Mindset

“Without the Holy Spirit, all you have is your strength and your power. And that lasts about as long as your will power can take you. And eventually it will fail. But… as a Christian, you have access to the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.” 
- Pastor Tony Walliser

“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. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
- Romans 8:5-6 NIV

In this passage in Romans, Paul describes the classic battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Really asking the following:
“On what is your mind set? On what are you focused on? Satisfying your own flesh desires or what the Holy Spirit desires?”
 
Our families are growing up in a society that has already been through the “ME” generation and the X and Y Generation that, while doing some good things, saw the deterioration and graying of moral values. Through those generations, it became all about ME. Satisfying my own desires first and foremost. With little regard to the needs or feelings of others.
 
That’s why I like such movements as the “I Am Second” movement. The movement that has famous actors, athletes, CEOs sharing why they are second and God is first. These kinds of things send a great reminder of who we are supposed to be as followers of Jesus.
 
As a Believer… that is, as a follower of Jesus, I need to evaluate my heart and my mindset on a daily (if not hourly) basis.
Am I being ruled by the flesh and my fleshly desires?
Am I allowing the world (or even the world around me) to form my thoughts, actions and opinions?
Am I allowing the flesh to rule my desires?
 
Or am I being formed and shaped by the Holy Spirit living within me?
Allowing the Spirit’s desire for life and peace to rule me?
Allowing my decisions, choices, actions and thoughts to be directed by the Spirit within me?
 
It’s a classic battle that wages within us all - The Flesh vs The Spirit.
 
Which will you be governed by?
 
On what is your mind set?

Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem