The mind is the first defense against the attacks of the flesh. It is the gateway to sin. We have control over our thoughts and it is our responsibility to discern what is true and what is a lie, and to control how we think.
The amazing thing about our minds is that it is a secretive place. It is a realm that is only known by God and by us. And yet God clearly teaches that obedience begins with the mind. God has given us minds that have the ability to rule our hearts.
Looking at porn and lusting after a woman are both conscious decisions. One is an outward temptation, the other an inward lust, but neither of these sins happen by themselves, they both pass through the gate of the mind and are allowed to pass or are stopped by conscious decisions we make.
The addict has the gate in his mind stuck wide open. He willingly allows anything and everything to enter and leave. This is why the sexual addict feels so powerless, he is attempting to close a gate that is stuck open and reinforced by habits and compromises.
But as believers we are no longer subject to the futility of thinking that we once were (Eph 4:17). We have the mind of Christ! (1 Corinthians 2:10-16) Our understanding is transformed and our minds are guided by the Holy Spirit. This is why it is all the more vital that we use our minds to control our thoughts.
As we seek freedom from sexual immorality it is important to understand that God does not simply hit the reset button and cure our thought patterns. We fall for sin and it's lies because our minds are not subjected to God's word. Controlling the gate in our minds requires knowledge, discipline, and maintenence.
The bible lays out our duties as the gatekeepers of our minds:
- controlling our eyes (Job 31:1, Psalm 101:3, Matthew 5:28)
- thinking about pure things (Philippians 4:8)
- preventing the evil of the heart to escape (Matthew 7:20-22)
- taking thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)
- preparing our minds for action (1 Peter 1:13)
- renewing our minds (Romans 12:2)
- setting our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2)
- setting our minds on the Spirit (Romans 8:5-7)
- serving the law of God (Romans 7:25)
- loving the Lord (Matthew 22:37)
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