How To Have A Great Life #2                                        January 14, 2007 AM

Change My Life, Change My Mind

⁵ 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.  ⁹ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.  (Romans 8:3-11)

The secret to changing my life: Changing my Mind

    Be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2)

    We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5)

    For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. (Prov. 23:7, NIV)

4 Biblical ways I change my mindset:

1. Focus On Good, Not The Bad

    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 (8:5)

    You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious– the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (Phil. 4:8, Message)

2. Focus On Results, Not The Desires

    For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (8:6)

    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, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (8:7-8)

3. Focus On Your New Identity, Not Your Old

    However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness (8:9-10)

4. Focus On God’s Power, Not Will Power

    But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (8:11)

    Fix your thoughts on Jesus (Heb. 3:1, NIV)