Mind Control - Spiritually Minded

Where Is Your Mind At?

Romans 8:5-6 - "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

Now that you're saved and living in the kingdom of God, you now have two options concerning your mind and thought life. According to what we just read, these are your choices:
Either you will focus your mind on the things of the flesh...
...OR you will focus your mind on the things of the Spirit.
Take a minute right now to honestly evaluate your own thought life - where is your mind focused right now? Does your mind default to spiritual or natural things?

When verse five uses the phrase "set their minds", it's using the Greek word "phroneo". This is literally speaking of forming your opinions, developing your worldview and sharing the same opinions as someone else. 

What Paul is saying here is this: When you're living a fleshly, carnal lifestyle (one that looks identical to everyone else in the world), it is primarily because your opinions and world views are carnal instead of spiritual. In other words: What you think and the way you live are no different from the masses of unsaved people.

 Of course, the flip side is also true. If you want to live a spiritual, supernatural and powerful life; then you need to focus your mind on spiritual things. That state of "spirit-mindedness" should be natural for the born again believer - we should default to it.

Eternally-Minded

Colossians 3:1-2 makes this point clear: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

That wasn't a suggestion. God wasn't giving you "guidance counseling". He wasn't teaching you how to think "healthy thoughts" or motivating you with the "power of positive thinking". No, Your Lord and Savior just commanded you to keep your mind set firmly in Heaven...and not to focus your thoughts on earthly things.

Listen, we don't get to make up our own opinions anymore. We're not allowed to formulate our own worldviews. We have been commanded to share Heaven's mindset.
So in case you wanted to know what I think about anything: I'm of the same opinion as my Master.

We don't have time to waste letting our mind wallow in the things of earth. In light of eternity, what do they matter anyway? Knowing that we'll be standing before the throne of Christ...do you think that any of these things will be brought up there?
 - The latest viral trends?
 - The most sensational celebrity gossip?
 - The results of yesterday's game?
 - The latest political idea?
Christian, your mind should not belong to these things!

Receiving Heaven Into Your Thoughts

How do we get to that point? How do we keep our mind set on things above? It's actually easier than it seems. In fact, we've already touched on it over and over again since this blog began.

Let's start with a verse you may have heard before:
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

Can you see the clear distinction between heavenly thoughts and earthly thoughts? This verse also gives us a clear definition of both:
Heavenly thoughts = God's thoughts = Focused above
Earthly thoughts = Your thoughts = Focused below

Many people quote those two verses as a way to say, "I'll never know God's thoughts, they're higher than mine." Now, of course there is some truth to this. God is smarter than we are, and no one here on earth will know all the details of His plan. However, if you stop reading in verse 9, you may be tempted to just throw up your hands and say "Oh well!"

But there's more...let's keep reading on.
Isaiah 55:10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud..."

We already read in verse 9 that His thoughts are like the Heavens and ours are like the earth.
Now we're reading about something that's compared to rain, coming down from Heaven and watering the earth. Does that sounds like it could be a way to get HIS thoughts into OUR minds?

What is this rain that He's talking about? 
Look at verse 11 - "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

God's Word falls like rain from the Heavens, bringing His thoughts down into our earth. If you want to know His thoughts, then read His Word! (It's really that easy.) If you'll intentionally consume His word daily, it will accomplish God's plan inside of your mind. It will transform your thoughts from earthly (that is, formed on your own) into Heavenly (that is, shared with Him). 

If you want have life and peace...
If you want to have a mind set on things above...
If you want to be of the same opinion as God Himself...
Then you must voraciously (greedily, ravenously, hungrily) consume God's Word. The more it begins to live inside your mind, the more spiritual your mind will become.