"1 IF THEN YOU have been raised with CHRIST, seek the things that are above, where CHRIST is, seated at the right hand of GOD.
2 "SET YOUR MINDS" on things that are above, NOT ON THINGS THAT ARE ON EARTH.
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with CHRIST in GOD.
4 When CHRIST who is your life appears, then you also will appear with HIM in glory."
Some people CLAIM today to believe that JESUS CHRIST is the Son of GOD, that HE was sacrificed for their sins on Calvary, and that HE rose victoriously from the grave three days later! But even I have a tendency to allow the enemy to MANIPULATE MY MIND into attempting to live in his graveyard of defeat and despair. 1 Peter 1:13 tells us "Therefore, PREPARING YOUR MINDS FOR ACTION, and being sober-minded, SET your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST". Our MINDS are only limited by what is REVEALED to it by the Spirit of the Living GOD (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
If our MINDS are a battlefield (Romans 12:2), why do we allow the enemy to set up camp on territory that has already been conquered by JESUS? A few verses in front of todays text, in Colossians 2:20 (1599 Geneva Bible), Paul writes "Wherefore IF YE BE DEAD with CHRIST from the ordinances of the world, why, as though ye lived in the world, ARE YE BURDENED WITH TRADITIONS?" Why do we allow man's 'TRADITIONS' to alter what the Spirit of GOD is directing us to accomplish? Why do I limit what GOD can do by what mankind THINKS HE can perform when JESUS said in Mark 9:23 "ALL THINGS are possible for one who believes."
We are called to "SET YOUR MINDS" on things that are above, not on things that are on earth! "SETTING YOUR MIND" makes me think of 'focusing on nothing else'. We have to intentionally "SET YOUR MINDS" on things that are above, not on things that are of "this world". When JESUS said in Mark 9:23 that "ALL THINGS are possible" did HE include things of this world? JESUS later said in the latter verses of Mark 9 that this faith comes ONLY by prayer and fasting! Prayer and fasting means I have to give up something to accomplish Heavenly results, much like JESUS had to give up HIS THRONE in Heaven to redeem my soul from certain death!
It is often said that Salvation is free. Salvation may be free, but it cost JESUS HIS life (2 Corinthians 8:9). When you "SET YOUR MINDS" on the cost paid for our transgressions it humbles and baffles the MIND! GOD's grace is so far above anything we can comprehend. Our MINDS cannot grasp anything so vast. We must be like the man in Mark 9 and say "help thou my unbelief" and "SET YOUR MINDS" on things above! In Philippians 4:7 Paul writes the the peace of GOD will guard your "hearts and MINDS"! Trust in HIM as you "SET YOUR MINDS" on things above!!!
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