Transforming Mindsets: Choosing Spirit Over Flesh

Devotional

Day 1: Mindset as a Map

Our mindset acts as a map, guiding our actions and decisions. Paul emphasizes that setting our minds on the Spirit rather than the flesh is a daily, moment-by-moment choice. This isn't a one-time decision but a continual process of aligning our thoughts with God's will. Just as a map directs us to our destination, our mindset shapes the path we take in our spiritual journey. By focusing on the Spirit, we allow God to guide us toward a life of purpose and fulfillment. [32:13]

Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Reflection: What specific thoughts or attitudes do you need to change today to align more closely with God's will? How can you make this a daily practice?

Day 2: Neural Pathways and Spiritual Growth

Modern science shows that our thoughts create neural pathways, making it easier to follow the same mental routes repeatedly. This can be beneficial if our thoughts are positive and aligned with God's will, but detrimental if they are not. We must be intentional about setting our minds on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. By doing so, we create mental habits that lead us closer to God and His purposes for our lives. [35:23]

Philippians 4:8 (ESV): "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

Reflection: Identify one negative thought pattern you struggle with. What positive, God-aligned thought can you replace it with today?

Day 3: Consequences of Our Choices

Setting our minds on the flesh leads to death and destruction, while setting our minds on the Spirit brings life and peace. Paul uses agricultural metaphors to illustrate that the seeds we plant in our minds will eventually bear fruit, whether good or bad. This isn't just about eternal life but about experiencing God's peace and joy now. The choices we make daily have profound impacts on our spiritual well-being and the quality of our lives. [44:04]

Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV): "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Reflection: What "seeds" are you planting in your mind today? Are they leading you toward life and peace or away from it?

Day 4: The Role of the Law

The law reveals our need for a Savior and isn't something we follow to earn God's love. Instead, it serves as a guide to help us love others well. As we set our minds on the Spirit, we become transformed, making the teachings of Jesus our natural way of living. The law points us to our need for grace and helps us understand how to live in a way that reflects God's love to those around us. [56:18]

Romans 7:12 (ESV): "So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."

Reflection: How can you use the principles of God's law to guide your actions today in a way that shows love to others?

Day 5: Urgency and Transformation

Paul’s message carries a sense of urgency. We must not waste the time we have but use it to set our minds on the Spirit. This transformation isn't just about escaping the penalty of sin but about experiencing the freedom and joy that comes from living according to God's will. The urgency is not just for our eternal destiny but for the quality of our lives here and now. [01:02:07]

Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel a sense of urgency to change? How can you start making that change today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Menlo Church! Today, we continue our summer series, "Beyond the Basics," diving into what many consider the greatest chapter in the Bible. We are exploring the profound truths in Romans, focusing on how our mindset shapes our spiritual journey.

We began by acknowledging how we often ignore instructions and warnings in life, much like we do with our faith. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, emphasizes the importance of continually setting our minds on the Spirit rather than the flesh. This isn't a one-time decision but a daily, moment-by-moment choice. Our mindset acts as a map, guiding our actions and decisions. Paul contrasts two types of people: those who live according to the flesh and those who live according to the Spirit. He urges us to examine our mindset, asking whether it protects or infects us.

Paul's teachings align with modern science, which shows that our thoughts create neural pathways, making it easier to follow the same mental routes repeatedly. This can be beneficial if our thoughts are positive and aligned with God's will, but detrimental if they are not. We must be intentional about setting our minds on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable, as Paul advises in Philippians.

We also discussed the consequences of setting our minds on the flesh, which leads to death and destruction, versus setting our minds on the Spirit, which brings life and peace. Paul uses agricultural metaphors to illustrate that the seeds we plant in our minds will eventually bear fruit, whether good or bad. This isn't just about eternal life but about experiencing God's peace and joy now.

Finally, we touched on the law and its role in revealing our need for a Savior. The law isn't something we follow to earn God's love but a guide to help us love others well. As we set our minds on the Spirit, we become transformed, making the teachings of Jesus our natural way of living.

###

Key Takeaways

1. by-moment choice. This isn't a one-time decision but a continual process of aligning our thoughts with God's will. [32:13]
2. Neural Pathways and Spiritual Growth: Modern science shows that our thoughts create neural pathways, making it easier to follow the same mental routes repeatedly. This can be beneficial if our thoughts are positive and aligned with God's will, but detrimental if they are not. We must be intentional about setting our minds on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable.

3. Consequences of Our Choices: Setting our minds on the flesh leads to death and destruction, while setting our minds on the Spirit brings life and peace. Paul uses agricultural metaphors to illustrate that the seeds we plant in our minds will eventually bear fruit, whether good or bad. This isn't just about eternal life but about experiencing God's peace and joy now.

4. The Role of the Law: The law reveals our need for a Savior and isn't something we follow to earn God's love. Instead, it serves as a guide to help us love others well. As we set our minds on the Spirit, we become transformed, making the teachings of Jesus our natural way of living.

5. Urgency and Transformation: Paul’s message carries a sense of urgency. We must not waste the time we have but use it to set our minds on the Spirit. This transformation isn't just about escaping the penalty of sin but about experiencing the freedom and joy that comes from living according to God's will.

### [32:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:56] - Introduction to the Series
[27:15] - Importance of Context
[27:36] - Recommended Resource
[28:20] - Opening Prayer
[29:06] - Ignoring Instructions
[30:25] - The Problem of Drifting
[31:12] - Paul's Message to Rome
[32:13] - Examining Our Mindset
[33:30] - Living According to the Flesh vs. Spirit
[35:23] - Neural Pathways and Spiritual Growth
[36:31] - Choosing What We Want Now vs. Later
[38:00] - Setting Our Minds on the Spirit
[39:46] - Fueling Our Minds
[41:19] - Finding Premium Mental Fuel
[44:04] - Consequences of Our Choices
[45:59] - Sowing and Reaping
[48:15] - Life and Peace
[49:03] - Works of the Flesh
[50:56] - Living According to the Spirit
[52:11] - Deceiving Ourselves
[53:13] - Hostility to God
[54:32] - The Law and Its Purpose
[56:18] - Transformation and Urgency
[58:12] - Following the Moral Law
[59:16] - Teacher Conference Analogy
[60:05] - Invitation to Follow Jesus
[61:19] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Romans 8:5-6, what are the two different mindsets Paul describes, and what are their outcomes?
In Philippians 4:8, what qualities does Paul encourage believers to focus their thoughts on?
What does Galatians 6:7-8 say about the principle of sowing and reaping, and how does it relate to our choices?

Interpretation Questions

How does setting our minds on the Spirit, as described in Romans 8:5-6, lead to life and peace in our daily lives? [44:04]
Why does Paul emphasize the importance of focusing on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable in Philippians 4:8? How can this focus transform our mindset? [40:01]
What does Paul mean by "sowing to the flesh" and "sowing to the Spirit" in Galatians 6:7-8, and what are the long-term consequences of each? [46:14]
How does the concept of neural pathways, as mentioned in the sermon, align with Paul's teachings on mindset and spiritual growth? [35:23]

Application Questions

Reflect on your current mindset. Are there areas where you are setting your mind on the flesh rather than the Spirit? What practical steps can you take to shift your focus? [32:13]
Think about the media and content you consume daily. How can you ensure that what you are feeding your mind aligns with the qualities listed in Philippians 4:8? [39:46]
Identify a habit or thought pattern that you know is detrimental to your spiritual growth. What is one specific action you can take this week to start changing that habit? [35:57]
Consider the metaphor of sowing and reaping from Galatians 6:7-8. What "seeds" are you currently planting in your life, and what kind of "harvest" do you expect to reap? How can you start planting better seeds? [46:14]
How can you incorporate the teachings of the moral law into your daily life to love others well, as discussed in the sermon? [56:18]
Reflect on a time when you ignored a warning or instruction in your life. How did that experience affect you, and what did you learn from it? How can this lesson apply to your spiritual journey? [29:06]
The sermon mentioned the urgency of setting our minds on the Spirit. What is one area of your life where you feel a sense of urgency to change, and how can you start making that change today? [01:02:07]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Isn't it funny how differently we all relate to tutorials and warnings in our life. It's kind of based on our individual experience. Some of us we know kind of like there are some that are really easy to ignore or just assume. Most of us stopped listening to the safety instructions on airplanes once we didn't have to take out our headphones. Is that a fair assessment? Although I do feel bad about flight attendants so I will sometimes take my headphones out. I'm still checked out. I'm not listening but I look like I'm listening just like to help them." [29:06] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If you have a medication allergy some sort of ingredient you're looking out for you really pay attention to the ingredients of the medications that you have been prescribed. If maybe you are leaving the hospital with your first child you really pay attention to the instructions about how to install the car seat because if you do it incorrectly they will not let you take your child. Right? So there's some that we really pay attention to." [30:05] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Whether you're a Christian or not you are created in the image of God with infinite dignity value and worth. You should be running on premium mental fuel. So what is it? What does it look like for us to even know what to look for in our lives as it relates to how we fuel our mind?" [39:30] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Even if you have been getting away with setting your mind on things that aren't good for you is getting away with really the life that you've been hoping for even if you aren't a Christian even if you're skeptical of faith entirely do you really want to settle for that where you hope today or this week or this month or this year isn't the year that you're going to get found out or the other shoe is going to drop is that really the life you aspire to?" [43:27] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "There are plenty of people hoping for heaven but living like hell because they don't realize that a choice to follow Jesus is about your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven a decision to walk with Jesus forever but that forever starts right here right now." [50:56] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Paul is trying to help a group of people that he has never met realize how important their continued love of God is. Their continued focus is not just on what they think but on how they think. He's building on the power of God's spirit that he started explaining last week in our study." [31:12] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "You won't learn your way out of your dysfunction. You won't. Learning is important but actually you have to let the Spirit of God empower you to live your way into something better and closer to the person and work of Jesus in your life. It's not enough to just know something. We have to do something with it." [35:07] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Sometimes we can feel as though we are recipients of our thoughts that it has nothing to do with us that we couldn't change it if we wanted to but this is such an important facet of the way we think about training our minds. If we've been studying this entire letter together you'd still have the words from chapter 7 Paul's own words ringing in your ears as we read these verses early on in chapter 8." [37:07] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "When we believe that our faith is only about escaping the eventual penalty of sin we will see God's ways as stifling when we see it as only increasingly freeing us from the power of sin we will justify our fleshly impulses and when we see it as only freeing us someday from the presence of sin we will live without any sense of call to live differently today it's understanding the now and not yet aspects of our faith that change us." [55:49] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Paul went to great lengths last week to make sure we understood the law of God was not wrong it was not evil that the hundreds of laws that comprise the Hebrew scriptures that when we think about the law we think about he actually talks about it's our imperfections that get revealed in the law's perfection and our ultimate need for a savior the law did exactly what it was designed to do." [56:18] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?