Two Paths, One Mindset
Morning light on a simple table, a picture of life and peace when the mind is set on the Spirit.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More, Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Paul tells us there are really only two ways to move through a day. We either run on the old self’s logic or we walk in step with the Spirit. Ray Stedman points to Romans 8:5 and says the hinge is our mindset. What quietly occupies the center of our attention will shape every choice that follows. That is not a call to withdraw from ordinary life. It is an invitation to bring a new point of view into the ordinary, the Holy Spirit’s point of view, right in the middle of budgets, errands, deadlines, and conversations.
I appreciate how Stedman pushes back on a false picture of spirituality. Setting the mind on the Spirit is not pretending money, fun, or accomplishment do not exist. It is learning to value them through the Lord’s eyes. Earning becomes provision to share. Fun becomes gratitude. Accomplishment becomes worship. The activities may look similar on the outside, yet the motive, the trust, and the outcome change on the inside.
This change begins in the heart and flows outward. What captures our thoughts eventually steers our steps. The Spirit does not shame us into better behavior. He renews our minds so that we begin to prize what the Father prizes, we begin to love what Jesus loves, and we begin to see people as He sees them. That inward renewal produces outward fruit over time.
So today we set our minds. Not with gritted teeth, but with quiet confidence that the Spirit already lives in us. We thank Him for turning our attention from self-advancement to the glory of God, from anxious control to restful dependence, from scattered hurry to simple, faithful love. Thank you, Ray Stedman, for this clear reminder.
Journal Entry - Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I live in you. You belong to Jesus, and you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, for My Spirit dwells in you. Set your mind on the things of the Spirit, and you will discover life and peace. I have joined you to the Lord Jesus so that His life is now your life. You have been crucified with Him, and the life you now live in the body you live by faith in the Son of God.
Lift your thoughts to where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. You died, and your life is hidden with Him. Abide in Him, and you will bear much fruit, for apart from Him you can do nothing. Walk by Me, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. Let Me renew your mind so that you may discern what is good, pleasing, and complete in the will of God.
I work in you to will and to do for God’s good pleasure. I strengthen you with power in your inner being so that Jesus dwells in your heart through faith. As you set your mind on Me, I transform you from one degree of glory to another. My divine power has granted to you everything you need for life and godliness.
So when the world urges you to chase praise, set your mind on Jesus and choose love. When anxiety presses for control, set your mind on Jesus and entrust the outcome to the Father. When you are tempted to impress, set your mind on Jesus and serve quietly. Christ in you is the hope of glory, and I delight to make Him known through you today.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of your home’s smart thermostat. You do not heat the house by sheer effort. You set the target, and the system engages to bring the whole environment toward it. Mindset works like that. When you set your mind on the Spirit, you are not forcing warmth into a cold room. You are yielding the controls to the One who adjusts the atmosphere of your heart, your thoughts, and your responses toward life and peace.
Today, as you step into a tense conversation at work, set your “target” before you speak. Quietly yield the moment to the Lord and say, Lord, I turn the inner controls over to You, express Your patience and truth through me right now. Then watch how Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, supplies a steady tone, clear words, and a willingness to listen without defensiveness.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that I am not in the flesh but in the Spirit because Your Spirit dwells in me. Thank You that Jesus is my life, my wisdom, and my peace. I gratefully receive Your renewal of my mind today. I agree with You about what matters. I rest in Your power to express love, joy, and self-control through me in ordinary moments. All glory to You for the fruit You produce as I walk in step with You.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
Romans 8:5 to 6, Romans 8:9 to 10, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 3:1 to 3, John 15:5, Galatians 5:16 to 18, Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 3:16 to 19, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Peter 1:3 to 4, Colossians 1:27