Get Out Of Your Head: You Don’t Have To Live This Way

Here is the devotional:

If our toddler is throwing a fit in the grocery store, we correct him, redirect him—yet we have allowed our minds to have outright meltdowns with zero correction. We walk around acting as if we have no power over what we think about.

Paul tells us that when we take captive our thoughts, we can wield our power for good and for God, slaying strongholds left and right. What incredible power is available to us every moment of every day!

In Romans 8:5, Paul said that “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh” and that “those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (ESV).

I have read and reread this passage in the past few months, mulling over how life would be if I could truly have a mind that dwells on the Spirit. A mind that is full of life and peace. A mind that consistently thinks about God—who He is and what He wants for me. I so desperately want the “perfect peace” God promises when my mind is fixed on Him.

As I’ve been practicing taking every thought captive, shifting my thoughts has become more disciplined. This is a daily battle! I may not be doing it perfectly, but I have seen significant improvement.

Based on Paul’s writings long ago to the church in Rome, you and I can learn to mind our minds to the point that controlling our thoughts becomes reflexive—an automatic, intuitive response.

I want to be so well versed in the patterns of thinking in line with the Spirit that my default is not to rely on the flesh but on the Spirit in everything. This is the goal of our deliberate interruptions: we abruptly stop the crazy spirals of our minds. As we practice the art of interruption, we’re shifting to a whole new mindset, and with each shift we will find ourselves growing more and more into the mind of Christ.

Father, I set my mind on the things of the Spirit. I set my mind on your peace. I pray to grow more and more into the mind of Christ! Amen.

Here are the scriptures referenced:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

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:

That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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.

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

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.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

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.
Romans 8:1‭-‬11 KJV

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For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV

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Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isaiah 26:3 KJV

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Here are Stu’s thoughts:

There was a two times in my life where I could walk into a room and people would feel the presence of the Lord. Now, by stretch of the imagination and I bragging..God forbid. But I use it to make a point.

When I was a teen my mom told me that every time I walk into the hallway from my room she felt the presence of the Lord and that my face is lit up. Weird though, as I never felt that my face was lit up. It must have been the inward light shining outward 🤷 I had been in prayer that day for a dear friend who was contemplating suicide.

The other time was right after my separation. A member of the church mentioned to me that when I entered the church they felt the presence of the Lord and they looked forward to it every Sunday. 😮

Spiritually I was fighting for my life. Constantly reading the word and books on how to be a better husband, father and person in general. Prayer was second nature.

It was at the time in my life that I was learning to fight my lust filled thought patterns.

There is a pattern there. I was taking the focus off of myself.

I was wanting to live a Godly life and I was diligently seeking the Lord.

Here of late my thought patterns have gotten back to me, myself and I. There in lies the reason for this loooonnnnggg season I believe.

Nothing wrong with thinking of one’s self mind you but it can get out of hand.

And there is NOTHING wrong about praying for one’s self either as God knows our needs even before we do. But it can take our focus off of God and onto ourselves and that is where I believe I have faltered.

But when we pray in a fashion that shows our love for others our mind set changes and is more spiritually minded as we are praying for others needs to met.

And we can actually become less fleshly when dealing with people as we are actually listening to find something to pray for even when not spoken out loud….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.

It needs to be a daily thing and not just once in a while

*Though this is not really what the author meant…this is what the Lord put in my heart. A good prayer life matters for it gets you more in tune with the spirit and less with the flesh. Which one are we feeding?