Conclusion

Paul said we should grow “in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). The only way we do this is by ceasing to be victimized by the flesh, to cease walking with a soul disobedient to our spirit, and to allow our spirit to control our soul.

The Spirit will activate biblical principles and give us the guidance that we need. Then, the character of Jesus and the fruit of the Christian life will be manifested more in us every day. People will see less and less of us and more and more of Jesus. He will then get the glory.

We will be what He originally created us to be: creatures living under the experience of authority. Jesus will be able to look at us and say of us as God was able to say of Him: here is a beloved son or daughter in whom I am well pleased. They keep their lives open and available to Me, so that I can guide their lives.

Christian worship and fellowship are also essential to walking by the Spirit. It is why we are exhorted to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

Have you noticed how wrong thinking and wrong behavior are usually preceded by someone’s lack of Christian fellowship? They no longer want to be held accountable, nor do they want to be reminded of the biblical position of their intended course of action. As a result, they simply give up meeting together.

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Isolated and insulated from the corrective of Christian fellowship, they feel less inhibited toward their disobedient behavior. They are most vulnerable to the immaturity and carnality of independent and selfish thinking and acting. They are easy prey for Satan, who devours the isolated!

Christian worship and fellowship are essential to the process of renewing our minds and walking by the Spirit. As we meet together as the Body of Christ in a church where the Word is faithfully taught and practiced, we nurture the process of mental renewal: “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks” (Ephesians 5:18–20). That last phrase, “always giving thanks,” is what I call developing the attitude of gratitude.

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So often we act like carnal Christians, dominated by the old nature and the fleshly mind, and not having right thinking. But God has given us the mind of the Spirit to guide our thinking. The spirit in us can no more sin than the Spirit of God can sin. Therefore, if we remain obedient to Him, He will give us the guidance and the leadership that we need.

We need to do our part by storing up all the principles of God’s Word so that His Holy Spirit will have the materials He needs to bring these principles out during our times of need. He will give us the guidance and the direction we need, so that at every juncture we can walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh.

When we do go back to our old ways and walk in the flesh, God will help us to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. He can check our hearts and discipline us, so that we can stop walking by the flesh, repent, and once again walk by the Spirit. If we do this, God will glorify Himself in us. We must let Him live in us so that we would be pleasing in His sight.

So, as we close this journey on right thinking, let me repeat one more time the biblical prescription for spiritual and mental health: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excel-

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lent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” What will be the result of such biblical thinking? “The God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8–9).

With the mind of Christ, we can think God’s thoughts after Him. As Paul exhorts, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). And the result of that spiritual mindset is spiritual peace of mind. “The mind governed by the Spirit,” writes Paul, “is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). That way, both our thinking and our living will glorify God. Then and only then will we not become victimized by immature and irrational thinking and behaving.

If you learn to develop the discipline of biblical thinking, you can increasingly live “to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:14). In the process, you will strengthen your relationships, secure the emotional well-being of others, and confirm your example and reputation as a spiritual man or woman. God wants you to have victory in the secret battlefield of the mind. May you be committed to right thinking both now and in the days ahead!

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