October 22nd
OCTOBER 22nd
Retraining our mind to yield to the Holy Spirit starts with surrendering all as Romans 12:1 stated yesterday. So, letting go of what we used to think.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Then the next step is asking the Holy Spirit to help us to reorder our thinking so it lines up with what we should think.
Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Philippians 4:6-8 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, 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 can be a battle. Sometimes we have thoughts that we don’t want to let go of very easily. I am not even talking about sinful thoughts, of course those. But I am talking about negative thoughts about self or others that, even though we hate the thoughts, we don’t easily let go of them because they are familiar. Even when they are harmful, they are familiar and we gravitate toward familiar and away from the unknown. So it can take some work to let go of those. We have to recognize them, be willing to let go, and replace them immediately with new thoughts. One way to do this is to ask the Holy Spirit to show us a Truth from the Word that we can use as a weapon to replace the old negative thoughts. It can seem like forceful work at first, but it pays off and it is incredibly freeing.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
We take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. Of course if you don’t want God’s results in your life and the freedom, life and peace that comes with that then you don’t have to worry about spending energy on that battle. But I think you do want God’s results or you wouldn’t be reading this devotion. So put on your big boy (or girl) boots and have at it. The Holy Spirit is there to guide you.
Lord thank you for opening my eyes to the Truth. Help me to surrender my thoughts. Holy Spirit help me to take captive my thoughts and make them line up with yours. Make me new in the attitude of my mind and help me set my mind on godly things not earthly things. Help me to learn how to live this life in this world while not being of this world. Strengthen me Holy Spirit and lead me in the right path.
John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.