Living His WordSample

According to the Apostle Paul, there is the mind of the Spirit and there is the mind of the flesh. The mind of the flesh is the mind of an individual person governed by the sinful spiritual state, but the mind of the Spirit is the mind of an individual person governed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:6). These two mindsets stand opposed to one another.

The mind of an individual person governed by the Spirit is the mind of a Christian who believes in faith that they have whatever good thing they ask of God (Mark 11:24). If, however, that person’s mind allows the flesh, the old sinful spiritual state that was “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 5:24), to influence its thinking, then a conflict is set up. On the one hand, there is faith in God and, on the other hand, there is doubt that God will come through.

James likens the Christian person that allows doubt to enter the picture to a wave tossed about by the wind. Every Christian has had wave experiences, has experienced being tossed back and forth between faith and doubt. Every Christian knows what it’s like to be double-minded and unstable. It’s not a pleasant experience.

James also says that when we are being tossed by the wind we should not expect to receive what we ask of the Lord. It’s obviously very important, then, that we stop allowing ourselves to be tossed about like waves. It’s very important that we stand fast in the “peace of God that transcends understanding” that comes to us when we present our requests to God (Philippians 4:7).

Today, let us make up our minds that we will not allow the flesh to rob us of our peace by doubting the God who can even do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).