Thoughts on how to have your mind set on what The Spirit desires
Have you got an answer to my two questions from last week?
1. How do I have my mind set on what the spirit desires?
2. Am I in Christ Jesus?
The important part is that you know the answers in your heart and mind, not that you give them to me.
Let me refresh your mind on the bible verse:
Romans 8
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. This verse is the inspiration of my question.
It’s my opinion that these bible verses give some of the answer on their own:
Colossians 2: 6-7:
Spiritual Fullness in Christ
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
To live a life in Christ, I need to be rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as I have been taught, and overflowing with thankfulness
Well, let’s start with the keyword ‘rooted‘. Close your eyes, I was about to write, but then you can’t read further… But picture what you read next in your inner eye. Follow my lead on this one. Picture a tiny tree, a little older than a sapling. So old that it might be called a tree, but only barely. Imagine this tree has a few roots. The roots are thin, because they haven’t had time to grow yet. These roots grow straight down into the soil. These few vertical roots keep the young tree upright. But, and there is a big but here: If someone tries to uproot this tree there will be no resistance and the tree is easily replaced. Since the roots go only straight down (and are only a few) they give no resistance when the tree is pulled out of the ground. Imagine a second tree. This one is also a young one. But instead of just a few roots, this tree has many roots, many, many tiny threads. from the tree. Still straight down into the soil. Still, it is limited resistance if the tree were to be pulled up. But, it will withstand a bit more than the first tree, because there are more roots to cling on to the dirt.
Imagine a third tree. A young tree with many roots, thin threads, that are spreading both down and outwards in the soil. The roots on this tree divide into more roots, and more roots. All the threaded roots spread out in each direction. In the process of growing, this tree will get more, longer, stronger, thicker roots. These roots makes the tree stand strong against being pulled up (won’t fall down in the wind,or because of any human, any living creature).
Imagine that the third tree is you and your spiritual growth in Christ. What do the tree roots consist of? Imagine a mind map, where you stand in the middle, with a circle around you. From you there is threads thad lead out to new circles that surrounds you. What these circles say, is what you build your life on, what keeps you rooted in your faith, rooted in Christ.
For me the answer would be(amongst others):
*The foundation in christ(repentance, faith in God, water baptism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, the laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead)
*My identity in Christ
*God’s love for me
*being a disciple
*Gods mercy
*forgiveness for sins
*Forgiveness
I would make a mind map where I would write bible verses which describe the topics I have written above, and I would constantly look up these verses, and subjects, pray, seek God on it,be silent before God,listen to what God has to tell me, let the Holy Spirit show me, learn more about it, and remind my self on it, so that I stay focused and rooted. This way ‘the roots on my tree’ will grow longer, stronger, thicker and able to withstand attack. The roots will divide into more roots and go in different directions as long as my understanding and learning is evolving. (Since I have written it down now, I will have to do this;) I encourage you to do it with me =o)
I am responsible for keeping myself ‘rooted’. I need God’s help. I have to ask for help. I have to let God help me(usually the hardest part for me). Most importantly:
I have keep close to God, the Holy spirit and Christ Jesus.
Next time I will write about being built up in the Holy Spirit.
To be continued…
Some of the bible verses I would have on my mind map:
*Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
*6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7
*But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:32-34
*For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11
*12 Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek Me and find Me when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13
* 23 And He said to them all, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. Luke 9: 23-24
*22 And He said unto His disciples, “Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap, they neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them. How much more are ye better than the fowls? 25 And which of you by taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 “And seek ye not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubting mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Luke 12:22-32
*7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.Matthew 7: 7-8
*12 Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12
*15 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He that believeth in Him is not condemned; but He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:15-18
*7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. James 4:7-8
*25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
*7 Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7
*8 For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath beforehand ordained, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2: 8-10
*13 Therefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and, having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. 16 Above all, take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Ephesians 6: 13-18
avasophie 