the flesh and the world to stumble us.
Israel was given a land by God. It was their inheritance, but there were giants they had to fight against. Our flesh has enjoyed the past lifestyle and for some, it has been 20, 30 or 40 years---Do you think that living for Christ is going to be a walk in the park? Not without the anointing! We have to fight the good fight of faith. Let's look at the following---
" 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" (II Cor 10:5)
We have work to do. We need to monitor what goes through our mind and use our authority to cast down imaginations that are contrary to God's word. Binding and loosing is the key. We need to bind thoughts that are against God and put them under our feet. After that, we need to speak that word and chew on it. Loose the spirit and anointing in that word, only then will our minds be renewed and we will begin to develop the mind of Christ in us. God bless!
Verses provided by Biblegateway
"
For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." (Rom 7:19)
In this morning, I want to share some thoughts with you from God's word. If you read Rom 7:15-25, you'll find that the Apostle Paul had some struggles in the flesh. What kind of struggle did he have? It is not clear, but he had some issues. We see his frustration in verse 24 when he called himself a wretched man and longed for his deliverance. How many of us have felt this way? How many of us have wrestled with a habit for years and have been frustrated doing that which is contrary to God's ways?
We, all, fall into that category, but look at what Paul says in verse 25. He gives us the key. The mind! He serves the law of God in his mind. Brethren, the battle is in the mind and if we can win in that arena, victory will soon come. The word in Phil 2:5 says to let this mind be in you.
What mind? The mind of Christ. You have the mind of Christ!(I Cor 2:16) Christ is not Jesus last name. Christ means anointing. When Peter preached to the multitude, he mentioned the word Christ. (Acts 4:26) He was quoting from Psalms 2:2 which mentions his anointed instead of Christ. What is the anointing? It is the power of God to break yokes and lifts burdens. (Isa 10:27) Brethren, you have a powerful tool and that is the MIND OF CHRIST!
That is why mind renewal is so important. It is a tragedy that Pastors are attacked in the area of pornography. It is, also, a sad state of affairs seeing Christians in mental institutions. Worry and fear is another element that attacks our mind.How many are having health problems due to stress? Our imaginations are powerful and that is the area in which hope is birthed. When hope is birthed in our minds and reaches its full potential, it gives birth to faith in our hearts. Faith will make the impossible happen.
That is why the soul (Mind, will and emotions) are so important to us. If we allow a negative image to fester in, it will destroy the potential to do good and cripple us. (Prov 6:32) In this day, make it a point to guard your mind. Your Spiritual future depends on it!
" My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. (Prov 4:20-22)
In this morning, I want to share some thoughts with you. Who has ever heard the following---"Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me?" That is a statement that has been popular throughout the years but is not true. WORDS CAN HARM YOU IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE! Who many children, especially "Preacher's kids" have winded up in jail because of words? Words can build or destroy. It is a medical fact that words can improve or destroy your health based on how you talk. Scientists have found that life and its forms were created by sound. Where did the sound come from? Words? Who spoke these words? God! (Gen 1)
God's word is powerful. Notice what he says---ATTEND TO MY WORDS! When you read God's word, do not read it like you're reading a newspaper. Attend to it. Give it your foremost attention.
The next step is to incline thine ear. In other words, to hear it. It does good to read the word to where you can hear it because faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.Our society does not like repetition, but God's word is repetitious. Why? God wants it to sink in. The word can change our mind, flesh and even circumstances. The word is powerful!
When it goes to your heart, it will have a life of its own. Life in your flesh to heal you and to change your circumstances, so decide in this day, that the word will have 1st place in your life. Spend some time in the word. It may just save your life.
Verses provided by www.biblegateway.com
