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The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
If you’ve ever wondered how a Christian is supposed to set his mind on what the Spirit desires, Paul’s admonition to a Greek church (Philippians 4:8) is a great place to start: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
While you’ll never full achieve success in doing so, when you begin to steadfastly meditate on truth, things that are noble, pure, lovely—and anything praiseworthy—you’ll notice a decrease in your fleshly desires. Your actions are in direct response to your thoughts, and pure thoughts result in pure actions. Impure thoughts become impure actions.
Practically speaking, you might begin to change your thinking by finding and meditating on a different Bible verse very day; or you might consider how to overhaul a system at work so everything is aboveboard and transparent; or you could begin discipling a person who needs someone to walk alongside them (which means you’ll be praying for them and always thinking about your next meeting).
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” Paul writes to the Christians at Colossae (Colossians 3:2-3), “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
If you’ve ever wondered how a Christian is supposed to set his mind on what the Spirit desires, Paul’s admonition to a Greek church (Philippians 4:8) is a great place to start: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
While you’ll never full achieve success in doing so, when you begin to steadfastly meditate on truth, things that are noble, pure, lovely—and anything praiseworthy—you’ll notice a decrease in your fleshly desires. Your actions are in direct response to your thoughts, and pure thoughts result in pure actions. Impure thoughts become impure actions.
Practically speaking, you might begin to change your thinking by finding and meditating on a different Bible verse very day; or you might consider how to overhaul a system at work so everything is aboveboard and transparent; or you could begin discipling a person who needs someone to walk alongside them (which means you’ll be praying for them and always thinking about your next meeting).
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” Paul writes to the Christians at Colossae (Colossians 3:2-3), “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
