What's Your Mindset?

Romans 8:6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

I remember taking golf lessons and trying to hit the ball straight. There were some other players ahead of us and my instructor told me to make sure to focus on the flag or else I would hit the guys standing on the next hole. He said, the brain will subconsciously focus on what you see in your peripheral if you do not focus the mind on where you want the ball to go. You will hit what you don’t want to hit if your mind is not set on your goal. I found this to be true in fishing as well. I can be fishing by a tree, see the tree and tell myself I don’t want to throw into that limb. I bring my pole back, cast my line and where does it go? Right into the limb. The very thing I said I didn’t want to hit, I hit it anyway because of my mindset.

Whatever time you have your alarm clock set for determines what time you wake up. Whatever channel your DVR is set on determines what you see on playback when you get home. Ironically, when I get back in my truck, whatever the last station I played on my radio station comes back on when I power up because it was set on that channel.
Our mind is like a computer whatever we set our mind to that is what we will see, hear, and wake up to. Like a TV set, we come with many pre-sets, programs that contradict our morality but with the right controller we can program our pre-sets so they will not contradict with who we are trying to become.

We must control our mind sets. A mind set on the flesh leads to death while a mind set on the Spirit leads to life and peace.

I was watching Sex Rehab on VH1 with Dr. Drew who said, “Sex addiction is harder to overcome than drug, food, or alcohol addiction because people have to change their mind sets. They have to dig into their psyche to discover the trauma that has had them set on sex instead of dealing with their intimacy issues.” Many sex addicts set their minds on pleasing their flesh to self-medicate a tormented spirit rather than setting their minds on the Spirit. Since their focus is on pleasing the flesh, they keep hitting what is killing them. It is only when they set their minds on their spirit that they are able to overcome the enslavement and consequences of the flesh.
There is an inner conflict in all of us, whether it is sex, food, alcohol, or drugs. Part of us want to do what is Right and the other part wants to do what feels good for the moment which leads to a lot of other moments which leads to shame. How do you overcome the conflict?

We have to change our mind set through the power of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:7 “the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, it does not submit to God’s law indeed it cannot and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

How do I change my mind set?

1. Fasting. Fasting is a spiritual discipline where you deny the body of its cravings so that you show your body who is in control. 1 Corinthians 6:12
[ Sexual Immorality ] "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. Set a time whether it is a day, three days, or 21 days to go without whatever it is that is mastering you. Purge yourself of this need to please the flesh and go into prayer.

2. Re-programming your mind. Romans 12:2 (New International Version)
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Instead of eating when you are lonely, set a schedule to eat when you are supposed to eat. Instead of having sex when you feel empty replace it with intimacy with real friends who care about your soul not just your body. This re-programming comes with the help of a licensed counselor or pastor who can help re-program your mind set.

3. Blocks or filters on your computer/TV/mindset. When you are trying to watch the right things on your computer or TV some people have opted to put parental blocks on their Sets to prevent corrupting influences to come through their screens. Pragmatically, this is a good idea for people trying to change their mindsets but spiritually we need to put in the Word of God to support the practical side. David said in Psalm 119:11

I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Dear God, thank you for the Holy Sprit who changed my mindset. If your Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me, then I know you will give life to our mortal bodies also through the Sprit that dwells in us. Today my mind is set on pleasing the Spirit not my flesh.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.