THE MIND OF CHRIST Another One Who Works However, praise the Lord, the devil is not the only spirit at work in the world. The Holy Spirit is also working in the children of obedience--those who are "obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). These people, by the Holy Spirit, were initially convicted of the sin of unbelief, the righteousness of Christ, and the judgment of the devil (John 16:8-11). He sheds the love of God, His love for men, abroad in their hearts (Rom 5:5). He enables them to perceptibly say that "Jesus is Lord" (1 Cor 12:3). Through His power, He causes men to abound in hope (Rom 15:13). The three essential traits of those within God's kingdom (righteousness, peace, and joy) are realized "in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17). Divine qualities, such as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, are all produced by Him (Gal 5:22-23). According to God's own purpose, the Spirit strengthens us with might in the inner man, in order that Christ can dwell in our hearts by faith (Eph 3:16-17). Someone Is Working in Everyone The regenerate and unregenerate states can be described as conditions in which differing personalities work within men, thus affecting their minds. Outside of Christ, the mind is influenced by the devil. That is what it means to be deluded or blinded. In Christ Jesus, the eyes of the understanding are opened (Eph 1:18), and illumination is experienced (Heb 10:32). The eyes of men are "opened" (Acts 26:18), and they receive "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus" (2 Cor 4:6). No Neutral State Nothing in Scripture suggests there is some sort of intermediate state, where men are freed from Satanic delusion, yet are not illuminated. One will search in vain for a word from the Lord that insinuates it is possible to be freed from Satan's working, yet not be within the circumference of the Spirit's working. There is no neutral zone where men are on their own--where bald logic and reason will gain for them a mind in harmony with that of the Lord. Those who imagine such a state have been deluded, not illuminated. Such a thought came from the devil himself. -- Tomorrow:
"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE SHOULD INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:11-16, NASB).
Devotion 15 of 28
The "prince of the power of the air," who is the devil, now works "in the children of disobedience." "The power of the air" describes a domain that is above nature, and which cannot be overthrown by anyone from the natural realm. Satan works in "the children of disobedience" by seducing them into thinking like he does. The Scriptures describe those outside of Christ in this manner: "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh AND OF THE MIND, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others" (Eph 2:1-3, NKJV). How dreadful is the description, "sons of disobedience!"
Some, once identified with Christ, have returned to this condition--one in which Satan works within them. Those who minister to such people, we are told, must be "gentle, apt to teach, and patient, in humility correcting them." "Perhaps," it is written, God "will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will" (2 Tim 2:24-26, NKJV).
Let it be clear that domination by the devil DOES effect the mind. Those in whom the "prince of the power of the air" works are "blinded" to the Gospel, "lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Cor 4:4, NKJV). No amount of intellectual acumen can break this delusion. Only Jesus can free men from this condition. Only He can make them "free indeed." It is by means of "the truth" that Jesus accomplishes this freedom, but it is He who does it (John 8:32,36). Liberated souls "escape the snare of the devil," but only through the prison door that the Lord Jesus has opened (Isa 61:1; Lk 4:18)
All of these marvelous works of the Spirit are clearly declared, and unequivocally traced back to His influence. What is even more, they all touch the mind and affect the thoughts of those in whom they are wrought. Who is the person who does not see that these things have to do with the mind--even though they are not limited to it?: conviction, perceiving the love of God, confession, hope, righteousness, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The saved, rather than being "alienated and enemies" in their "minds" (Col 1:21), are now "renewed in their spirit" of their "mind" (Col 3:10).
The Holy Spirit brings "the mind of Christ" to those who believe and obey the Gospel, clarifying the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the "Unction" or "Anointing" that teaches us "all things" (1 John 2:20,27). From the perspective of our text, those "all things" equate to "the mind of Christ."
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ for freeing me from the delusions of the evil one. I also praise Your name for the Counselor from heaven