Set Your Mind

Scripture Text

Colossians 3:1-4

Intro: If you’re wondering why it’s so difficult to control your thoughts and maintain your faith, remember that your mind reflects what you feed it. The apostle Paul in these verses, knowing how important our thoughts are, gives us some wise advice on how to help control our thoughts and maintain our faith. We should think on these things!

I. Think about our resurrection with Christ. Colossians 3:1 (NKJV) ¹ If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Romans 6:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. A believer's life is a life that is raised with Christ. When a person believes, asks for forgiveness of their sins and really surrenders their life to Christ, God forgives the person's sins and accepts them in Christ. God begins to consider the person as having died to sin and risen with Christ

II. Think on things above. Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. If you desire to become all that the Father created you to be, you must (set) or put (your mind) in a particular place, prioritize that which is above and not here below. Fill your mind with His ways and the principles found in His word! We are to not let the things of this earth control the thoughts of our mind and heart. The things on earth are temporary and the Things above are permanent.

III. Think of having died to this life. Colossians 3:3 (NKJV) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. This is the reason we are to set our minds on things above. The moment we received Jesus Christ as our Savior, we were made new creations, we died to our old life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Paul explains true Christian behavior is putting on the new self in Christ and regarding the earthly nature as dead. We change our moral and ethical behavior by letting Christ live and reign within us, controlling our minds so that he can shape us into what we should be. The resurrected Christ gives us power through His Spirit to live victoriously over the sins and trials of this world and to bear the fruit of God's Spirit as we walk throughout this world. Our life now is hidden with Christ in God, it is not in this world.

IV. Think of your resurrected body.Colossians 3:4 (NKJV) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Our thoughts and praise should center upon the wonderful the new and glorious body God has promised us. The resurrection of Christ gives us a living hope, the hope of glory. The resurrection of Christ Jesus guarantees our resurrection. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (NKJV) ¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive

     and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 Our minds and praise should focus upon the glory of heaven which shall be ours when either God takes us home or Christ returns. The resurrection assures that God will judge the world by Christ.

     Our minds and prayers should be focused upon evangelism and the terrible fact that the wrath of God’s judgment is upon all unbelievers. Every Christian will have to give an account to Christ and all those who have rejected Him will be eternally separated from God in Hell, a place of unimaginable fire, darkness and eternal torment.

Conclusion: You must ask God to help you sift through everything that enters your mind each day and choose for God’s truth to take precedence in your life. It’s your choice, an act of your will.

 Prayer and Invitation: Lord Jesus we want to honor You by the way we think. Please reveal and purge the thoughts that displease You, and if there is anyone reading this today that does not know You as their personal Savior and Lord, we ask that You might have Your way in those hearts and call them unto You this day. We pray and ask these blessings in Your name Lord Jesus. Amen!