Set Your Mind on the Spirit

 October 20, 2024

Sunday

I have a long history of being sinful. In fact, it is what I do when I am not paying attention. It is my regret as soon as I start paying attention. The Apostle Paul would write:

Romans 7:19–20 (NASB 2020) ¹⁹ For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. ²⁰ But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.

My mind has such a pattern of sin that it has made ruts in my behavior. I fall into the ruts and continue along until I realize that the ruts aren't going to take me where I want to go. Getting out of these ruts takes a moment. Staying out of these ruts takes a lifetime. I must admit that I can't live the life that I would like to live if I continue to live it in my own strength.

This means I must walk by the Spirit. This means that I must allow His strength to overpower the sin that is in my flesh. Yet, my flesh does not give up easily. It fights to the end. I become most vulnerable when I start thinking that, "I've got this." I have never really gotten this. I just deceive myself when I think I do.

Galatians 5:16–17 (NASB 2020)¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.

If I am to walk by the Spirit, I must set my mind on the Spirit.

Romans 8:5–8 (NASB 2020) ⁵ For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸ and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

There is the root of the problem. My mind is naturally set on the flesh. That is the default setting. I must set it on the Spirit. So, today, I choose to set my mind on the Spirit. Then, I won't have those failures that I seem to continue in. 

So, I pray: Lord, please set my mind on the Spirit. I want to walk in the Spirit today. Amen.