We Win or Lose by How we Choose
I. The “depraved” mind
There is a battle going on, even as we speak, for the minds of men and women. The enemy of our soul wants nothing less than to destroy the children of God. With a desire of invading our thoughts, he has the hope of manipulation, deception, vexation, and worse. Where our thoughts go our feet will follow.
Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Romans 1:20-32 (NIV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities— his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Titus 1:15-16 (NIV) To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are cor- rupted. 16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are de- testable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
II. Do not live (think) like the unsaved
Ephesians 4:17-19 (NLT) With the Lord’s au- thority let me say this: Live no longer as the un- godly do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed.
Paul uses the strongest language he can with the understanding that he has the sup- portive authority of scripture and of God himself.
Ephesians 4:17a (TMNT) And so I insist—and God backs me up on this. Ephesians 4:17a (NIV) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord,
III. Do not associate with them
1 Corinthians 15:33 (AMP) Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.
“ . . . he who frequents the company of bad or corrupt men will soon be as they are. He may be sound in the faith, and have the life and power of godliness, and at first fre- quent their company only for the sake of their pleasing conversation, or their literary accomplishments: and he may think his faith proof against their infidelity; but he will soon find, by means of their glozing speeches, his faith weakened; and when once he gets under the empire of doubt, unbelief will soon prevail; his bad company will corrupt his morals . . .” —The Adam Clarke Commentary
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slander- ous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
2 Timothy 3:5 (NLT) They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that.
Do not be deceived, if you keep company with those whose minds and consciences have been corrupted, YOUR actions can be compromised and YOUR thought life corrupted. One cannot play with fire and not be scorched or burned. Continue to compassionately evangelize the lost but guard your heart on how intimate you become with them.
IV. Think on spiritual things
Romans 8:5-8 (NASB) For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
We must understand that our thought life will affect our entire life. If we choose to think on those things which are carnal and fleshly, our feet will eventually take us there! Please remember that . . .- Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. Col. 1:21
- If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear. Psalm 66:18
- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
V. The transforming of our minds
Romans 12:1-2 (AMP) I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, {and} beg of you in 
view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service {and} spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, {even} the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service {and} spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, {even} the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Romans 13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
VI. Choose to walk in the light
Remember what was said earlier? Where our minds are, our feet will take us. Choose to think about things that will illuminate your life.
Ephesians 5:8 (NLT) For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it!
1 John 1:7 (NIV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7 (The Message) But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin.
Remember the old saying “GIGO”, garbage in garbage out? What we take in through our eyes, what we allow our minds to dwell on is critical to our emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about any- thing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philip. 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
2 Peter 3:1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
Col. 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
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