Your Spirit Can't Tell When You're Joking: 6 Marks of a Sound Mind
Dr RJ Sing, 45 min, Part 2 of Solving Life's Problems
Originally preached as “Solving Life's Problems: Mind Management”
Sermon outline
A Christian's mind is not meant to run loose: fill it with God's word until it is peaceful, motivated, renewed, willing, right and under control.
Main text
- Romans 12:1-2
- Proverbs 23:7
Opening
Because time is short he has the communion emblems served while he prays a prayer drawn from Colossians 1, binds every hindering spirit, and speaks jobs, promotion, restoration and debt cancellation over those who brought tithes, offerings and a double tithe. He leads a confession over finances, serves the bread and the cup, and has the church shout 'I am free'. He then says he is continuing last week's sermon on solving life's problems, announces a meeting the next day for leaders and the whole church (confessions, communion and anointing oil), and turns to Romans 12:1.
Present your body, renew your mind: spirit, soul and body
He reads Romans 12:1-2 and Proverbs 23:7, then 1 Thessalonians 5:23 to show that a human being has three dimensions: a body for the physical realm, a soul (the mind) that thinks, decides, perceives, feels and wills, and a spirit that must be fed. Spiritual food is non-negotiable, and renewing the mind is a long journey, not a hundred-metre dash, but every believer can do it, not only pastors.
Illustration: When there is a crisis in the family it is not the time for a barbecue. It is time to call the family together and pray.
“Constantly inundate your mind with the Word of God so that you can start thinking as God thinks.”
- Romans 12:1-2
- Proverbs 23:7
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
- Matthew 4:4
- Ephesians 6:10
Two kinds of minds: the unregenerated mind and the mind of Christ
The unregenerated mind is debased, darkened, blinded and depraved, and it explains why some people are saved and in church yet still live the old way: they have not renewed their minds. The believer has the mind of Christ, a sound and transformed mind, and transforming it means filling it with God's word so that the word takes the place of uncontrollable thoughts, impure pictures, confusion, wandering thoughts and double-mindedness. He warns against foolish jesting because what you say in jest is still recorded on the inside.
Illustration: He says the word 'wicked' comes from 'wicker', wood twisted in knots, so a wicked mind is a mind twisted in knots. Then the chocolate cake: do not say 'I'm dying to have a piece of that'.
“So your spirit man does not know when you are serious or when you are joking.”
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
- Romans 12:2
- Ephesians 5:4
A sound mind has no room for fear
Before giving his six points he has the church stand and repeat the verse on power, love and a sound mind several times until they mean it, then command fear to go. Fear is a tool the devil will use in every arena of life, against you and your children, to make a coward of you.
“Fear is one of the most wicked spirits and a tool of the devil.”
- 2 Timothy 1:7
1. A peaceful mind
The transformed mind of a Christian should first be peaceful. The way to it is to stop being anxious and to bring everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving, so that His peace guards the heart and mind.
“A peaceful mind means a mind full of harmony, calm, contentment, rest and tranquility.”
- Philippians 4:6-7
2. A motivated mind
Trouble and bad news hit everyone, but a Christian's mind stays full of drive, hunger, inspiration and stimulation. You do not float into the things of God. You press, and you fight the good fight of faith.
Illustration: Three things a motivated mind says: this month may be challenging, but in Jesus' name we'll make our targets; there is a lot on my desk, but we'll get through all of this work; we have a bad doctor's report, but we'll overcome.
“You've got to press into the kingdom of God.”
- Philippians 3:14
- 1 Timothy 6:12
3. A renewed mind
Renewed means to begin again, to breathe new life into, to bring up to date. Some believers live on manna from five years ago, repeating what they once learned without picking up their Bibles. God is a now God, so ask what the Spirit is saying today.
Illustration: He once drove past bags of potatoes labelled 'up to date potatoes' and still does not know what that means, or why anyone would sell outdated potatoes.
“Bring your mind up to date with the spirit of the Lord.”
4. A willing mind
After some years of serving, many lose the willing mind and do things for God as if doing Him a favour. A willing mind is enthusiastic, prepared, ready and happy, and it serves because it wants to. Anger pulls nice people out of character, himself included, and only prayer in God's presence brings him back to himself. Serving and giving to pastors is seed in the ground, not a loss.
Illustration: When he gets irritable he drives badly, dresses badly and stops smiling, so he goes to pray and weeps before God until he is himself again. He and Pastor Zubeda hosted a visiting pastor for a week, he would lend the next visiting pastor his car, and he buys gifts for pastors when it is not their birthday.
“The Holy Spirit is the only agent that can tame the human heart.”
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
- Matthew 5:13-14
5. A right mind
A right mind is an honest, moral and authentic mind. His picture of it is the man Jesus freed from demons, found sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and perfectly sane.
Illustration: The crowd who rushed out and found the delivered man sitting at Jesus' feet in his right mind.
“An honest mind, an honorable mind, a fair mind, a moral mind, a proper mind, a righteous mind, an accurate mind and an authentic mind.”
- Luke 8:35
6. An obedient mind: a mind under control
Obedience means a compliant, respectful, submissive mind that is under control: in your temper, on the road, in where your eyes go, and in your spending. A made-up mind removes the temptation, as it did for him with cigarettes and with women. Overspending on store cards leads to hidden debt and then to using the tithe to pay accounts, which removes your protection. Spend what is in your pocket, and if you cannot afford it now, wait.
Illustration: The shop assistant's 'can I help you?' really means 'can I help you get your money out of your pocket', and when you cannot pay it is the attorney and the sheriff who call. In America he photographed a three-year-old eating a bucket of ice cream with a little plastic spade: no restraint.
“A controlled mind looks one way, not every way.”
- Job 31:1
- Malachi 3:10-11
Putting it into practice
- Fill your mind with God's word daily until you think the way the word thinks.
- Stop joking with words you do not want to come true.
- Tell fear to go, out loud, in Jesus' name.
- Ask the Holy Spirit what He is saying to you now, not only what He said years ago.
- Look with a controlled eye in the mall, spend only what you can afford, and pay off your debts.
Closing
He admits he has stepped on some toes, asks the church whether they learned something and has them clap, joking that they should not write him letters. Noticing Adrian signalling him to finish, he ends by telling them to walk through the shops with a controlled eye and a calculating mind, to get out of debt, and promises to teach them how to become millionaires. He blesses them and says he loves them.
Declarations he led
- I am free.
- Wealth of the sinners, be released unto me the righteous. Mountains be removed and cast into the sea. Giants get out of our land. Devil let go of our harvest. Money come into our hands. Prosperity come forth. In the name of Jesus.
- I have the mind of Christ.
- For God had not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.
- Fear go.
- I'm free of fear.
- I have a willing heart.
In his words
- “Your spirit man does not know when you are joking or when you are serious.”
- “To transform your mind is to fill your mind with God's word.”
- “The Holy Spirit is the only agent that can tame the human heart.”
- “A controlled mind looks one way, not every way.”
- “We are Christians. We operate with a controlled mind. We have the mind of Christ.”
Every scripture in this message
- Colossians 1:9-14
- John 8:36
- Proverbs 13:22
- Mark 11:23
- Proverbs 10:22
- Exodus 3:14
- Matthew 26:27-28
- Romans 12:1-2
- Proverbs 23:7
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
- Matthew 4:4
- Ephesians 6:10
- 1 Corinthians 2:16
- Ephesians 5:4
- 2 Timothy 1:7
- Philippians 4:6-7
- Philippians 3:14
- 1 Timothy 6:12
- Matthew 5:13-14
- 1 Chronicles 28:9
- Luke 8:35
- Job 31:1
- Malachi 3:10-11
