Set Your Mind on Things Above

God has created man as a triune being.  The Apostle Paul reveals this to us, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23) The spirit is the faculty that relates to the spiritual realm. It is who we really are. The body is the vehicle that allows us to relate with the world around us. The soul is the part of man where we find the mind, will and emotions. To put this together in perspective, man is a spirit, he has a soul and they both dwell in a physical body. The soul is composed of the reasoning faculties. The physical body possesses the five senses which are the educators and teacher of the brain. The brain cannot function without the senses which means the mind cannot function without the senses. If a child is born without any of the five senses functioning the mind will not function.

It makes no difference whether one is "Born Again' or not, oft times people have many thoughts cruising back and forth through their mind. The mind can become so powerful in a sense that it will control a persons world whether in a good way or bad. Basically, what a person thinks is what they will believe. What they believer will manifest in their words, which in turn will be seen in their actions. So, whatever is on your mind, will basically govern your life. The Apostle Paul tells us, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

One of the things that we see here is how much the world system influences the mind. It tries to conform people especially believers, into its standard. However, we must always keep in mind that the world has been completely corrupted by Satan. The Bible tells us that he is the god of this world, "...whose minds the god of this age has blinded..." (2 Corinthians 4:4) and that he is the prince of the power of the air "in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2). The Apostle Paul also tells us, "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Ephesians 4:23) In other words, the entire old way of living was to be abandoned; a new one to takes its place. The mind is to be renovated, renewed not only in a general sense, but the very spirit of it. All of its faculties and powers must be thoroughly and completely renewed.

When one is Born Again, their spirit is recreated. For many believers their Christian experience seems to rise and fall as time goes by. Let's be honest, your mind has been fashioned after the things of this world. The world's ideals probably have been yours. It stands to reason then, when believers do not spend daily time in God's Word the recreated spirit in a sense is starved. Unless ones spirit is cared for by feeding on God's Word it becomes difficult at best for the mind to be renewed. We need to understand that all the knowledge the mind had prior to being Born Again, came from :he senses and the senses can never be renewed because they are a part of the physical body. The next thing to be mindful of is the soul also was not recreated, only the spirit. However, both can be brought into subjection and they can be controlled so to speak, by the recreated spirit through the Word of God. The mind slowly but surely as it feeds on the Word, meditates in the Word, practices and lives the Word, comes into the fellowship of the recreated spirit. This is the place where all believers should have as a top priority in their life. When the mind comes under subjection of the recreated spirit, then the body will also follow.

The renewing of the mind with the Word of God has a direct correlation with the believers faith, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Therefore, a believer with small faith is almost invariably a person whose mind has not yet been renewed. But we also must keep in mind, that the mind can't be renewed by simply believing the Bible. The Word of God must be acted upon. Many of our Bible teachers have never seen this because their senses govern their mind, meaning, their senses govern what they teach. Their recreated spirit has a very small place in their lives.

God spoke to Joshua and gave him the same principle that Paul reveals to the believer, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8) God tells Joshua to meditate on His Word day and night for a purpose, "For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." In other words as Joshua meditated on Gods Word his ways (acting upon the Word) would prosper and he would have success.

Paul also exhorts us with these words, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2) So, what is on your mind? The things of God that bring peace and joy or the things of the world which steal away these very things. As Paul says, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8) So, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly...