March 17th
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[a] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1: 13-16 ESV
In this passage, Peter gives us some important principles concerning mind control that will help us in striving for holiness.
Holiness is often characterized as impossible for us to achieve, since we are imperfect humans. Granted, many if not most people fail in striving for holiness, but that does not mean that it is unattainable in Christ. Since God commanded us to be holy, it must be possible through Jesus, otherwise the command would be ludicrous.
Though mind control is often associated with the occult, the mind control Peter was alluding to here was a good kind of mind control. Indeed, it is a discipline that every freedom seeker will have to master if he or she desires to be holy. It basically involves taking dominion over our minds and making Christ Lord over our thoughts.
While we lived as slaves to sin, we allowed sin to be lord over our thoughts. We used our thoughts to serve our sinful passions and found ourselves further enslaved. As redeemed people, now children of God, we have the authority in Christ over our thoughts and CAN bring them into obedience to Jesus.
The specific actions we can take to control our minds include:
- Prepare our minds for action
- Exerting self-control over our thoughts (e.g. resisting temptation, taking thoughts captive to obedience of Christ, casting down sinful imaginations, etc.)
- Setting our hope fully on the grace extended to us from Jesus Christ
- Not conforming to the evil desires we had previously
We could write an essay on each of those actions. The point is that we have to take control of our thoughts and bring them into alignment with God. If we continue to let our thoughts run into our former fantasies, our physical actions will eventually follow into flagrant sin. All sin starts in the thoughts.
God gives us the best power source available to tame our minds and redirect our energies into the good works that he has called us to. The power source is the Holy Spirit, who transforms and renews our minds as we walk with God (Romans 8:11).
The Holy Spirit gives life to our mortal minds and strengthens us to think right and live right. Paul wrote: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2 NIV).
Questions for further thought:
Why is it so important to control our thoughts?
What kinds of sin can be committed in our thoughts?
What actions can we take to “prepare our minds for action”?
What is the process through which we are transformed into the “new person” in Christ? (Romans 12:2)
Prayer:
“Lord God, Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for the forgiveness of my sins through Jesus. I confess that I have allowed my thoughts to run into sin in the following ways:_________ (list as appropriate). Please forgive me and strengthen me to retake dominion over my mind and make it conform to the mind of Christ. I want to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Please lead me through that renewal process. Thank you, Father! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!”