"We will get no closer to feeling the presence of our Savior until our hearts and thought life measure up the the actions we put on display for others to see."
If you're mind isn't completely focused on glorifying God and pleasing Him, then chances are your mind is not where it needs to be. The root of all sin is within us. We were born into sin. So naturally sin has been filling up our minds. BUT, as a born again Christian, the day you gave your life over to Christ, you laid down your old life. You gave up the sinful nature you had. Jesus Christ willingly gave himself so that we could live without the bondage of sin. So if this is the case, if we are really free from sin, then why do we continually give into the same sins that ruled over us before we surrendered our lives to Christ?
We all have a past. Some very different from others, but we all have them. We know what they are, God knows what they are, other people might even know our pasts. But there is someone that knows the sins you struggled with, the sins you use to be so enticed with, and the "joy" you thought it brought you. That person is satan. And because of the knowledge he has of our lives before Christ, he knows our weaknesses. He knows what to put in our path that once made us give into sin. But, satan has absolutely no knowledge of what is going on in our minds. He is not omniscient. He knows what we choose to reveal to him with our words and actions, but he does not know the depths of our minds. The only person with the power and ability to know our every thought, is our Heavenly Father. He knows when our thoughts are pure. Which means he also knows when our thoughts are not glorifying to him, when they are to go ahead and sin, to just give in to the worlds pleasures.
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5
Are we doing this? Are we taking control of our minds? If you think your mind is pure and you don't think you fill your minds with idols, greed, lust, covetousness..then ask yourself why exactly you fall into sin. Is it because life is just hard sometimes and you don't realize what your doing? Wrong. It is in our minds that we belittle the power God has and we take it upon ourselves to justify sin. Sin is sin. And God hates sin. Too often we think, "God doesn't care about this sin, it's such a small thing for him to worry about." I'm telling you right now, that is a lie from satan in order for us to continue into sin and continue to justify it. We are at a eternally scary place when we reach the point in our lives that offending God by sinning against him no longer terrifies us.
"Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes?" 2 Samuel 12:9. "But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord.." 2 Samuel 12:14
My prayer is that we will take control of our minds. Stop believing satan's lies that you can get away with sin. God knows your heart. He knows what you're filling your mind with. And He has the power to help you overcome whatever sin you are struggling with. Don't give into sin, instead give it over to God and seek his face in every trial and temptation. The more you seek His face and live for His glory, the harder it is to sin against Him.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with ALL YOUR MIND and with all your strength." Mark 12:30
