Reality TV: My Strange Addiction

Addict: to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or obsessively.

“First we make our habits. Then our habits make us.”  
John Dryden -(Poet in late 1600’s)


The Word speaks a lot about our minds:

1. Matthew 22:37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
2. Philippians 2:5 Let this mind(mindset, attitude) be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
3. Repentance: To Change our minds(mindset) that changes lifestyle patterns.
4. Golgotha: the place of the Skull, the battle must be won in our minds.

Romans 8:1-11 There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Problems with being Carnally minded.

1. We cannot please God(v 8)
2. Breads enmity(hostility) towards God.(v 7)
3. A seared conscious.(Romans 1)
4. It’s end result is sin and death.(v 6)
5. It subdues our spirit and limits our effectiveness.

Benefits of being Spiritually minded.

1. It frees us from condemnation(v 1)
2. It activates true life in us(v 6)
3. Its allows us to be at peace. (v 6)
4. It brings God pleasure.(v 8)
5. It allows us continual access to have the mind of heaven.

Developing Healthy thought Habits:
1. Renew your mind.
Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think(Renewing of your mind). Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

2. Nurture Your New Nature.
Philippians 4:6-8 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

3. Captivate Carnal/Negative Thoughts.
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Song of Solomon 2:15  Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards.

4. Admit Your true Addiction: Addicted to Gods Presence!

Ephesians 3:16-19 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!