The Key to Life and Peace

Did you know that you can know your future? Perhaps you won’t know the details and events, but you can know the WAY in which you will live and the quality of life you will experience. You can do a self-check right now and get a pretty good idea of what to expect in the coming weeks, months and years.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)

The key to life and peace is to be spiritually minded. The key to death is to be carnally minded. What you think about and what you allow to consume your thoughts is setting the course of your life. When we dwell on the cares of the world, when we allow doubt and fear to inhabit our thoughts, and when our minds are given to worry we are releasing death into our futures. That is why so many Christians struggle in life. Death is at work. When the scriptures speak of death in the passage above, it is speaking about the corruption, loss, failure and sickness that seek to steal, kill and destroy us. This is why Paul exhorts us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds! Our minds lay the tracks on which our lives will travel. Consider the following passage:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Phil. 4:8)

Is this just a suggestion, or is it a key to life and peace? Paul understood that life cannot spring from a mind consumed with worry and fear. Life can only grow in the environment of that which is true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of a good report. This speaks of a mind that dwells on God’s Word and His promises, takes every thought captive and rejoices always. There are even physical consequences when one’s mind is full of God’s Word and positive thoughts:

“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.” (Prov. 4:20-22)

What is your future looking like? Check your thought life and you will know. Are death and corruption working on your future, or are life and peace?

copyright – Barry Bennett