Living After the Spirit, Not the Flesh

"But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men" (Mk. 8:33). I see it and I hear it among so many brethren in Christ, all the talk about the horrible condition of things in this world, and all the horrific things that are coming. As long as Satan can keep the minds of God's people on the issues of this world, he will be happy; and here is why: "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:5-7). Make no mistake about the "death" issue in this passage my friend. It is referring to separation from God, and that separation will be eternal if one goes to the grave in a carnally minded condition. All of the nervous, obsessive talk among God's people about the condition of this world, the economy, and the social and political issues facing this world; serve only to promote fear and unbelief, not faith. Folks need to make up their minds about what kingdom they are really of. The Bible I read, as well as the Spirit I follow, says the following about what our focus should be; as well as what it should NOT be: "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink [earthly things]; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in THESE things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another" (Rom. 14:17-19). There just isn't anything edifying about staying on the things that are going on with this world. Of course we see it, and of course we are in the middle of it; but if we allow worldly issues take the space in our minds and time, that should be applied to the spiritual issues of the kingdom of God and our own hearts and lives; our faith is not going to be up to the test of what IS coming about in this world.

The apostle Paul admonished Timothy regarding the temptation to get caught up in what is going on with the things of this world: "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (II Tim. 2:4). And Paul also warned the Philippians about ministers who focused on the issues that pertain to this world: "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philip. 3:17-20). Notice how he said that these men, who crusade as ministers of the gospel of Christ, but "mind earthly things;" are actually "enemies" of the gospel. Reason being that "the carnal mind is ENMITY against God," and "those who are AFTER the flesh do MIND the things OF the flesh [this world]." The Spirit of God is not leading God's people to obsess over what is coming upon this world, but rather to "purify [their] hearts" FROM this world (Rom. 8:13,14; I Jn. 3:2,3). If we allow the devil to trick us into focusing on worldly issues, we put ourselves in position to fulfill the following words of Jesus: "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth" (Lk. 21:26). What we need to do is steadfastly follow one of the greatest admonitions that Jesus left us with: "But seek ye first [with top priority] the kingdom of God, and his righteousness ... Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Mat. 6:33,34). Only by so doing can we put ourselves in the position to fulfill THESE following words of Jesus, which he spoke of in reference to the time to come: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh" (Lk. 21:28). Amen.