Sermon Central
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The Reset Of Your Mindset Series
Contributed by Mark Opperman on Sep 26, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: God wants to change the way we think and the way we live! Our primary focus is on the mind today, since that is where our actions originate. Let’s take a look at our mindset and ask God to help us change where we need to change.
The Reset of Your Mindset
I. Evaluate your Mindset – search me, O God
II. Surrender your Mindset – you are controlled by the Spirit
III. Redirect your Mindset – things above, transform, capture, God-thoughts
IV. Encourage your Mindset – The Spirit can help you change! Resurrection life now and yet to come.
Intro: Author Craig Groeschel wrote a book titled, The Christian Atheist. He defines a Christian atheist as someone who believes in God, but lives as if he doesn’t exist. In the preface of his book, he writes, “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I see this kind of atheism in myself. People might assume that a pastor wouldn’t struggle with any form of atheism, but I certainly do. Sadly, Christian Atheism is everywhere. There has to be a better way to live. This book is for anyone courageous enough to admit to their hypocrisy. I hope it pushes you, challenges you, and disturbs you. And if you’re honest before God — as I am trying to be — perhaps together we can shed some of our hypocrisy and live a life that truly brings glory to Christ.”
-Please allow me to echo his thoughts and say that I too see this kind of atheism in myself at times. There are times when I say or do things that do not bring honor to the Lord. And what’s worse, there are times when it does not seem to bother me as much as it should. I have a friend on FB who posted these words recently: “You will never change what you tolerate.” So if I or any of us want to change the way we live and the way we think, we are going to have to come to a place where we no longer accept things the way they are!
-Most of you are probably familiar with what is commonly known as the Prayer of Serenity by Reinhold Niebuhr. If not, it is printed on the back of your bulletin in its original form. I’ll read it in one of its most popular forms: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” The problem is that sometimes we don’t know the difference. We assume that we cannot change because this is who we are. We have allowed our failures to define us, and we have based our identity on who we are at our worst. We’ve accepted what we’re sure we cannot change, but the serenity did not come with it! Why? Because God has a different plan for you! You do have an enemy who wants you to accept defeat, but God says, “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
-So today I believe the Lord wants to give you hope for a turnaround. He wants your future to be different and more blessed than you have imagined it! And He wants to do this through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to all who have called on His name!
-God wants to change the way we think and the way we live! Our primary focus is on the mind today, since that is where our actions originate. Let’s take a look at our mindset and ask God to help us change where we need to change.
I. Evaluating our Mindset
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
-The word “mind” refers to disposition or attitude. It is your way of thinking about life. Some would call it a paradigm or a worldview or perspective. It involves more than your ability to think or form thoughts. It has to do with the way you see God, the way you see truth, the way you see others, and the way you see yourself. It is a collection of all of your presuppositions or assumptions that guide the way you think and choose, and live.
-I believe we can evaluate our mindset based on how we think about various situations in life. When faced with decisions about what we will believe or what we will do, here are some telling questions we can ask ourselves that come right out of vv.5-8.
