I will often look over at my wife when we are on a long drive and say, “penny for your thoughts?” She will turn and look at me and smile. Most of the time, her answer is “nothing,” which means she is developing her thoughts to share with me later. Sometimes she will say, “I was thinking about…” Every once in a while, she will say, “I have an idea.” When she says this, I know a long conversation is about to follow because she had been chewing on it for quite some time. What’s on your mind? Is it things of the Spirit or things of the flesh?
Romans 8:6
“For the mindset on the flesh is death, but the mindset on the Spirit is life and peace,”
It’s a Daily Battle
The eighth chapter of Romans is all about the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. This is a daily battle that each believer fights. One of the keys to victory is what your mind is focused on. If your mind is set on the things of the Spirit, it is more than likely that you will win the battle that day. If your mind is set on the things of the flesh, defeat is inevitable. Before you can win the battle of the flesh, you have to fight and win the battle of the mind. What’s on your mind today? Is it the worries of your day? Is it some impure thought? These can easily control you and direct your path.
Focusing on the Wrong Thing
What does it mean to have your mindset on the flesh? The flesh represents everything opposite of God. It is impure and unholy thoughts that lead to sin. They can be something as simple as gossip or jealousy. If the thought could lead to you sinning, then it is of the flesh. It is essential to take those captive and give them to the Lord. If not, it could lead to spiritual death.
What’s On Your Mind?
What does it mean to have a mindset on the Spirit? It means that your mind is filled with attributes of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, patience. It doesn’t mean that you are repeating scripture or singing worship songs all day. Even though those are bad, Paul knows that we have to live our lives. He wants the fruit of the Spirit to permeate our daily routine so that it can lead to peace. Fill your mind with the Word of God and watch as the Spirit is present the rest of the day.