Point of Grace Worship 4.23.23 Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 3”
One of the greatest rescues the Resurrected Jesus brings is the rescue of our “thinking”!
Romans 12:2 “2 Do not conform 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.
My mind needs rescuing? - The Battlefield of the Mind - Clarity is needed!
Romans 8 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind (mindset) governed by the flesh is death, but the mind (mindset) governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
The “flesh” is the natural state of sinful man we each are born with. Our sinful nature is “self-reliant”! This stands in contrast to the “born again of the Spirit” nature of the Christian who is “Spirit-reliant”! Therefore, the Spirit-reliant me is in tension with the old self-reliant me – Which one will lead my mind today?
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
My identity in Christ is a gift that leads to a change of life everyday – not the other way around!
My identity in Christ means the daily life of my mind gets to be governed more by the Spirit of life and less by my self-reliant flesh!
- Soaking in the presence and truth of Jesus invites Him to govern (leads) my mental narrative every day!
- Rescue from worry! Matthew 6 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
- Consecrating my mental life daily!
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I consecrate my mind to you, I offer my mental life to you and you alone. I surrender my thoughts, attention and focus, my memory, speculation and worry, my understanding, imagination and interpretation of life events, past and present I give it all over to you … for Your leadership and Lordship. I present my thinking life to You Holy Spirit …. I ask you to govern my thinking … I need your provision and protection over my mental life.
“The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Holy Spirit… govern my mind … fill my mind with Life and Peace. Amen