SUSTAINING THE RIGHT MINDSET BY THE WORD

MONDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2021

In Christ Jesus, your mindset is important. The right mindset helps us to live a successful Christian life with little effort. To develop and have the right mindset - in terms of what it feels like, how it functions and the ways it influences our outcomes in life, we must take personal decisions to live according to the Word in full force.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 14:20 Amplified Bible (AMP) "Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults]."

This instruction is for both Christ brothers and sisters: It says, "Stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature." If you are born again, you have to be mindful of your desire. This is because our desires are either fueled by the right or wrong thinking or thought pattern. For this reason, Paul says, "In your thinking", be this or that!

This shows that each one of us holds the very key to our own advancement in Christ - by the Spirit. If you are interested in making tremendous progress in the things of the Spirit and in your life's purpose, then your thinking and mindset must change by getting them upgraded with the Word. Paul used the word "infant" to suggest how we must react to matters of evil, negative way of life and worldly desires. He said, "be completely innocent and inexperienced." In another sense, don't ever master the wrong acts, rather be sure to lack the interest and always let them escape your notice.

Evidently, Paul didn't stop there; he also told us how to think: "But in your minds be mature [adults]." To come to the point where you think, imagine or reason maturely, it suggests that we must go for the higher wisdom and truths of the gospel. In 1st Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul says, "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?…"

In Christ, our ruling or guiding principles come from the Word and also we are led by the person of the Holy Spirit. The Word gives us a winning attitude and a positive mindset in regard to our Christian faith. However we must be determined to maintain our Christian purity as befitting the children of light and then go for the greater truths of the Word so we can be mature in our thinking. The Bible says, "We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing" (1 Corinthians 2:6 NKJV). This is a special wisdom which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory.

Hebrews 5:12-14 (NIV) talks about the elementary truths of God's Word which represent milk, not solid food! It further says, "Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

Any Christian who honestly seeks to grow in his or her faith walk and to feed on the solid food of the Word, must always apply the Word to their life's situations, exercise their faith muscles from time to time, and dominate the negative precept of functioning with worldly desires. Be innocent when it comes to any kind of evil and its appearances. Let the predominant force behind your thought pattern be the Word; allow it to shape your mindset to be in sync with the mind of Christ. Then you can become mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ, and manifesting His light in your world. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 3:15; Ephesians 4:11-14; Galatians 4:19.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank you for teaching me that the state of being mature and successful in the things of the Spirit is a function of the right mindset. As I learn daily through meditation on the Word to think and act with maturity, I develop the right and higher godly perspective, which makes the difference in my Christian walk and in my world. Gracefully, I rejoice everyday in the light of the glory of Christ, in Jesus' Name, Amen!