God Gave Us a Sound Mind
The Bible tells us in II Timothy 1:7 “for God has not given us the spirit of fear,
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. God made man so that his
spirit man, which connects with God’s Spirit should control his mind, but after the
fall of man the fleshy man took control. And man did what he thought was right,
according to his own imaginations. Yet after our rebirth, our spirit man is again
alive within us, and we have to exercise our spirit man. There is a battle to
control our mind.
We are told to set our mind on things above, Godly things, His word, in
Colossians 3:1-3 it says “if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection
(mind) on things above, not on the things on the earth. For you are dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God”. Setting our mind is to place it, to put it, and
that indicates that it is our responsibility. We set our mind by the things which
we focus on.
Paul tells us a secret, in Romans 6:6 he says “knowing this, that our old man
(who we were before we got saved), is crucified with Him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that hereafter we should not serve sin” and in Galatians 2:
20 he says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ
lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”. We have to deem ourselves
to be dead to the old man and alive to the new man which is in the image of God.
Our thinking is very important (Ephesians 3:20) says “now to Him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power
that works in us”. This is why the devil tries so hard to influence your mind.
Isaiah 26:3 says “(God) You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on You, because he trusts in You”.
We are a three part being (spirit, soul, body) I Thessalonians 5:23 says “and the
very God of peace, sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and
soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
After being born again, our spirit man connects us to the Spirit of God, our soul
which is our mind, will and emotions wants to do its own thing; and our body
connects us to this world. Whoever is the strongest will take control.
Whatever controls your mind will control your life (Proverbs 23:7) “as a man
thinks in his heart, so is he”.
The Bible teaches us what to think upon (Philippians 4:6-9) “be careful for
nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any
praise, think on these things. Those things, which you have both learned, and
received, and heard, and seen in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with
you”.
Paul expresses the importance of our renewing our mind to the word of God,
remember that our old man was a child of the devil and it thought the things of
the world, and our born again man is in the image of God. Paul tells us in
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”. Now Paul is not talking to
unbeliever. He is encouraging believers to renew their mind to the word of
God. Remember we are made holy, by the washing of the water by the word.
II Corinthians 10:3-5 shows us what weapons we have; it says “for though we
walk in the flesh, we do not was after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal (fleshly), but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ”. As we meditate on the word of God, we are to bring our
thoughts into line. James tells us to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
We have to look into the perfect law of liberty and do what we see (James 1:22-
25).
It takes discipline to set our mind on the right things and the Bible gives us the
right way to go (Proverbs 4:20-23) “My son, attend to My words, incline your ear
to My sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst of
your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life”.
Paul shows us the difference in Romans 8:5-8 “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”. In Romans 7:18-19,24-25 he says “for I know that in me (that is in
my flesh) dwells no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform
that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not, but the evil
which I would not, that I do. O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me
from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So
then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of
sin”. You set your mind on something at all times, you can set your mind on the
word of God or the world, the choice is yours.
Paul goes on to reveal how we can override our fleshy mind set (Galatians 5:16-
18,25) “this I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and
these are contrary, the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that
you would. But if you be led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. If we live in
the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: February 18, 2011
The Bible tells us in II Timothy 1:7 “for God has not given us the spirit of fear,
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. God made man so that his
spirit man, which connects with God’s Spirit should control his mind, but after the
fall of man the fleshy man took control. And man did what he thought was right,
according to his own imaginations. Yet after our rebirth, our spirit man is again
alive within us, and we have to exercise our spirit man. There is a battle to
control our mind.
We are told to set our mind on things above, Godly things, His word, in
Colossians 3:1-3 it says “if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection
(mind) on things above, not on the things on the earth. For you are dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God”. Setting our mind is to place it, to put it, and
that indicates that it is our responsibility. We set our mind by the things which
we focus on.
Paul tells us a secret, in Romans 6:6 he says “knowing this, that our old man
(who we were before we got saved), is crucified with Him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that hereafter we should not serve sin” and in Galatians 2:
20 he says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ
lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”. We have to deem ourselves
to be dead to the old man and alive to the new man which is in the image of God.
Our thinking is very important (Ephesians 3:20) says “now to Him that is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power
that works in us”. This is why the devil tries so hard to influence your mind.
Isaiah 26:3 says “(God) You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on You, because he trusts in You”.
We are a three part being (spirit, soul, body) I Thessalonians 5:23 says “and the
very God of peace, sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit and
soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
After being born again, our spirit man connects us to the Spirit of God, our soul
which is our mind, will and emotions wants to do its own thing; and our body
connects us to this world. Whoever is the strongest will take control.
Whatever controls your mind will control your life (Proverbs 23:7) “as a man
thinks in his heart, so is he”.
The Bible teaches us what to think upon (Philippians 4:6-9) “be careful for
nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally,
brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever
things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any
praise, think on these things. Those things, which you have both learned, and
received, and heard, and seen in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with
you”.
Paul expresses the importance of our renewing our mind to the word of God,
remember that our old man was a child of the devil and it thought the things of
the world, and our born again man is in the image of God. Paul tells us in
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that
you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable and perfect will of God”. Now Paul is not talking to
unbeliever. He is encouraging believers to renew their mind to the word of
God. Remember we are made holy, by the washing of the water by the word.
II Corinthians 10:3-5 shows us what weapons we have; it says “for though we
walk in the flesh, we do not was after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare
are not carnal (fleshly), but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ”. As we meditate on the word of God, we are to bring our
thoughts into line. James tells us to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
We have to look into the perfect law of liberty and do what we see (James 1:22-
25).
It takes discipline to set our mind on the right things and the Bible gives us the
right way to go (Proverbs 4:20-23) “My son, attend to My words, incline your ear
to My sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst of
your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life”.
Paul shows us the difference in Romans 8:5-8 “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”. In Romans 7:18-19,24-25 he says “for I know that in me (that is in
my flesh) dwells no good thing, for to will is present with me, but how to perform
that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not, but the evil
which I would not, that I do. O wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me
from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So
then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of
sin”. You set your mind on something at all times, you can set your mind on the
word of God or the world, the choice is yours.
Paul goes on to reveal how we can override our fleshy mind set (Galatians 5:16-
18,25) “this I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and
these are contrary, the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that
you would. But if you be led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. If we live in
the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: February 18, 2011
