Living in Increase (Part 2) - Increase in LoveSample

With All Your Mind

The last area we’ll discuss is how we can love God with all our minds. The word “mind” in Luke 10:27 is the Greek word dianoia, meaning “the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, [and] desiring.” Our mind is a part of our soul, which we briefly discussed earlier this week. Today, however, we want to focus solely on how we can love God with our thoughts and understanding.

As Pastor Craig Groeschel from Life.Church says, “Our lives always move in the direction of our strongest thoughts.” In other words, we are what we think. When we love God with our mind, we allow Him to transform us by “changing the way [we] think” (Romans 12:2) so we become more like Him. We give Him free rein to re-work our thoughts and patterns so that we have the “mindset of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

What does the mindset of Christ look like? Here’s a description of the mentality of Jesus from Philippians 2:

• He didn’t use His equality with God to His own advantage (Philippians 2:6)
• He made Himself nothing (Philippians 2:7)
• He took on the nature of a servant (Philippians 2:7)
• He took on the form of a man (Philippians 2:7-8)
• He humbled Himself (Philippians 2:8)
• He became obedient to death (Philippians 2:8)

We can take away from these points that Christ’s mindset is about humility, service, and obedience. When we have the attitude of humility, service, and obedience, we allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in our minds, and “letting the Spirit control [our] minds leads to life and peace” (Romans 8:6).

Therefore, I encourage you to love God with all your mind today by allowing Him to work in your thoughts. Commit your mind to Him and let Him transform you by changing the way you think!

Emily N. Green

Action Step: Write out one thought that has been weighing you down. Look up Philippians 4:8. Use this verse as a checklist for your thought:

• Is it true?
• Is it honorable?
• Is it right?
• Is it pure?
• Is it lovely?
• Is it admirable?
• Is it excellent?
• Is it worthy of praise?

If it doesn’t follow these guidelines, then it’s not a thought from God! Ask God to help redirect your thoughts so that you will experience life and peace.