Be Strong in Mind to be “All In” with relationship to Jesus the Christ – When Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with … all your mind”, He was referring to how our thoughts guide us in relationship with Him.
Paul’s word to the Corinthians addressed the mental discipline needed in this world – “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2Cor. 10:5. The charge is to keep the mind from drifting to unclean thoughts that will distract and lead to disobedience.
Failure to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ opens the door to bad choices and temptations that can manifest into sin. The pornographic industry is one beneficiary of such an undisciplined mind. With over $13B in annual revenue, the industry exceeds the combined annual revenues of the NFL, NBA and MLB. Internet pornography has been labeled as the “crack cocaine” of sexual compulsion because of the accessibility, affordability and anonymity it offers. Marriages suffer because the fantasy presented distorts the reality of relationship. “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” – 1Cor. 6:18-20. Love the Lord with all your mind. Be strong, disciplined to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.
Tips to Be Strong in Mind:
- Nurture a personal, passionate and growing relationship with Jesus the Christ through disciplined time in prayer, scripture and fasting. I recommend “The Power of Prayer and Fasting” by Ronnie W. Floyd as a reference;
- Love your wife as Christ loved the Church – selflessly and sacrificially;
- Enlist at least two “battle buddies” that will challenge you to be strong in mind and hold you accountable on these relationship fronts.
Prayer guide: Lord, grant me strength to love You with all my mind. I confess my lack of discipline with a willingness to open the door to temptations. What a wretched man I am. Fill me with Your Spirit, O God and purge any unclean thoughts from my mind that distract me from You. Bring men into my life that will encourage me and hold me accountable in my relationship with You and how I live that relationship in marriage. Amen
A faithful father loves the Lord with all his mind.
