So let me start with a bit of accountability here. I missed writing last week. Time just got the best of me and I am so sorry. Like God's faithful daughter, I've brushed the dust off me, got up and now I am here to post a reflection regarding the scripture memorization for this week:
Romans 8:6: "The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace;"
I came across this Scripture after intentionally searching for scriptures regarding peace. I really wanted to know what the Bible said concerning this topic, there are many, many scriptures regarding peace --- some good ones, and some I've already memorized just from being in church and hearing them; so I intentionally wanted to look up a scripture I hadn't heard before which led me to Romans 8:6.
A bit of background about this Scripture:
It is in this chapter that Paul is speaking about the difference of life controlled by the flesh and the desires of the flesh vs. life controlled by the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we want to live a life that is ruled and ordained by the Holy Spirit and not one of death. Therefore, Paul states that the mind of a sinful man is death --- a mind-controlled by the flesh and sinful nature will only lead to one thing -- death, but a life controlled by the Spirit brings two things: Life and Peace.
Who couldn't use those two things in life?
So this week, I have been intentional on asking God to show me how to have a mind that is controlled by His Spirit, because I want a life that is FULL of life and FULL of peace. I love God's word because it does provide a recipe, a prescription for living God's life. My husband, Al always has goodies (downloads from God) and often each morning, we join each other in the living area (we call this our office) and share what God has spoken to us that morning after our individual time with God.
One morning last week, Al shared how the Lord showed him a beautiful plush lawn with bright green grass. Then in the next scene, the Lord showed him the grass littered with all kinds of trash --- Coca Cola bottles, fast food sandwich wrappers --- just all kinds of junk--- on this beautiful lawn. Al said the Lord said, this is how our minds are; the beautiful green grass, and then Satan comes to destroy it with his trash and debris.
As good stewards of our property, just as we would protect our natural lawns, we have to tell the devil, "NO!" He cannot trash our minds. He can not just throw his trash of bad thoughts, thoughts to bring worry and rob us of our peace. We will not allow him to dirty our lawns with his negative thoughts.
So this week, I've been intentional that I am living a life where my mind is controlled by the Spirit and I refuse to allow the enemy to litter my mind which his trash and debris which is ultimately to rob me of my peace. Nope! Not having it! So when the enemy has tried to come in to rob me of my peace, I remember this Philippians 4:8 which tells me what to think about, since my mind is controlled by the Spirit:
"Finally, my brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things."
This is what having a mind-controlled by the Spirit is all about that the Apostle Paul references. In life, there are things that cause us concern that we may worry about, but as Christians, we deal with those things through prayer and do not excessively hold on them to the point where it robs us of our peace. We are to be anxious for nothing and let our requests be made known to God and then peace which transcends all understanding with guard our hearts and minds (Phil 4:6).
Our God is a good God. I am so grateful that through Jesus Christ we have peace. Join me in making a conscious decision that your mind will be controlled by the Spirit so you can live a life full of peace.
Kacie Starr Long is an author, talk show host and the proud wife of Alfred T. Long Sr. When not writing, Kacie enjoys sewing. She is the founder of Sew Hope, a sewing school for previously incarcerated men and women. Connect with Kacie at www.InspiredOverflow.com and via her YouTube page for more inspiration and encouragement.
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