Fruit of the Spirit – Word for the Soul

Read: Romans 8:5-8 NLT – Those who are dominated by the sinful – Bible Gateway

“So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Romans 8:6 NLT

Merriam Webster defines ‘mindset’ as, ‘a mental attitude or inclination, a fixed state of mind.’ Another way you can state it, in simple terms, would be it is what you think about all the time. What you think about controls your actions. It’s what you are inclined to do because it is always on your mind. It is your fixed state of mind. So, what is your mindset?

Paul, the apostle, warns us, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things…..So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.” (Ro.8:5a, 6a nlt) The things we think about, if we let them hang around, will eventually turn into action. Enough action in our sinful nature will lead to death as Paul points out. But Paul also gives us the flipside in stating, “but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit…….letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (Ro.8:5b,6b nlt)

While it is true all Christians are a new creation in Christ through the presence of the Holy Spirit, (2Cor.5:17) we still have that old sin nature from our first parents, Adam and Eve. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to control us, and we are to walk by the Spirit. Paul refers to this several times in his New Testament writings. (Gal.5:16, 5:25; Col.2:6; Ro.8:14.) If we consistently walk in the Spirit our thoughts will be towards God and His righteousness and the ways in which to please Him. Our mindset will be in sync with our creator leading us into an abundant life and peace. So, what is your mindset? It may be time to change direction.

“Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” Galatians 6:7 NLT

The seasons have changed once again, this time the warm days of summer have given way to the cooler temperatures of autumn. Along with the change in temperature comes the changing of the leaves depending on which part of the country you live. It is also harvest time for the professional farmers, home garden enthusiasts, and the novice like myself. A sure thing even a novice knows is the law of sowing and reaping, what you plant in the spring is what you get in the fall. If you plant peppers, you’ll get peppers, if you plant tomatoes, you’ll get tomatoes. Guaranteed, what goes into the ground will come up at harvest time.

Our lives are much like the seasons of the year that are consistently changing. You have heard of such expressions as, ‘this is but for a season’ and ‘seasons of change.’ We have all experienced the dark, cold days of winter only to have it birth anew into the warmth of spring. The heat of the summer sun brings joy, and the fall seasons reveal God’s rich blessings upon us. In each season of our lives, if we look closely, we will see God’s faithfulness in bringing us through each one. As He is faithful in the changing of the earth’s seasons, He is faithful and with us as we go through seasons of change.

Referring back to the law of sowing and reaping, sometimes our lives reach a dark and unpleasant season due to what we planted a season ago. What is being harvested today is bitterness, hatred, jealousy, selfishness, financial difficulties, broken relationships, addictions, and all the consequences of planting ill fruit. The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 6:7, “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.”

An advantage to the seasons changing is they always come around again. If you did not have a bumper crop this year or you miss-planted a section of your garden, there is always next year. And whatever season you are in spiritually it’s not too late to start planting good seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and all those that will yield a spiritual bounty. It’s harvest time.

Read Paul’s instructions to the Galatians: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+6%3A7-10&version=NLT

Tag: Fruit of the Spirit

What is your mindset?

It’s Harvest Time