There are only two realms of existence.  There is the physical realm in which we live and the spiritual realm where spiritual beings live.  The physical realm in which we live we contact it through our bodies.  Our five senses and our minds give us the ability to understand this realm and how to manipulate in it.  Since this is the only realm that we see, feel, touch, smell, and hear doesn’t mean there isn’t another realm.  There is another realm that is beyond the sight of our eyes or our five senses.  There are other laws that govern the realm of the spirit and those laws supersede the laws that govern the physical realm. There are four major spiritual laws that govern the physical realm: the law of love and the law of faith, the law of confession.   These three laws supersede any law in the physical realm.  Another law that exists in both realms and supersedes any law in the physical realm is the law of the Spirit of life.  But all these laws and are motivated and work by the law of love.  

1^st Thessalonians 5:23. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This scripture talks about three parts that make up man, spirit, soul, and body.  The spirit is who the man is and the soul is the man’s intellect and emotions, the body is the part of man that deals with the natural realm or the physical realm.  It is the temple in which the man lives in.  So you could say it like this: I am a spirit that has a soul and lives in a body. The body is the part of man that we use to manipulate in the physical realm it is also the part of man where lays the carnal or sinful nature.  It is what we use to yield to the will of God or to sin. 

Romans 12:1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The word sacrifice means the forfeit of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim.  If it isn’t valuable then it would not be a sacrifice.  If it was easy then it wouldn’t be a sacrifice.  It means to take a loss.  That is our reasonable service it to present our bodies a living sacrifice.  In other words we are to have control over our bodies and not let it rule over us with its desires.  You will always have desires or lusts but we are not to allow those desires dominate us or control us.

Romans 6:12-14. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.      

This is the act of holiness!  Understand holiness is not earned but is bestowed on you by Christ, although, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil 2:12)  There is a lot more to be said about that subject but I am going to leave it there for now. 

 

Flesh or Spirit Ruled

 

1^st Corinthians 3:1-4.  And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Notice that Paul in this scripture is talking to Christians and not unbelievers.  So Christians can be dominated by their flesh and walk in the lust of their flesh.  He called them babes in Christ.  As believers who love Christ I can say that we desire to know Christ and to follow him and to grow in him and to draw closer to him.  I believe that I can speak for every believer in that respect

1^st Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:

All that is needed for growth is the milk of the word, with the milk of the word of God you can grow and develop your spirit. Notice what Paul did to try to remedy the problem with the Corinthians, he said that he fed them with the milk to get them to a point of being not ruled by their carnal nature.  The beginning point is the word of God.  With an undisciplined and out of control body you will be dominated by your sinful nature.  The beginning point is what we need to look at.  Before we were born again we were fulfilling the lust of the flesh and the mind.

Ephesians 2:1-3.  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked ACCORDING TO THE COURSE OF THIS WORLD, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the FLESH AND OF THE MIND; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

After we were born again all we knew was this past life and learned how to walk in it but when Jesus recreated our spirits in his likeness and cleansed us from our sins we began a journey of learning how to walk it out. 

Romans 8:5-7. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

The KJV veils this scripture just a little, so I want to clear it up a little. To “mind the things of the flesh” is simply just focusing your thoughts on carnal behavior or just letting your mind think whatever it wants to think.  This is the battle that must be won the battle of your mind and what it thinks.  It takes discipline to begin to dominate the thought patterns of your mind and controlling what it thinks.  Thank God for the word of God that gives us what we need to be victorious.  Thank God for the Holy Spirit that leads us into all truth.  Thy Word is Truth!

Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Notice what that scripture says that we are to renew our minds.  The only way that a person can change his thinking into what God is thinking is to know the word of God.  God’s word is his thoughts it is what he is thinking.

1^st Peter 1:13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind…..

Basically Peter is just saying take control of the things that you allow your mind to think on.  If you allow your mind to think on the desires and lusts of your body you will eventually give in to them. You determine that you will have your mind think on God’s word, your mind will begin to rebel and fight against you, but this takes discipline and it does not come over night. Look at these scriptures.

Isaiah 55:8-11. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

This is the case for a carnal Christian who does not allow his mind to be renewed.

1^st Corinthians 2:14-16. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man, for who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But WE HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.

With the spiritual transformation that has taken place when were born again and combined with the word of God renewing our mind will transform us mentally and physically.  It will affect the way we see the world and it will cause us to affect the world we live in.

Hebrews 8:10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

 

Controlling What You Think
 

Now if you have read anything that I have written then you know that I have said that the mind will be attacked in three ways: suggestions, thoughts and ideas. What do you do when you notice a thought coming at you that you know that isn’t what you know to be godly and pure and causes you to feel defeated and leaves your self esteem ridden in guilt?

1^st step is noticing that it is there. If you are aware of the thought, suggestion or idea is there then you are on your way to victory over the very thing that is trying to bind you.

2^nd take captive of the thought, suggestion or idea and bring it to obedience to the knowledge of God.

2^nd Corinthians 10:4-6. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

This takes discipline and it is not mastered overnight. So do not be down on yourself if you don’t succeed every time.  The small victories will soon turn into large victories and you will see victory in areas of your mind that you have not thought possible.  Also be aware that some of the thoughts that may be attacking your mind can definitely be demonically inspired, so take authority over him and cast him away in the name of Jesus.

3^rd replace those thoughts with thoughts that are inspired by the word of God.

Philippians 4:6-8. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, SHALL KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever thing are of good report; if there b any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

Pastor Jim Whitfield

...Pastor Jim Whitfield is a 1978 graduate of RHEMA Bible Training Center and is ordained by Kenneth Hagin Ministries. Pastor Jim has pastored in the denominational setting as well as pioneering works in Kansas and North Carolina. Called by God to teach His people faith with a mandate to Reach the Nations, Teach the Nations and Change the Nations, Pastor Jim brings the Biblical office of Teacher to this area.

 

 

Eagles' Nest Christian Fellowship
11100 Fellowship Dr.
Raleigh,. NC. 27617
Phone: (919) 846-0470
Fax: (919) 596-1636
Email: encf@eaglesnest.org
www.eaglesnest.org