He Has You

You cannot be comfortable in your own skin so long as it rules over you. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6 NKJV).

To be spiritually minded is to have the Holy Spirit so wonderfully present in your mind that the thoughts you have and the way you feel are born out of heaven and pleasing to God. This is the life we are supposed to live, and we are forever blessed if we do.

Many people know the Holy Spirit by name but have never spoken with Him. “The grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it)” (2 Corinthians 13:14 AMPC).

Being spiritually minded is something we can do no matter where we are or what our surroundings may be. We can be as spiritually minded in our secular work as we are in the ministry in which we might serve God. The Holy Spirit can go everywhere you can go.

How we are practically reflects who we are spiritually. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10 NKJV).

To be more spiritually minded requires that your mind is less and less controlled by your flesh. It takes the dying to oneself and then the willing submission, allowing the Holy Spirit to reign in you for you to become spiritually minded.  

To the extent that you die to your old self, you will live for the Lord. “Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; and be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude]” (Ephesians 4:22-23 AMPC).

When you surrender your mind to the Holy Spirit, you are allowing your mind to be controlled by the Spirit. This doesn’t mean you have given up your free will; rather, you have freely surrendered your will to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

You’ll never go further in your faith than you’re willing to go. “For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14 AMP).

In your flesh, you do not want to be controlled by the Holy Spirit because you want to be free to satisfy your flesh. When you are flesh-minded, you are selfish and only consider yourself and what you want. This is the place that we all were at before and where most Christians will remain.

Natural fruit rots, but spiritual fruit lasts forever. Nothing done by the flesh lasts forever. The Lord Jesus taught, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing…” (John 6:63 NKJV).

When you allow yourself to be led by the Spirit, then the Spirit will give you all the peace you have ever wanted. You will discover that after you have given up your life, your old flesh life, you will then be given an infinitely better life than you ever imagined.

When you surrender all, you gain so much more. “For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]” (Mark 8:35 AMPC).

The reason the spiritually minded person is filled with peace is because their thoughts are aligned with God in heaven. No matter what is going on around them in the temporal world, their thoughts and attitudes are held safely by God in the eternal realm.

Change your thoughts, and you’ll change your life. “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (Ephesians 4:23 NLT).

Spiritually minded people see the spiritual realm that is intertwined with the natural realm. They will sense the spiritual forces of both the good and the evil and, with the awareness, will know the depth of all that is really going on around them.

Your natural strength cannot lift a feather in the spiritual realm. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV).

Spiritually minded people have matured spiritually such that others will be attracted to them. When we meet someone who is spiritually minded, we will realize we have just met someone who is very different and lives at a place somewhere higher.

Spiritual growth is revealed in practical outcomes. “Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon” (Philippians 4:5 ERV).

You can be as spiritually minded as you want to be. You can go as far as you want to go, just as far as you are willing. There is nothing you must do to become spiritually minded other than to surrender yourself entirely to the Holy Spirit.

If you want to teach about surrendering to the Holy Spirit, you must first be surrendered to Him so they can follow in your footsteps. The Lord promised us, “I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws” (Ezekiel 36:27 NIV).

Choose to live the higher spiritual life that God has intended for you. Choose to become so spiritually minded that the peace from God overwhelms you, and you become a spiritual beacon of light and a utensil of heaven, useful in the hands of God.

We can do better than we are doing right now. “Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace.” (Ephesians  4:3 CEV).

Blessings to you always,

Paul Balius