Whose Mind Do You Think With?

Seeing life right often depends upon the stability and guardedness of our thought lives. A mind that is conditioned and fixed on God’s Words and His Will, though opposed and distracted, will not be moved away from obedience. In our passage for devotional consideration there are three ways to see and understand life. Through the perspective of God, through the natural eyes of man, and lastly through the deceptive persuasion. First, we must purpose to see life through the lens of God’s perspective. As we continue to meditate on God’s Word we are able to think through and filter our thoughts about what we see and what God wants us to do. Colossians 1:9-10 tells us that we must have a life of correct and stable spiritual understanding of what God has required and called us to do or there cannot be a life that is worthy of the Lord. Without a knowledge of God’s Will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, which must become to us more than a superficial matter, but a conviction of our heart because it has taken root in us.

Secondly, we could be limited from seeing what God wants us to see because of our human emotions or depending more on what we think than what God has said to us. This is what Peter did when he rebuked the Lord Jesus’ commitment to obey what He clearly understood what the will of God was for Him. Jesus said to Peter in so many words, that you are missing what God has been trying to show you because you are more given to the interest and understanding of men and not to the interest and understanding of God (Matthew 16:23c). Peter is an example that we can miss God’s perspective because of our human emotions and our own understanding of what God wants and is saying to us. Of course when we do not hear, discern, or know God’s will and yet try to speak for Him we can become a stumbling block to the obedience of others (Matthew 16:23b). The Life Application Bible has a note which says,” Be careful of advice from a friend who out of their emotions try to protect us from any discomfort that may come to us when we are committed to obey Good’s Will. Sometimes we cannot speak to others, even those who are close to us, because they are babies in understanding some spiritual things.

Thirdly, we could see life through the lens of Satan’s influence directly (1 John 5:19) or demonic influence throughout the world (Ephesians 6:12). Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) and when we are giving our interest and understanding to the interest of men we have become unguarded and could be influenced and used by Satan as instrument to stand in the way of what God is doing in and through the lives of others (1 Peter 5:8).  Jesus’ rebuke went through Peter right in the face of Satan who was the source of using Peter in his subtle and cunning way. Years later it was Peter used by God to teach us the value of protecting our minds from the infiltration of Satan into our unguarded thoughts (1 Peter 1:13).

Prayer: Father, I confess that my mind is where the battle rages and I find I am most dependent upon the Holy Spirit to break and interrupt these patterns that tempt me to be distracted away from Your call for my obedience. Please protect me in my head and grant I pay a clarity and discernment to always know Your Will and the counterfeit voice of Satan. In Jesus name, amen.
By Pastor Wayne Cockrell.