The Downward Spiral of the Mind CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
We have seen some Christians go so far from the Lord that you wonder whether they had even been saved. The reason that they can stray so far has to do with their minds. Their minds spiral downward. Here is the downward spiral of the mind.
You start out with a right mind [Mk 5:15] and a sound mind [2 Tim 1:7] when you first get saved. You have the mind of Christ [1 Cor 2:16]. And you are to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Yet, rather than grow in knowledge of the Lord, some Christians begin a pattern of wicked thinking that causes their minds to spiral downward and to diminish from the sound, right mind with which they started. It goes down like this. You go from a sound mind to:
A Carnal Mind to – Rom 8:6-8 – this is a mind against God that is consumed with carnal things rather than spiritual things.
A Defiled Mind to – Titus 1:15 – then the carnal mind becomes exposed to thoughts and images that defile it – thoughts and images in which it delights – and the mind becomes defiles and with this the conscience is defiled also.
A Wicked Mind to – Prov 21:27 – notice that he is performing something that appears to be spiritual – he is sacrificing – but he is doing it with a wicked mind – it is possible to be sitting here now looking pious and spiritual and to be just a wicked as a lost man without Christ.
A Hardened Mind to – Dan 5:20 – a mind hardened by pride – “He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy,” Prov 29:1.
Reprobate Mind – Rom 1:28 – after a time God gives them over to a reprobate mind – at this point you are not recoverable unless God gives you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth [2 Tim 2:25-26].
How do you keep from getting a reprobate mind? Or how do you turn back from this downward spiral?
Humble your Mind – Col 3:12 – under the preaching, under the instruction, under the reproof of your parents, pastors, and wise people who love you – you have to admit that your thinking has been wrong – you must turn from the prideful thoughts that oppose God.
Renew your Mind – Rom 12:2 – this will transform you – Rom 8:6 be spiritually minded – your mind has to be occupied with spiritual things
Love God with all your Mind – Mk 12:30 – this keeps you in constant fellowship with him and keeps your mind off of everything else that would cause it to spiral downward.