“Let This Mind be in You…”
One of the greatest wonders of God’s creation is the human mind. Our body is marvelous in its functions yet it is not much different from animals; but our mind makes us in the image of God.
Scientists are ever studying the human mind, trying to find how it works and how to develop and control it. Satan has learned much of the human mind in the past thousands of years, and that is the reason why he is so successful in controlling it.
The main avenues to our minds are our seeing and hearing. Whatever enters our mind is first processed, categorized and stored in the memory. Those images and sounds also produce reactions, either favourable or unfavourable.
Man was created with a pure and holy mind, but it did not take long before his mind was corrupted. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Gen. 6:5.
One thing that God will not do is to control the human mind against his will. Therefore the only thing God could do was to destroy the corrupted minds in the flood. Noah was preaching to the people, the Holy Spirit was working with them and angels of God did their best but all their efforts failed to convert the minds that Satan had corrupted.
After the flood the Lord said, “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” Gen. 8:21. Young children can have their minds polluted in an early age. What they see and hear in the television and Internet quickly erases the innocence and purity of their minds and fills them with vanity and selfishness.
What we see and hear influences our thoughts. “For as he thinkest in his heart, so is he.” Prov. 23:7. The longer we think in a certain way, the more obsessed we become and start believing falsehood as truth. Eventually it may lead to drastic actions as divorce, murder and suicide. The minds of suicide bombers have been influenced by others to the point that they are willing to kill themselves for their cause.
The human mind can be controlled by another person. It can be hypnotized. The expert in controlling the mind is Satan. Once a person gives his mind to Satan’s control there is no telling how far he can go in evil. Cain killed Abel; the Jewish leaders crucified Jesus; Catholics persecuted the Protestants. In their own minds they were convinced that they were doing the right thing.
The corruption of the mind begins in small deviations from the truth. Like eating a forbidden fruit, or letting a selfish thought to enter into our minds. By giving to Satan a little finger, he soon takes the whole hand and leads us away from God.
Much of the suffering and sickness in the world is caused by their minds. “Sickness of the mind prevails everywhere. Nine tenths of the diseases from which men suffer have their foundation here. Perhaps some living home trouble is, like a canker, eating to the very soul and weakening the life-forces. Remorse for sin sometimes undermines the constitution and unbalances the mind.” Test. Vol. 5, p.444.
One doctor told me that people who harbour bitterness will most likely die from cancer. “Disease is sometimes produced, and is often greatly aggravated, by the imagination. Many are lifelong invalids who might be well if they only thought so.” MH p. 241.
“Nothing is so fruitful a cause of disease as depression, gloominess, and sadness. Mental depression is terrible.” Test. Vol. 1, p. 702.
“Many are diseased physically, mentally, and morally, because their attention is turned almost exclusively to themselves.” Test. Vol. 2, p. 647.
We are health reformers. We are very careful not to eat unhealthy food, but if we let depression or bitterness overtake us we are drinking poison mentally and get physically sick.
Mind Cure
We do not need to continue to suffer from a sick mind. There is a cure available for it. Paul said, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 2:5.
The mind of Jesus was full of love toward the suffering humanity. Love is the best medicine we can give to a sick person.
We also must drive Satan’s spirit out and let God’s spirit control us. “Either the evil angels or the angels of God are controlling the minds of men. Our minds are given to the control of God or to the control of the powers of darkness; and it will be well for us to inquire where we are standing today – whether under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel or under the black banner of the powers of darkness.” 6BC, p. 1120.
If you have perfect peace in your mind and love even your enemies, you are under the divine control. But if you feel miserable and do complain and are dissatisfied, then you are certainly under the control of the evil one. If this is the case then we need to pray to God, without ceasing and not to give up until the peace of heaven fills our soul.
Sin causes sickness of mind, which then affects our body. Every known sin in our lives must be overcome. The suffering caused by sin far outbalances the shortlived pleasure of sin.
Bible reading works like a filter to our minds, removing vain thoughts and purifies its motives. There is no limit how far we can develop our minds. We can reach the lofty heights of godliness.
“The Lord has given man capacity for continual improvement, and has granted him all possible aid in the work. Through the provisions of divine grace we may attain almost to the excellence of the angels.” RH, June 20, 1882.
The best way to remove the poison of selfishness from our minds is missionary work. As we are helping others we forget our own problems and worries.
For this reason God has left the work of soul-saving to His people. This is the only way to find happiness in our lives in this evil, suffering world. We all can have the mind of Jesus. It is nothing else than the righteousness of Christ. With this mind we can live a perfect life, without sin and have fullness of joy in our hearts. Also the mind of Jesus is your passport to Heaven, and guarantees you eternal life. May we all attain to it.
AMEN.
Timo Martin