Seven Characteristics of the Mind of the Flash

 

1.   The mind of the flesh doubts God. Trusting a God, who isn’t visible, just doesn’t make sense to our flesh.

 

a.   From the moment we identify God’s voice and determine to obey it, we should expect our flesh’s sense, reason, and desire to start it’s doubtful discourse.

 

b.   The presence of these doubtful thoughts isn’t proof that we don’t love God. They are proof that we have two minds at war within us.

 

c.   Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God.

 

2.   The mind of the flesh promotes fear.

 

a.   The chief objective of our flesh is to paralyze our obedience to God.

 

b.   Specifically our flesh will attempt to create fear in us by whispering lies about God’s character and plans for us.     

 

3.   The mind of the flesh works to avoid uncomfortable circumstances.

 

a.   The voice of our flesh will always tell us to take the easy way out.

 

b.   Be prepared for the mind of the flesh to twist the truth even lies.

 

4.   The mind of the flesh uses intellect & abilities to undermine faith. 

 

a.   Intellect produces a surplus amount of reasoning ability.

 

b.   Throughout our life, the mind of the flesh will use our intellect to challenge a walk of faith.

 

c.   It will cause us to question God when we should simply obey. Matthew 18:3.

 

Isaiah 47: 10, “For God in His wisdom saw to it that the world would never find God through human brilliance.”  1 Corinthians 3:18-19, “If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.”

 

5.   The mind of the flesh encourages sin. 

 

a.   It is a formidable enemy because it lives within us.

 

b.   For that reason it has access to influence our fear at any time. James 1:22, “Its reasoning power can deceive us.”

 

c.   It deceives us most successfully when its voice mixes truth with error.

 

d.   The truth is, with every purposeful choice we make to enjoy sin; we take the risk of being enslaved by that sin.

 

Romans 6:16, “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”

 

6.   The mind of the flesh has a goal to conform us to the world.

 

a.   Just as God’s Word has the power to transform us into His image, the god of this world has power to conform us to his.

 

b.   There is no just me option. There is me under the influence of Holy Spirit and there is me under the influence of the spirit of this age.  

 

c.   Each day, through our obedience to God, or lack of it, we are increasingly reflecting the God of Heaven to others or the god of this world to others.

 

d.   To achieve its goal our flesh will tell us we must compromise Biblical behavior for the sake of peace and unity. Audible thoughts will caution us to keep the straight laces of our gospel to ourselves so we don’t offend anyone. But Romans 9 tells us Jesus and what He teaches does offend people. John 7:7, “The world…hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.”

 

e.   The next time a voice whispers that a little sin won’t hurt we had better consider whether or not we really want to risk of darkness being seen in us.

 

7.   The mind of the flesh provides a door for Satan.

 

a.   Jesus recognized the voice of Satan behind the words of Peter’s human wisdom and said, “…Get behind me Satan! For you do not have a mind intent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men.”

 

b.   Proverbs 14: 12 warned, “There is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

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