Daily Bread – October 21, 2023 (The Seventh Day – Genesis 2:1-3) Romans 8:5 – For they who are after the flesh are the ones who think fleshly, but those after the Spirit have a spiritual mindset. The Impact Of Our Thinking Paul makes it very clear in this verse and the ones following how a person cannot be on both sides, fleshly and spiritually minded, at the same time (Romans 8:5-9). You are either in the Spirit and think after the Spirit, or you are imprisoned by another realm. He is not discussing two opposing forces in a person, but two separate states of existence. One of the most clear examples of being in the flesh and thinking after the flesh is the people who have their minds blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). On the other hand, those who are born of the Spirit, and are therefore in the Spirit, have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). Does Paul mean to imply we will have no improper ways of thinking that we must confront? Absolutely not. He makes us aware of the spiritual battle assailing our thoughts, and then directs our attention to the divine power we have been given to bring every thought into the flow of the knowledge of Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Now that we are born of the Spirit and have been given God’s divine insight by His Word as to who we are and how we are to live, we must think differently about ourselves (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23). We can be absolutely certain God has given us the mindset of the Holy Spirit – which is the way God thinks. However, we can make the mistake of giving ourselves over to a carnal mind, which is in fact an act of violence against God (1 Corinthians 3:3, 2:14; Romans 8:7). By such fleshly thinking, a born again person thinks and behaves as one who has not been made a new creation. Peter also gives us a certain amount of insight into this wrong thinking in his rash response to the message Jesus gave to the disciples concerning his suffering and death (Matthew 16:22-23). He was talking like a man and thinking after the wrong mindset. What each person needs to deal with is the impact of their thinking. The way you think will determine how you walk with God, and how you receive from Him. Just imagine the difference in your life if you only allowed yourself to think faith – the faith that comes from the Word of God. You are actually able to measure this because what you are speaking is what you are thinking. Consider how often your speech has nothing to do with the Word of God – which is proof of where you have allowed your heart to wonder. There is no way you are going to be successful with God unless you keep His Word in your heart and mouth (Joshua 1:8; Romans 10:8). As a man thinks in His heart, so is he – and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Proverbs 23:7; Luke 6:45). If you want to take the limits off of walking with God and receiving from Him, then start minding the things of the Spirit and only think faith, speak faith, live faith, and walk in faith – for faith is the Word in action (Hebrews 4:2). Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 10/21/2023
