by: Robert Buckner

Right now as you are reading this, please do not think of a zebra. Do not picture in your mind's-eye, this black and white stripped animal. Do not picture it grazing on the Serengeti, flicking flies with its tail, or running for its life from a lion. No zebra!

Romans 8:5-8 “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. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Christians are likely to be on-guard against obvious sin. However, Satan is very clever and he will not use obvious sin to tempt those who try to avoid sin. For those who are not easily deceived he may be more inclined to use a Subtle Deception .

Zebra! When you read that word, even when you were told not to think of the animal, did you not picture, as clear as day, a zebra in your mind? That's how the mind works. The mind is going to process, to some extent, everything that passes through it. This is why it is so very important to always be conscious of the fact that we must control our mind as well as what has access to our mind.

The Mind is where we commune with God. It is where we contemplate His Word. It is where we consider choices and behavior. When we pray, we talk to God through our mind. While in this world, one must actively work to control our mind by the Spirit. Scripture tells us that this will not just happen, but that we must, “live according to the Spirit” which means an active and decided effort on our part.

When Satan can cause us to lose active control of our mind, (via anger, drugs or alcohol, etc.), then he can effectively separate us, by some degree, from God. We already know the obvious ways this can happen, but what of some of the subtle ways that we may be separated from control of our minds.

Some years ago I went to my doctor because I had terrible and persistent pain in my arms. After every test possible was administered my doctor told me that I suffered from, Fibromyalgia. He told me there was no real known remedy but that we would manage the pain with narcotics and anti-depressants. He said that the objective of using the anti-depressants would be to block the signal of pain from being sent from my arm to my brain. ( Note : At my age, I don't need any more signals being blocked from getting to my brain.)

 

Well, given this long-term prognosis, I decided to research exactly what kind of impact these drugs would have on me and I decided not to follow my doctors' advice. After much of my own research, the remedy I employed was to add a significant dose of magnesium to my diet. In less than a week the pain in my arms subsided and has never returned.

The reason I share this personal experience is that I am acquainted with several brothers and sisters in Christ whom also suffer from various serious medical conditions. I have watched as these good Christians have been stolen away into a nebulous and murky cloud of drug-induced confusion .

In our contemporary culture today we are all aware and amazed at the astounding cutting-edge accomplishments which modern medicine has delivered to us. Although I do not question the good intentions of our medical community, I do question some of their chosen remedies; particularly where they involve the long-term use of mind-altering drugs.

Alas, there may indeed be times when all that can be medically done for someone will be to make them as comfortable as is possible with no real hope for recovery. All I am suggesting is that, as a culture, have we become too ready to run to the pharmacy for relief of pain in exchange for the integrity of our mental faculties?

 

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

 

As far as I can understand, the use of, renewing seems to indicate that the transformation spoken of is an un-ending and on-going process as long as we are alive. There does not appear to be a point whereby we will not be required to be in the active process of renewing our minds. The scripture does not read, “And after your minds have been renewed.”

I know that if it were not according to Gods' will; there would be no pain; no illness; no disease; and no physical affliction. So it would seem that the fact that these infirmities do exist perhaps we should consider how can we best glorify God when afflicted by them?

I cannot recall any scripture where Job sought any pharmaceutical or physical relief during the course of his trials. Nor do I recall any such relief for any of the apostles or even Jesus.

So, am I saying that the Christian should not avail themselves of any relief as a result of our modern medical capabilities? No; what I am saying is that if it is with our minds that we are connected to God, then we must be very careful not to allow ourselves to become separated from God, even with socially-acceptable long-term use of modern medicines.

There is a difference between one drink of an alcoholic beverage and being intoxicated. Somewhere, there is a line which separates one from a drink(s) of alcohol and being drunk. The reckless propensity of man seems to always desire to get as close to those lines of separation as is possible, without crossing over. Unfortunately, the nature of the effect of the alcohol usually impairs one's ability for accuracy in such circumstances.

Drinking alcohol and being intoxicated for personal enjoyment may be one of those, obvious, snares which Satan makes available. Perhaps the less-obvious snare may be the mind-altering prescription from your family physician. Both can separate your mind from God which makes them equally dangerous to your eternal disposition.

My hope is to cause the Faithful to be cognizant of the need to do everything that they can to keep possession of their thoughts and their thought processing capabilities and not overlook those possible dangers which may also be socially acceptable.

Your mind cannot be intoxicated and at the same time, “be controlled by the Spirit.” If it is not controlled by the Spirit, then it is sinful and hostile to God.

The question here is, “Where does your spirit reside?”

In a mind controlled by the Spirit or in a sinful mind?