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Resetting The Settings Of The Old Mind


       “I am sorry” was always the refrain of Franklin with his wife of many years. Since he came to the Lord a few years ago he realized that he uttered those words more often than any set of words in a day. In fact a day does not go by without his saying them to God or someone. Unfortunately, his wife, a wonderful child of God had started growing impatient with him on account of those words. Instead of her usual reply of “okay darling” she now says “that is what you keep saying”! You may feel like Franklin, in all sincerity you are truly sorry but you find yourself offending again and again on the same issue. You have prayed, fasted and even set rules for yourself but you find yourself stumbling in following the Lord Jesus Christ. Friend, no matter how well intentioned we may be, if our minds are not reset to be like that of Christ’s we will find ourselves doing things we never originally set out to do. That is why we must renew, recalibrate and reset our minds by allowing the seed of God’s Word to settle in our minds. For seed to be planted in soil, the ground must be broken up and every strange seedling or plant uprooted and taken away, if not it will choke the good seed when it begins to germinate. Same with the mind of a child of God! 
       If a man’s mind is set on the things of the flesh, his mind will be ruled by it. No matter how much a man tries he would always act out his mind. Apostle Paul in Romans 7:17-20 (MSG) “But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.” What a dilemma! This is what so many children of God face on a daily basis. Friend, the way our old mind is set is the basis for our actions, attitudes and behavioral pattern. Hence the need to examine the old natural mind in the light of God’s word to re-set it. Anything a man sets his mind upon is what he thinks about and what he aims at achieving. If you believe that you cannot be influential unless your bank account is fat, that will be the controlling force over your mind and that is all you will aim at achieving. This idea is what will form the bedrock of your understanding and behavior. If you set your mind on pleasing the Lord at all cost that is what you will keep thinking about and always aim at achieving. Your desire will be towards the things of the Lord and your behavior will be to please Him. For instance, if you switch on the radio or television, your reception quality is based on the frequency it is set to; so is our mind. You cannot set or tune your mind to the things of the earth and hope to receive the things of the Spirit. 
       You are born again, Praise God, but for transformation to take place your mind must be reset. Colossians 3:2 says “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” However, before you can set your mind on things above, you have to undo the settings of your old mind. This is necessary before your mind can be renewed successfully with the Word of God. The old mind is set on what the human nature wants not what God wants and no matter how much you try to serve God with that mind, it will only produce what the human nature wants! There must be a conscious effort on your part to do away with worldly perceptions of things and deliberately seek God’s views on them and stick to them. As you do this you will find your mind tuning to the things of God then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. God bless you.

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