Romans 8:6
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
What about a mind governed by both? …. Contrary to popular belief, that can’t happen…only one of these forces can rule your mind. Darkness and light cannot occupy the same space. It’s an “either/or” decision.
That’s a problem in our culture. We seem to believe that our minds can be governed by the flesh on Saturday night – and governed by the Spirit on Sunday morning. But that’s a lie…and it is a lie that deceives many.
We think we control our minds, but this verse says our minds control us. If that is true, then we need to purposely decide what influences our thoughts.
We must control what we meditate on… What input do you provide for the computer that God has placed in your head? Just like any other system, the outcome will be directly related to the input. Good data provides positive outcomes and bad data creates chaos.
If you listed the “fleshly” inputs that you allow in your head, and the “Spiritual” inputs you provide… which list would be longer? This passage clearly says that one provides death, and one provides life…which do you prefer?
It is pretty simple, really. The music you listen to, the movies you watch, the language you use, the time you spend in prayer and scripture contrasted with the time you spend immersed in materialism, sensuality, and self-centeredness… all of this determines what governs your mind.
So, make a choice, and then make a plan. But understand that this is a life or death decision, so be intentional. Create an environment that will allow the Spirit of God to control your mind. Make some good habits and eliminate some bad ones.
You can’t have it both ways. You are either set apart for God, or you are living in the flesh for the world…and the deciding factor is what you allow to control your mind.
“A man’s mind is like a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth”.
― James Allen
