By Shelia Clarke
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Rom. 8:6
How are we walking? Are we carnally minded, or are we spiritually minded? What is our focus? To whom do we belong? The very scripture itself tells us the outcome of those who are carnally minded and those who are spiritually minded. When we remain carnal, we are dead, but when we are spiritually minded, we have life.
Being carnally minded keeps us in bondage because we go after what our flesh craves. If the flesh craves physical intimacy outside of marriage and there is no control, it means we are in bondage with the flesh and need to be delivered.
ONLY THROUGH THE BLOOD
It is only through the potent blood of Jesus that we can be set free from always desiring and craving after those things that our flesh longs for. There must be a longing for God and the things that are of God for us to stay clear of carnality.
The mind has to be trained to long for God and to stay in God. That practise is not done overnight but over time. God is patient, and His Holy Spirit is there to teach, guide, and sustain us, but we must be willing to want to change.
If we are going to please God, we cannot allow the flesh to manipulate our lives, because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8
What a scary thing to think that if we are living a carnal life, always pleasing the flesh and lusting after the flesh, we cannot please God.
HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE ARE IN THE SPIRIT?
To become spiritually minded, what we spend most of our time doing must be pleasing to God. Our minds must become saturated with His Word. The Word, mixed with fasting, prayer, and daily surrender to God, is our hope of being spiritually minded. It is a lifestyle.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Romans 8:9
Look at how the Satanists function; they are focused. They know what their assignment is, and they remain vigilant in carrying it out in order to appease their god.
What about us who are serving the one true and living God? What is our goal? What is our purpose? God will not force us to do anything against our own will, but He does tell us what are the consequences of living a carnal life.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Romans 8:12-13
May God help us to be vigilant and sober-minded so that we can live and walk in the Spirit. Let us be spiritually minded.
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8
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