01 April 2018
Two-Minute Features | 08 April 2018

We Should Have the Mind of the Spirit, Part 2 (TMF:860)

Friday, April 06, 2018
Peace to Live By: We Should Have the Mind of the Spirit, Part 2 (TMF:860) - Daniel Litton
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       I want us to talk about having the mind of the Spirit. So, in the most basic sense, then, this includes thinking right thoughts. When we think wrong thoughts, fleshly thoughts, it produces negativity in our lives. It causes us to experience the emptiness brought on by sin, which Paul here calls and refers to as ‘death.’ We need to eliminate thoughts that are not approved, or would not be approved, by the Spirit. So, the Spirit will enable us to create the mind of Christ within ourselves. We should work at thinking right thoughts instead of wrong thoughts throughout the day. Remember, Paul told us, “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” (Philippians 4:8, ESV).

We Should Have the Mind of the Spirit, Part 1 (TMF:859)

Thursday, April 05, 2018
Peace to Live By: We Should Have the Mind of the Spirit, Part 1 (TMF:859) - Daniel Litton
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       I want us to talk about having the mind of the Spirit. Let us turn over to Romans chapter 8, perhaps the most famous chapter in the whole Bible. I want us to examine the war between the Spirit and our flesh, as pertains to our minds. Let’s pick up in verse 5. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Romans 8:5-10, ESV).

We Should Resist the Devil Right at the Beginning (TMF:858)

Wednesday, April 04, 2018
Peace to Live By: We Should Resist the Devil Right at the Beginning (TMF:858) - Daniel Litton
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       Number three: The Holy Spirit helps us resist the devil. So, this area of discussion definitely relates to the last one, that of the fact that the Holy Spirit enables us to resist the devil when the occasion arises. And I would tend to think and say that this occurs quite often, a situation where we need to resist a temptation or an attack from the enemy. Truly, Satan is constantly launching warfare on us, trying to get us to get off track. He knows, and we know too, that it only takes the first wrong step, and when uncorrected, that first wrong step will lead to a series of wrong steps, which gets us off track, and then into a downward spiral. It just takes failure, or believing a lie, when he first attacks us or tempts us. That’s why it’s so important to resist the devil right at the beginning. For when we resist him right away, he will flee and there is no further danger, at least in this situation, of us going down the wrong path.

We Cannot Depend on Our Flesh in Life, Part 2 (TMF:857)

Tuesday, April 03, 2018
Peace to Live By: We Cannot Depend on Our Flesh in Life, Part 2 (TMF:857) - Daniel Litton
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       Without God’s help, we would not have success over sin, but we would continue to be stuck in sinful lifestyles and habits. But, with the Spirit’s help, we can better our own lives and be pleasing to God at the same time. Now, sometimes as we study the Word of God, we learn something that the Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to, but it may seem too hard to put into practice. Nevertheless, the Spirit may be convicting us that we need to make a change. We should have faith, follow his lead, and make the change. He will enable us to do what God wants us to do (see also 1 Cor. 10:13). Faith is taking the step forward in the right direction even when we cannot see the end result. It is seeking to make improvement even when the obstacle seems enormous. It is amazing how when we start to choose doing right, how the Holy Spirit enables us to do more and more right. And, as we continue to make the right choices in our area where we need work, we find that making further progress in the right direction becomes easier.

We Cannot Depend on Our Flesh in Life, Part 1 (TMF:856)

Monday, April 02, 2018
Peace to Live By: We Cannot Depend on Our Flesh in Life, Part 1 (TMF:856) - Daniel Litton
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       We should pray that we become sensitive to his conviction, and that he will help us to be aware of his leading. We can depend on our flesh to make improvement in our lives, or we can depend on the Holy Spirit. We need to do all things through the Spirit instead of fleshly efforts. Jesus told us in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (ESV). The Spirit gives us life. He wrote the Word of God, and these words from the Spirit give us spirit and life. In other words, the Spirit enables us to be able to accomplish what God wants us to accomplish—victory against sin and the things that He is leading us to do. Without God’s help, we would not have success over sin, but we would continue to be stuck in sinful lifestyles and habits like those who don’t know God yet. But, with the Spirit’s help, we can better our own lives and be pleasing to God at the same time.