Sanctification of the Mind

Sanctification of the Mind

Our will is of key importance in the work of sanctification, or holiness. Sanctification is not automatic.

Some people believe that they have no part to play in this cleansing work, that it is the Holy Spirit’s job. They are simply waiting on Him to clean them up. This is not true. God’s part is to empower us to overcome our sin and weakness; our part is to “will” for it to be done. If we are to have our minds renewed, we must be willing for the Lord to do it as He will not touch one area that we do not submit to Him. Not only are we to “will,” but we must also yield and obey.

Some people have made the right choices; however, they are still having difficulty in getting the victory. If this be the case, perhaps the need is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We have been promised the baptism in the Holy Spirit and can have it by asking for it.

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with

power from on high (Luke 24:49). If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more

shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13).

The Lord wants us to be holy and righteous, yet this can only come through the work of the Holy Spirit within us. Our part is to

desire this with our whole heart. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).

If we “walk in the Spirit,” we will not fulfill the works of the flesh. If we continually choose God’s way and resist the way of flesh, we can have victory over every weakness. Let us look at some of the works of the flesh and compare them with the fruit of the Spirit so that we know what we are to resist, and what we are to embrace.

Galatians 5:16-25 says, This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth

against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the

things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which

are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,

strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

According to this Scripture, we can be “living in the Spirit,” and not “walking in the Spirit.” We can be “born again” and living in God’s kingdom, yet failing to “walk in the Spirit.” The Bible tells us to ...work out your own salvation... (Philippians 2:12). This means we are to learn how to walk with God, so that we can be saved from the effects of the flesh walk. We are not told to do “good works” for our salvation, as it is a gift of God.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10). The good works should be an overflow from our walk with the Lord, not a plan by which we are to attain a place in God.