Romans 8:5-6
“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. For the mind controlled by the flesh is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace”
Everyone controlled by the Spirit of Christ has their mind set on what God desires. In any and every situation throughout the day God has an opinion, a heart, a desire about that situation. Over against this is the flesh and it’s desires governed by the world and agitated regularly by the devil. Every Christian fails every day at being controlled by the Spirit. Each one of us sins on a daily basis, whether those sins be purposeful or not, known to us or not. However, the goal is to yield to the Holy Spirit as much as possible throughout the day. In this way we give more heed to Christ than to ourselves.
How much do you think about and do the things of God in any given day? This will help you discover how much, if at all, you are controlled by the Spirit of God. Assuming you have already given your life to Christ through repentance and faith, by His grace, and that you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) you may yield to Him more or less. It’s up to you. Many Christians who have the Holy Spirit don’t yield to Him. Though they may be saved they still walk according to the flesh. They are still fleshly (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).
Spirit controlled people desire the things of God more than the things of the flesh. And the more and more they are controlled by the Spirit the more and more they think about and do the will of God. Fleshly Christians think about and do the desires of the world more than the desires of Christ. Each day there is an internal war going on within us between the Spirit and the flesh (Galatians 5:17). Our responsibility as followers of Christ is to give in to the Spirit’s desires above our own (Galatians 5:25).
In each situation of the day slow down and think about what Christ would desire at that time. What would He say? What would He do? What would He think? What would He feel? Give in to these Spirit controlled responses rather than your own and you will be walking in the Spirit, controlled by Him (Galatians 5:16). Be grounded in God’s Word. Spirit controlled people are desperate to know God’s ways so they study Scripture every day. Pray regularly. The Spirit always leads us to commune with God. The flesh has no desire to do so.
When you lie down on your pillow each night assess how well you did that day. Ask yourself: “How much did I think about and do the things of God today? And how much did I not? Did I desire more of Christ’s ways than my own today? Did I even think of such things?” When you wake up each morning set your mind on the things above not on the things that are of the earth. Be purposeful about it. Make it your highest priority to be controlled by the Spirit of Christ that day.
Colossians 3:1-2
If you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
