Romans 8:6
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
I would like us to get the deepest understanding of the words Carnality and spirituality as used in scripture. I’m convinced that until we come to that understanding, it will be difficult to experience what it is to live a true Christian life.

The word Carnality is transliterated from the Greek word ‘Sarkikos’ which means fleshly or earthly. This simply means the focus or lust after physical things. What Scripture implies by the use of the word carnality is that, one fills his thoughts with earthly or fleshly desires that are enemy to the soul.

Spirituality, however, is the act of focusing on heavenly things. This happens when your thoughts are devoid of earthly things or the normal desires of the human nature which is full of material things. While carnality is akin to death sentence, spirituality is life and peace.

We can, therefore, say with certainty that there are two different people on the surface of this earth. The spiritual man and the carnal man. And while the former sees everything from the spiritual point of view, the latter interprets every event relying on his natural senses. What many people don’t know is that, carnality and spirituality are the condition or state of one’s mind.

Thoughts are very powerful especially armed with the truth that our situation is as a result of our everyday thoughts. Our thoughts instruct our behavior as human beings. In fact the expressions of our thoughts build us and that is why we cannot undermine the power of the mind. What makes a man carnal or spiritual is what I call his reasoningsphere. In otherwords, our world of reasoning is responsible for our current situation.

Every man is carnal first until he has had a spiritual birth. And after that, the transformation from carnality to spirituality is also only realized when the mind is renewed. This is because, although the Spirit comes to dwell inside the person, there must be a conscious effort to renew the mind with the word of God to complete the process.

Romans 12:2

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

I love this scripture because it captures succinctly the entire message. ‘…be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ Halleluya!!!
The reading of this scripture is simple with the help of the Holy Ghost. The thrust of its message is that, it is possible for a Christian to be carnal and unspiritual at the same time. It tells us that some people are interested in the title Christian but are not in for the spiritual experience that comes with it.

The good and acceptable and perfect will of God is in His word and you can imbibe the truth when you drink from its fountain. Study the word! Our minds are renewed when we endeavor to live by the teachings of the word of God. As we live the word, Christ is glorify in the world and many people will come to a common knowledge of Him. That is all that this scripture is teaching us. But the surprise is that living the word of God is the spiritual life that many people do not want to experience.

1 Corinthians 2:14

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The word was foolishness until the Spirit came to dwell in you that you may understand what is that perfect, and acceptable will of God. Amen! After the insurgence of the Holy Ghost, we need to feed our spirit mind with the word of God to grow it spiritually the more. We need to sharpen it daily. And not just having knowledge of the word but living the word. It is only by doing that that we come to the full knowledge that we have indeed been transformed.

Mind renewal goes with believe and trus in the power of the word of God. Non-believers are carnal in nature and this has compelled them to run after the things of this world. But the Spiritual man seeks the spiritual Kingdom and exhibit the virtues and values of it so that the blessings of God will be activated in his life. And the blessings of God includes our physical wealth.

When a Christian shirks his spiritual obligations and experience stunted spiritual growth, he lives a very poor life. There is a picture of an emaciated man with the inscription, ‘One week without prayer makes one weak.’ I can’t help but to continue to look at this image.

Though your body will cave because of your carnality, the inner man will have no peace and joy. This is the deal, until we begin to live the word as Christians we will become cowards and live a life replete with cowardice.

Proverbs 28:1

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
The man who is spiritual is always bold like a lion. He exudes confidence and there is an air of peace and tranquility around him anywhere he goes. The spiritual man is a righteous man because he is the man manifesting the word of God. The Spiritual minded man does not think about evil everyday and pays little attention to evil reports. When the world is down, he is up because he depends on a succor that only comes from heaven. The Spiritual man always sees the bright side of things. He is always full of light.

The carnal man represents darkness. He thinks evil and plans evil. The carnal man considers his interest first in every circumstance and pursues them with all that is in him. The carnal man is not able to love because he is motivated by selfishness. He has no peace because he chases after the world.

We are called into spirituality and not carnality. Anything outside the will of God is carnality. Whatever you do to satisfy your flesh and not your spirit is carnal. Anything outside the interest of God and His purpose and will for your life is carnal. Until you consult God in your decisions and know His thoughts concerning them, any result you get is the product of carnality.

Many Christians are living a carnal life and as a result they are full of fear, pain and sorrow. They have been stricken by poverty and are unable to resurrect because all they think and consider in their lives is how to satisfy their flesh with material things. Truth is, many false prophets and teachers are have been unleashed on the world because of carnal attitudes of the Christians. All that the carnal believers think about is what they will get and not God will get. The church has been turned to an extension of university campuses where lessons meant for lecture rooms are taught at the churches.

The Church is a spiritual entity where We are expected to think spiritual and manifest same. We need to live our lives entertaining no interference from forces in the world.

If you are desirous of living that life and believe in your heart that you want to do it, what you will need is to condition your mind and work at it. Nothing comes without nothing. Let us grow in the things of the spirit and exempt ourselves from the carnal world.

Written by  Reverend Eugene Owusu Gyakari

If you’ve gotten tired of how things are, and tired of what you’re going thru and nothing seems to be working, getting your mind rewired will work wonders for you as Jesus works in and thru your life to change some things, to move some things and to fix some things. You see, I’ve found that it is not always the heavy loads, the stress, the problems and or the hard situations that drag you down, make you tired and make you want to quit, oftentimes it is how you deal with it in your mind that determines what happens, how it happens or what if anything Jesus is able to do in and thru your circumstances. Sometimes it is your own mind that could be creating preventing what Jesus wants to do or what Jesus is able to do.

It is therefore vitally important that you invite and allow Jesus to come in your circumstances and take full control of them, it is therefore vitally important that you invite and allow Jesus to take full control in guiding you on what you need to do and how it needs to be done to get your mind rewired, you may not understand fully the reasoning behind this, but remember, God’s ways are not like our ways. Jesus ways are not our ways. The spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ cannot flow, move or orchestrate with worldy mindsets that place limits on what’s possible and how results can manifest! Give Jesus control so He can begin His good work in you, so He can do what’s necessary to begin His rewiring process. Let’s pray, Dear Jesus, I give you complete control, be my Lord and Savior, teach me, help me, rewire me, in your name, I ask and pray. Amen!

Romans 12:2 reminds you, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.

–Evangelist Wendy Evans

http://www.wendyevans.org/