The behavior of people and their actions derive from the mind. Ngakho-ke, the mind determines the behavior and actions of people. Before someone does something, a lot has already taken place in the mind. IBhayibheli lithi, that the mind can be controlled and dominated by the flesh; which is controlled by the kingdom of darkness or by the Spirit; Who is being controlled by the Kingdom of God. Therefore the mind has a choice to do the will of God or the will of the devil.
The carnal mind
Before you believed in Jesus Christ and waphenduka, your mind was carnal and was being controlled by the world; umbuso wobumnyama. Your mind was fed and formed by the knowledge, wisdom and the things of this world.
But when you believed in Jesus Christ, waphenduka, and became azalwe kabusha emoyeni, you were transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God. You were set apart from the world. You didn’t belong to the world; umbuso wobumnyama, anymore, but you belonged to the Kingdom of God. You were no longer the old creation but you had become a indalo entsha; indodana kaNkulunkulu (lokhu kusebenza kokubili abesilisa nabesifazane), but your mind was still the same.
The renewing of the mind
Although you became a new creation, your mind was still the same. Your mind was unchanged and your mind was still conformed to the world. Ngakho-ke, it was necessary to renew your mind with God’s Word, so that you would find out the intando kaNkulunkulu and walk according to His will.
It’s so important, that your mind is being conformed to the Word of God. Ngoba kuphela lapho, will you have the mind of Christ. When you have the mind of Christ, you will speak and act like Jesus and live according to God’s will in holiness and righteousness.
Futhi ningalingisi leli zwe: kodwa liguqulwe ngokwenziwa ibentsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nihlole lokho okuhle, futhi eyamukelekayo, futhi ephelele, intando kaNkulunkulu (AmaRoma 12:2)
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Efe 4:23-24)
But as long, as you don’t vuselela ingqondo yakho ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, your mind will stay unrenewed and therefore you will stay the same as before your repentance. Your mind will stay carnal and you will keep walking as the indalo endala after the flesh. You shall be controlled by your flesh and shall be led by your senses, imizwelo, imicabango, imizwa, opinions, will etc. As long as you are being controlled by the flesh, you will sow in the flesh and shall reap corruption and death.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:6-8)
Labo, who are continuously dominated by the flesh (the sinful nature) shall also put their mind on the things of the flesh (sinful nature) and shall do what the flesh wants to do. Kodwa labo, who are continuously being dominated by the Spirit, shall also put their mind on the things of Spirit and the Kingdom of God.
The old man blames others
Many times believers, who misbehave or have made a mistake often say: ”the devil made me do it, he made me sin”. I Indoda endala always hides and blames others for his behavior and mistake(s) and never takes responsibility for the mistake(s) he made.
When Adam sinned, he hid himself from God. When God asked him, if he had eaten from the forbidden tree, Adam immediately blamed Eve for his ukungalaleli uNkulunkulu. Eve acted the same way and blamed the serpent for her disobedience.
Kunjalo, the serpent tempted Eve, but Eve and Adam were responsible for their own actions. When Eve was tempted by the devil, a thought of curiosity and temptation entered her mind and instead of commanding that thought to leave, she allowed the thought into her mind and conceived that thought.
Before she acted and ate from the forbidden fruit, she already made the choice in her mind to eat from the forbidden fruit. Adam did the same thing, and also gave in to the temptation.
Ngakho, they were both responsible for their own actions. They were the ones, who sinned and not the devil.
The devil still tries to tempt people in the flesh, because that’s his territory. He shall always try to tempt you by putting evil thoughts into your mind, that will cause you to misbehave, make a mistake and do or say something that is against the will of God. Yebo, the devil tries to tempt people by putting thoughts into their mind that may cause them to sin. That’s what he did with Adam and Eve, Cain, Lot’s wife, Samson, Saul, David, Solomon etc. Yebo, he even tried to tempt Jesus, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, but Jesus loved God above all, He knew the intando kaBaba Wakhe kanye nemvelo Yakhe, therefore He overcame the devil by using the Word of God in the right context.
The devil can tempt you, but can’t make you sin
The devil can tempt you, but he cannot make you sin. You are the one, who is responsible for your sins. You decide to do something that goes against God’s will and sin or not. You are responsible for your behavior and your actions. And it all starts in your mind. Your mind is a breeding ground for good or evil.
Ngeshwa, the devil still has control in the mind of many believers. That’s mainly because many believers don’t renew their mind ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, they don’t get to know the intando kaNkulunkulu. They keep feeding their mind with the knowledge, wisdom and the things of this world. Ngenxa yalokho, their mind belongs to the world; usathane, and they walk according to his will.
Ngenxa yeqiniso, that the devil controls the mind, he also controls the lives of many believers. He determines their behavior, speech, and actions. Yebo, he controls them by controlling their mind; their thoughts. He puts thoughts into their mind that go against the will of God, and as long as they are carnal and they are being led by the flesh, they shall obey these thoughts. They shall walk and live according to what their thoughts tell and command them to do. Just like the Word says, that before you repented you lived like the world, in the lusts of your flesh, fulfilling the desires of your flesh and of the mind.
And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: esake sakhuluma phakathi kwabo sonke ngezinkanuko zenyama yethu, ukufeza izifiso zenyama nezengqondo; futhi ngokwemvelo babengabantwana bolaka, njengabanye (Kwabase-Efesu 2:1-3)
Ukuphinga
A person doesn’t commit adultery, just like that. Although some believers, who have committed adultery, isho, that they couldn’t help it and before they knew it they committed adultery. But that’s nonsense! Accidentally infidelity and adultery do not exist. Because before a person commits adultery, all kinds of unclean sexual thoughts have already entered the mind of the person. They brought up the idea of committing adultery. The person can mislead many people, who are carnal and are being led by their emotions and feelings, by taking a victim role, so that others will feel sorry for the person and have compassion. Kodwa labo, who are led by the Holy Spirit, and are not led by carnal feelings and emotions, don’t fall for that. They will discern the spirits, including the spirit of self-pity.
But before a person commits adultery, an unclean sexual thought of lust and desire already entered the mind. This thought came forth out of the lusts and desires of the flesh. This shows, that the flesh is not crucified in Christ, but is still alive and reigns in the person’s life. If the person had taken authority over this thought, by commanding it to leave his mind, the person would not have committed adultery. But the person didn’t do that and allowed that thought. The person not only allowed the thought but also meditated on this thought. In the mind, the person already committed adultery and has connected himself/herself with the other person. Manje, these unclean sexual feelings of lust will only become stronger.
A person, who commits fornication or adultery, has done this with premeditation. After committing adultery, this unclean spirit of sexual lust and desire shall reign in the person’s life. Because the person has obeyed this spirit by committing adultery and has given access to his/her life. This spirit shall manifest himself from time to time. That’s why many times when someone commits adultery it isn’t just one time, kodwa emva kwesikhashana, it happens again.
I’ve given this example of adultery, but there are so many examples to mention, about thoughts that cause behavior and actions, that goes against God’s will. Like gossip, manipulation, ukuqamba amanga, ukuthukuthela, worry, complaining, hurting other people, scams, theft, embezzling money, tax evasion and so on. All these actions are being done with premeditation because they all derive from the mind of a person.
Ingqondo inokuzikhethela
Ingqondo inokuzikhethela. As long as a person stays carnal and is not able to control his flesh, the person shall be dominated by his flesh; sinful nature. The person shall be led by his thoughts instead of taking authority over his thoughts.
Every person makes his/her own decisions to allow thoughts, and conceive thoughts and sin, or to reject thoughts and not sin. Every person is responsible for his/her mind, behavior and actions. Therefore you can’t blame others for your behavior or actions.
That’s why, it’s so important and necessary to vuselela ingqondo yakho with God’s Word, instead of feeding your mind with the things of this world. Because your mind determines your behavior and your actions.
Your way of life proves, if you have a carnal mind and being led by the flesh or that you have the mind of Christ that is conformed to the Word and are led by the Spirit. If you have the mind of Christ and are led by the Holy Spirit then you shall live according to Intando kaNkulunkulu and serve Him.
Serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever (1 Chronicles 28:9)
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
