Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” — Romans 8:5–8 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

Romans 8 stands as one of the most powerful chapters in all of Scripture because it describes what life looks like for those who are in Christ Jesus. Paul has just spoken of the believer’s inner conflict — the struggle between wanting to obey God and feeling the pull of sin. Now he points to the solution: it begins in the mind.

Our mindset determines our direction. To live “according to the flesh” is to let our thoughts, desires, and priorities be shaped by this world and its temporary pleasures. It’s a life centered on self — what I want, what I feel, what I think is best. That path always leads to death: spiritual separation, unrest, and hostility toward God.

But to live “according to the Spirit” means setting our minds on what pleases God — truth, purity, obedience, and love. It means letting the Spirit of God guide our thoughts and decisions. The result is life and peace — not just eternal life in the future, but real peace right now, as the Spirit rules our hearts.

Every day, we make this choice. Will our minds be governed by the desires of the flesh or by the presence of the Spirit? The battlefield is not first in our circumstances, but in our thinking. Victory begins when our thoughts are surrendered to God and renewed by His Word.

Reflection Questions

1. What influences most shape your thoughts each day — the world’s values or God’s Word?

2. How can you become more intentional about setting your mind on the Spirit?

3. What does “life and peace” look like in your daily walk with Christ?

Closing Prayer Father, renew my mind today by Your Spirit. Help me to resist the pull of the flesh and to focus my thoughts on what is true, pure, and pleasing to You. Fill me with Your peace and guide me by Your Word. Teach me to walk not by sight, but by faith, and to set my mind fully on the things of the Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.