The Reset of Your Mindset
Romans 8:5-11
I. Evaluate your Mindset – search me, O God
II. Surrender your Mindset – you are controlled by the Spirit
III. Redirect your Mindset – things above, transform, capture, God-thoughts
IV. Encourage your Mindset – The Spirit can help you change! Resurrection life now and yet to come.
Intro: Author Craig Groeschel wrote a book titled, The Christian Atheist. He defines a Christian atheist as someone who believes in God, but lives as if he doesn’t exist. In the preface of his book, he writes, “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I see this kind of atheism in myself. People might assume that a pastor wouldn’t struggle with any form of atheism, but I certainly do. Sadly, Christian Atheism is everywhere. There has to be a better way to live. This book is for anyone courageous enough to admit to their hypocrisy. I hope it pushes you, challenges you, and disturbs you. And if you’re honest before God — as I am trying to be — perhaps together we can shed some of our hypocrisy and live a life that truly brings glory to Christ.”
-Please allow me to echo his thoughts and say that I too see this kind of atheism in myself at times. There are times when I say or do things that do not bring honor to the Lord. And what’s worse, there are times when it does not seem to bother me as much as it should. I have a friend on FB who posted these words recently: “You will never change what you tolerate.” So if I or any of us want to change the way we live and the way we think, we are going to have to come to a place where we no longer accept things the way they are!
-Most of you are probably familiar with what is commonly known as the Prayer of Serenity by Reinhold Niebuhr. If not, it is printed on the back of your bulletin in its original form. I’ll read it in one of its most popular forms: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” The problem is that sometimes we don’t know the difference. We assume that we cannot change because this is who we are. We have allowed our failures to define us, and we have based our identity on who we are at our worst. We’ve accepted what we’re sure we cannot change, but the serenity did not come with it! Why? Because God has a different plan for you! You do have an enemy who wants you to accept defeat, but God says, “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
-So today I believe the Lord wants to give you hope for a turnaround. He wants your future to be different and more blessed than you have imagined it! And He wants to do this through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to all who have called on His name!
-God wants to change the way we think and the way we live! Our primary focus is on the mind today, since that is where our actions originate. Let’s take a look at our mindset and ask God to help us change where we need to change.
I. Evaluating our Mindset
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
-The word “mind” refers to disposition or attitude. It is your way of thinking about life. Some would call it a paradigm or a worldview or perspective. It involves more than your ability to think or form thoughts. It has to do with the way you see God, the way you see truth, the way you see others, and the way you see yourself. It is a collection of all of your presuppositions or assumptions that guide the way you think and choose, and live.
-I believe we can evaluate our mindset based on how we think about various situations in life. When faced with decisions about what we will believe or what we will do, here are some telling questions we can ask ourselves that come right out of vv.5-8.
1. Ask, “Is this what God wants?”
2. Ask, “Is this consistent with life and peace?”
3. Ask, “Does this bring honor to God, or reflect hostility to God?”
4. Ask, “Who is in control here? The Holy Spirit or Me?”
-If we will do this humbly and honestly, I believe the Holy Spirit will help us discern our mindset and give us courage to change the things we can with His help.
-David, the Shepherd-King, Man after God’s own heart, prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
-In order to get an accurate view of our mindset, we need God to show us. 1 Corinthians 2:10 “The Spirit searches all things….” And when He shows us an area that needs to change, we need to willingly surrender it to Him, which leads us to the next main thought.
II. Surrendering our Mindset
9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
-We surrender our mindset to God when we come to Christ; however, if all our decisions are self-based, where does the Holy Spirit fit in? How can we say we are controlled by the Spirit if we do not give the Holy Spirit control of our thoughts, our decisions, our lives? Until we come to God on His terms and surrender ourselves entirely to Him, we cannot honor Him with our thoughts or with our behavior! If God’s Spirit lives in us, then we must stop living like He doesn’t! If we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, then we need to stop living as if the old self is in control. And how do we do that? By surrendering our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
-Paul gives two conditions in these two verses that will produce a Spirit-controlled life instead of mere human effort: “if the Spirit of God lives in you” (or you “have the Spirit of Christ”), and “if Christ is in you.” They basically mean the same thing – namely that you are willing to turn away from the wrong in your life and surrender yourself to Jesus, trusting Him to forgive you and change you forever!
-I recently saw a video clip that showed a worship team leading a number of slightly adjusted worship songs. See, the catch was that instead of singing the song the way it was written, you really sang what was going on in your heart and mind. One of the songs was, “I surrender some.” If suddenly we could only sing what was actually true in our lives, what lyrics might come out? We must surrender ourselves to God so He can help us be real!
-Well, in addition to our surrender, there are actions we can take that God has given us in His Spirit-filled word that will help us live a Spirit-controlled life.
III. Redirecting our Mindset
Colossians 3:1-3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer 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.
2 Corinthians 10:5 …we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Philippians 4:8 Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
IV. Encouraging our Mindset
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
-If the Holy Spirit can resurrect your body, He can surely transform your mind! He already displayed His power when He gave breath back to Jesus in the tomb. (Did you know that the words spirit and breath both come from the same word, pneuma, in the Bible?) The same Holy Spirit, the Holy Breath of God who breathed life into the body of Jesus and will breathe life into your body at the resurrection… this same Holy Spirit lives in you NOW and wants to help you reset your mind to think holy thoughts and reset your life to live a holy life!
With You All the Way
In the book called “With You All the Way” by Max Lucado, three knights are given a test to see which one is worthy of marrying the king’s daughter. Their challenge is to make it through a dangerous and deadly forest filled with creatures called “Hopenots,” small, sly creatures with yellow eyes. Hopenots were not strong but they were very clever. The first knight to make it thought the forest would marry the princess.
The king’s son explains the challenge to the three knights, telling them that each of them could take along one companion. When they wondered how they would ever find the castle he told them they must listen to the song that the king would play three times a day on his flute: “Follow his song and you will find the castle.” The son then pulled an ivory flute from his sack and explained that only he and his father had these kinds of flutes. He put the instrument to his lips and played a soft, sweet song.
The son then gave a closing caution: “Consider the danger of Hemlock and wisely choose the one who will be with you on your journey.” And so they did. The next morning the three knights mounted their horses and entered Hemlock. One was known for his strength. One was known for his speed. The third knight was known for his wisdom. Beside each knight rode his chosen companion.
The days of waiting for those in the castle passed slowly as they all wondered which knight would win the princess. Three times a day the king sent his song soaring into the trees of Hemlock. After many days and countless songs, a watchman spotted two figures stumbling out of the forest. The king gave orders for the man to be dressed as a prince and not to tell anyone who he was because he wanted to reveal the winner at that night’s banquet.
That evening a joyful spirit filled the banquet hall. At every table the people tried to guess which knight had survived Hemlock Forest and the Hopenots. Finally, the moment came to present the winner. The people became quiet as the king began to play the flute and they turned to see who would enter. Many thought it would be Carlisle, the strongest. Others felt it would be Alon, the swiftest. But it was neither. The knight who survived the journey was Cassidon, the wisest.
When the king asked about his journey, Cassidon replied: “The Hopenots were crafty. They attacked, but we fought back…but what nearly destroyed us, though, was something far worse…they imitated your flute…each time the song of your flute would enter the forest, a hundred flutes would begin to play. All around us we heard music—songs from every direction.” The king asked the question that was on everyone’s lips: “Then how did you hear my song?” “I chose the right companion,” he answered as he motioned for his fellow traveler to enter. The people gasped. It was the king’s son. In his hand he carried the flute.
“I knew there was only one who could play your song exactly like you,” Cassidon explained. “There was no one else I would have trusted to be with me all the way. So I asked him to travel with me. As we journeyed, he played your song. I learned it so well that though a thousand false flutes tried to hide your music, I could hear your song above them all. It was with me all the way.” And with that, the celebration began.
Last week we learned that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Today we’ve seen that the Holy Spirit is with us and wants to help us reset our mindset. As we seek Him, we must not settle for cheap imitations. Listen to His song and let the celebration begin!
I. Evaluate your Mindset – search me, O God
II. Surrender your Mindset – you are controlled by the Spirit
III. Redirect your Mindset – things above, transform, capture, God-thoughts
IV. Encourage your Mindset – The Spirit can help you change! Resurrection life now and yet to come.
(Closing story borrowed from Brian Bill, sermoncentral.com)
