Every Thought - Christ's- A Renewed Mind.

Truly it's hard to deny that our carnal minds are an enmity against God. Is it easy to keep our minds on Christ? Seriously, is it easy to put Christ first in our lives, truly first? Think about what that means. 

Our natural inclination is to put ourselves first. We allow ourselves to be ruled by our desires. You may think it's not true, you may think you are putting your family first, your job- which you may or may not like, your friends, but a lot of times we are deceiving ourselves because that putting them first when analyzed deeply beyond the superficial reasons thrown out there- is for selfish gain. You may like playing the martyr, you may enjoy the accolades of being the hardest worker, the best mother, the most amazing friend ever.  I'm not saying this is true for everyone. Most people don't want to delve too deeply into their lives, it stirs up stuff they'd rather keep hidden.

Our Savior said many are going to believe they are His but they aren't. I talk about this often because to me it's very scary to imagine being deceived so completely that you truly believe you belong to Christ but He's going to tell you that you don't. God forbid I hear those words! 

If you're like me, then you want to belong to Christ, you want Christ to know you! You want to be His completely.

Our minds do need to be renewed, to believe otherwise is truly deception. And another fact that isn't so often discussed, we have to commit our lives to Christ daily, sometimes several times a day. It is never once only and that is that. It is never a few times a year and that's enough. We can't believe that we only need to think of our Savior and live for Him once a week.  In all we do we have to be aware that in the very real spiritual war we are fighting in, that Satan is vying for our attention. Satan isn't going to stop attacking us, and we need to be aware of our vulnerabilities so we can constantly keep alert to the attacks when they come. We need to recommit to Christ constantly. With every temptation we face we need to make the choice for Christ, and by His grace we will.

Once more let's read what Watchman Nee has to say from his book- The Spiritual Man, about our minds needing renewal.  Don't forget to truly pray and study God word as you read the following, God must be first before any man's words.

'The Mind Renewed

God desires not only a change in the mind of His children at the time of conversion; He desires also a mind that is totally renewed, which is transparent as crystal.

We find this commanded in the Word of God.

The reason Satan can work is that the Christian has not been liberated entirely from a carnal mind. He may start out with a narrow mentality which cannot tolerate others or a darkened mentality that cannot comprehend deeper truth or a foolish mentality which cannot bear any important responsibility; and afterwards he slips into deeper sins. This is because “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God” (Rom. 8.7). 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Once knowing the teaching of Romans 6 many Christians see themselves as having already been freed from their carnal mind.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 

Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 

Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 

Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

Rom 6:7  For he that is dead is freed from sin. 

Rom 6:8  Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 

Rom 6:9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 

Rom 6:10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 

Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 

Rom 6:15  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 

Rom 6:16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 

Rom 6:17  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 

Rom 6:18  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 

Rom 6:19  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 

Rom 6:20  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 

Rom 6:21  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

What they do not appreciate is that the cross must operate minutely in every area of the man.

“Consider yourselves dead to sin” must be followed by “let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies” (Rom. 6.11-12).  Following the change of mentality there must be the bringing of “every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10.5). The mind must be renewed completely, since any residue of its carnality is hostile to God.

2Co 10:5  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'

Excerpt The Spiritual Man- by Watchman Nee