Jesus Is Lord of My Mind

BECAUSE I BELONG

Living Differently Because Jesus Is Lord

Jesus Is Lord of My Mind

Text: Romans 12:1–2

Series: Because I Belong — Living Differently Because Jesus Is Lord

Big Idea

Because I belong to Jesus, I cannot allow the world to shape the way I think. I must allow God to transform my mind through His truth.

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to pick something up without realizing it?

You hear somebody say a phrase over and over, and before long you're saying it.

You spend enough time around somebody with a particular attitude, and eventually you start thinking like they think.

You watch enough television, scroll through enough social media, listen to enough opinions, and eventually some of those things begin to sound normal.

That's because what we repeatedly put into our minds has a way of influencing how we think.

And what we think eventually influences how we live.

That's why the mind matters so much.

Before your actions change, your thinking usually changes.

Before your habits change, your thinking usually changes.

Before your priorities change, your thinking usually changes.

Before your attitude changes, your thinking usually changes.

The battle for the way you live often begins with the battle for the way you think.

That's why Paul begins this section of Romans with the mind.

Romans 12 marks a major transition in the book.

Paul has spent the first eleven chapters explaining what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.

He has talked about sin.

Grace.

Salvation.

Justification.

Mercy.

Faith.

The work of Christ.

And then he gets to chapter 12 and essentially says:

Now, because of all that God has done for you, here's how you should live.

Romans 12:1 begins:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God…”

Paul is saying:

Look at what God has done for you. Now let that change the way you live.

And one of the first places that change needs to happen is in our minds.

Romans 12:2 says:

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

The Christian life isn't simply about changing what we do.

God wants to change how we think.

Because when God changes the way we think, He begins changing the way we live.

So today we're beginning a new series called:

BECAUSE I BELONG

Living Differently Because Jesus Is Lord

And we're starting with a simple truth:

JESUS IS LORD OF MY MIND.

If Jesus is truly Lord of my life, He should have authority over what I think, what I believe, what I dwell on, and how I see the world.

1. MY MIND NEEDS A NEW MASTER

Romans 12:1 says:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice…”

Paul isn't beginning with behavior.

He's beginning with surrender.

Before God changes what we do, we have to recognize who is in charge.

If Jesus is Lord, then He isn't just Lord of Sunday morning.

He's Lord of Monday morning.

He's Lord of my home.

He's Lord of my work.

He's Lord of my relationships.

And He's Lord of my mind.

A. I Don't Belong to Myself

One of the biggest problems we have is that we think our minds belong completely to us.

We say:

“It's my opinion.”

“It's my life.”

“I'll think whatever I want.”

And technically, we have the ability to think whatever we want.

But when we belong to Jesus, we understand that our lives belong to Him.

Paul says, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice.”

In other words:

Give God all of you.

Not just your hands.

Not just your feet.

Not just your voice.

Not just your Sunday mornings.

Your mind belongs to Him too.

B. I Don't Have to Believe Everything I Think

This is important because we often assume:

“If I thought it, it must be true.”

That's not true.

Your mind can lie to you.

Your emotions can lie to you.

Your fears can lie to you.

Your assumptions can lie to you.

Your experiences can influence you.

Other people's opinions can influence you.

And sometimes we believe something simply because we've thought it for so long.

But just because a thought enters your mind doesn't mean it deserves a permanent place there.

Not every thought deserves to be believed.

C. Jesus Deserves the Final Say

When Jesus is Lord of my mind, I don't ask:

“What do I think?”

as my only question.

I also ask:

“What does God say?”

That's the difference.

The world says:

“Follow your heart.”

God's Word says we need something greater than our feelings.

The world says:

“Do whatever makes you happy.”

Jesus says:

“Follow Me.”

The world says:

“Believe whatever feels right.”

Jesus says:

“Know the truth.”

Because I belong to Jesus, His truth gets the final word.

ILLUSTRATION — THE GPS

Think about your GPS.

You can type in an address and your GPS will tell you where to go.

But sometimes you don't like the route it gives you.

You think:

“I know a better way.”

So you ignore it.

You turn down another road.

Then five minutes later:

“Recalculating.”

You can ignore it again.

And again.

And again.

Eventually you may end up somewhere you never intended to go.

Our minds can work the same way.

God gives us His Word.

He says:

“This is the way.”

But we say:

“I think I'll go this way.”

And eventually we wonder:

“How did I end up here?”

Sometimes the problem isn't that God failed to tell us where to go.

The problem is that we kept ignoring His direction.

APPLICATION

Ask yourself:

Who has the final authority over my thinking?

My feelings?

My friends?

Social media?

The culture?

My past?

My fears?

Or Jesus?

If Jesus is Lord, then He gets the final say.

2. MY MIND MUST RESIST THE WORLD

Romans 12:2 says:

“Do not be conformed to this age…”

Paul gives us a warning.

Don't let the world squeeze you into its mold.

The world is constantly trying to tell us:

What is normal.

What is acceptable.

What is important.

What is valuable.

What is right.

What is wrong.

What we should desire.

What we should fear.

What we should pursue.

And if we're not careful, we begin accepting the world's definitions without ever stopping to ask whether they agree with God's Word.

A. The World Is Constantly Shaping Us

Nobody wakes up one morning and says:

“Today I'm going to completely abandon biblical thinking.”

Usually it happens gradually.

A little compromise here.

A little influence there.

A little exposure.

A little rationalization.

A little entertainment.

A little bitterness.

A little materialism.

A little comparison.

A little pride.

And eventually our thinking begins to change.

That's what makes conformity so dangerous.

It can happen without us noticing.

B. Familiar Doesn't Mean Biblical

Just because something is common doesn't mean it's right.

Just because everybody does it doesn't mean God's okay with it.

Just because society celebrates something doesn't mean Scripture approves it.

And just because something has become normal doesn't mean Christians should automatically accept it.

We don't determine truth by taking a vote.

God's Word determines truth.

C. I Must Learn to Recognize the World's Voice

The more we know God's Word, the easier it becomes to recognize what doesn't sound like God.

You can't recognize counterfeit money simply by studying counterfeits.

You learn genuine currency.

Then when something doesn't match the original, you recognize the difference.

The same is true spiritually.

The more we know God's truth, the easier it becomes to recognize false thinking.

ILLUSTRATION — THE COUNTERFEIT

A bank teller doesn't have to memorize every possible counterfeit bill in existence.

Instead, they become extremely familiar with the real thing.

They know what real money looks like.

They know how it feels.

They know the details.

And when something counterfeit comes across the counter, they can recognize that it isn't right.

The same principle applies to our spiritual lives.

The best way to recognize false ideas is to become familiar with God's truth.

If all we consume is the world's thinking, we'll eventually begin thinking like the world.

But when we fill our minds with Scripture, prayer, worship, and biblical truth, we become better equipped to recognize what doesn't belong.

APPLICATION

Ask:

What is shaping the way I think?

What do I watch?

What do I listen to?

Who influences me?

What voices get the most attention in my life?

What do I spend hours reading?

What occupies my thoughts?

Because whatever gets the most access to your mind will eventually have influence over your life.

3. MY MIND NEEDS TO BE RENEWED

Paul doesn't simply say:

“Stop thinking like the world.”

He says:

“But be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

That's important.

Christianity isn't merely about removing bad thoughts.

It's about replacing them with God's truth.

God doesn't just want to clean up our minds.

He wants to transform them.

A. Renewal Changes How I See Myself

The world may say:

“You're only as valuable as your accomplishments.”

God says you were created by Him and are valuable to Him.

The world says:

“You are your past.”

God says your past does not have to determine your future.

The world says:

“You have to prove yourself.”

God says your identity is found in Christ.

When your mind is renewed, you begin seeing yourself through God's truth rather than the world's labels.

B. Renewal Changes How I See Others

A renewed mind changes the way we look at people.

Instead of asking:

“What can this person do for me?”

we begin asking:

“How can I serve this person?”

Instead of:

“What's wrong with them?”

we ask:

“How can I help them?”

Instead of:

“Do they deserve my kindness?”

we remember:

I received grace I didn't deserve.

A renewed mind produces a different heart toward people.

C. Renewal Changes How I See My Circumstances

A renewed mind doesn't mean we pretend everything is good.

It means we learn to see difficult circumstances through the presence and promises of God.

Instead of:

“Why is God doing this to me?”

we can ask:

“God, what do You want to teach me through this?”

Instead of:

“This is the end.”

we can say:

“God is not finished.”

Instead of:

“I can't handle this.”

we can say:

“I don't have to handle this alone.”

The circumstances may not immediately change.

But the way we see them can change.

ILLUSTRATION — A PAIR OF GLASSES

Imagine putting on a pair of glasses that completely changes the color of everything you see.

Everything is viewed through those lenses.

The world hasn't changed.

The house hasn't changed.

The trees haven't changed.

The people haven't changed.

Your lens has changed.

That's what God wants to do with our minds.

He wants us to begin seeing:

People through grace.

Problems through faith.

Possessions through stewardship.

Time through eternity.

Trials through God's sovereignty.

Life through Scripture.

And ourselves through the Gospel.

God changes the way we see because He changes the way we think.

APPLICATION

What would happen if you started filtering your thoughts through Scripture?

Before you respond, ask:

“What does God's Word say?”

Before you make a decision:

“What does God's Word say?”

Before you believe something about yourself:

“What does God's Word say?”

Before you become angry:

“What does God's Word say?”

Before you become afraid:

“What does God's Word say?”

That's what it means to renew the mind.

4. MY RENEWED MIND LEADS TO A DIFFERENT LIFE

Paul ends verse 2 by saying:

“So that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

There's a purpose to the renewed mind.

God isn't renewing your mind just so you can think better.

He's renewing your mind so you can live differently.

A. What I Think Affects What I Do

Your thoughts don't stay in your head.

Eventually they come out in your words.

Eventually they show up in your attitudes.

Eventually they influence your decisions.

Eventually they become habits.

Eventually they shape your character.

That's why this matters.

Thoughts become actions.Actions become habits.

Actions become habits.Habits shape character.

Habits shape character.Character influences your life.

Character influences your life.

So if we want different lives, we need transformed thinking.

B. What I Believe Affects What I Choose

Every day we make choices.

How will I respond?

What will I say?

What will I watch?

Where will I go?

How will I treat this person?

What will I do with my money?

What will I do with my time?

What will I pursue?

Those choices are influenced by what we believe.

If I believe that this world is all there is, I'll live differently.

If I believe eternity is real, I'll live differently.

If I believe Jesus is Lord, I'll live differently.

What you believe determines how you behave.

C. What I Think About Jesus Changes Everything

This is ultimately where Paul is taking us.

Jesus isn't asking for a small section of our lives.

He's asking for all of us.

Our minds.

Our hearts.

Our bodies.

Our choices.

Our relationships.

Our priorities.

Our future.

Because He is Lord.

And if Jesus is Lord, then He gets to change the way I think.

ILLUSTRATION — THE HOUSE REMODEL

Imagine buying an old house.

You walk through it and realize almost everything needs to be changed.

The floors need work.

The kitchen needs updating.

The bathrooms need renovating.

The paint needs to change.

The wiring needs work.

The plumbing needs attention.

You don't just hang a new picture on the wall and say:

“There. It's completely different.”

Real transformation requires work throughout the house.

Sometimes we treat Christianity like putting a fresh coat of paint on our old life.

We want Jesus to save us but not necessarily change us.

We want forgiveness without transformation.

We want heaven without holiness.

We want Jesus as Savior but don't always want Him as Lord.

But Paul says:

Present your whole self to God.

Let Him transform you.

Let Him renew your mind.

Let Him change the way you think.

And when He changes the way you think, He begins changing the way you live.

WHAT DO I DO?

So how do I actually begin allowing God to renew my mind?

Here are four practical things.

1. FEED YOUR MIND GOD'S WORD

You can't expect a biblical mind if you're never putting biblical truth into it.

Read Scripture.

Study Scripture.

Listen to Scripture.

Memorize Scripture.

Meditate on Scripture.

Don't simply ask:

“Did I read my Bible today?”

Ask:

“Did God's Word get into my mind today?”

2. FILTER WHAT YOU ALLOW INTO YOUR MIND

Not everything deserves access to your mind.

Ask:

Does this help me think like Jesus?

Does this draw me toward Christ or away from Him?

Does this strengthen my faith or weaken it?

Would I be comfortable inviting Jesus to sit beside me while I consume this?

We don't have to be afraid of the world.

But we do need to be careful about what we allow to shape us.

3. FIGHT WRONG THINKING WITH TRUTH

When a thought comes into your mind that doesn't agree with Scripture, don't simply accept it.

Challenge it.

If you think:

“I'm worthless.”

Ask:

“What does God say about me?”

If you think:

“Nobody cares.”

Ask:

“What does Scripture say about God's love?”

If you think:

“I can't forgive them.”

Ask:

“What has Jesus forgiven me?”

If you think:

“There's no way through this.”

Ask:

“Is that actually true, or is fear talking?”

Replace the lie with truth.

4. SURRENDER YOUR MIND TO JESUS EVERY DAY

Don't wait until Sunday.

Start every morning with a simple prayer:

“Lord, my mind belongs to You today. Help me think what is true, believe what is right, reject what is false, and make choices that honor You.”

That is a simple prayer.

But imagine what would happen if we actually lived it.

CONCLUSION

Let's go back to where Paul begins.

Romans 12:1:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God…”

Paul doesn't say:

“Change because you're a terrible person.”

He says:

“Change because you've experienced the mercy of God.”

That's the foundation of this entire series.

We're not trying to live differently so that God will love us.

We live differently because God has already loved us.

We're not trying to earn salvation.

We're living from salvation.

We're not trying to make Jesus our Savior.

We're learning to live like He is already our Lord.

And if Jesus is Lord, then He is Lord of my mind.

So I don't have to let the world tell me what is true.

I don't have to let my feelings determine my identity.

I don't have to let my past determine my future.

I don't have to let fear control my decisions.

I don't have to let culture determine my values.

I don't have to let social media determine what matters.

I can bring my mind under the authority of Jesus Christ.

Because I belong to Him.

FINAL CHALLENGE

This week, pay attention to your thoughts.

When a thought comes into your mind, ask:

Is it true?

Is it biblical?

Does it honor Jesus?

And if the answer is no, don't let that thought become your master.

Take it to Jesus.

Replace it with truth.

Renew your mind.

Because when Jesus is Lord of your mind,

He begins changing the way you see.

And when He changes the way you see,

He changes the way you live.

INVITATION

Maybe today the greatest thing that needs to change isn't your circumstances.

Maybe it's your thinking.

Maybe you've allowed fear to become your master.

Maybe you've allowed bitterness to become your master.

Maybe you've allowed your past to become your master.

Maybe you've allowed what other people think to become your master.

Maybe you've allowed the world to shape your thinking more than God's Word.

Today, Jesus is calling you back.

Not simply to better behavior.

Not simply to try harder.

But to surrender.

“Lord, renew my mind.”

And perhaps there's someone here who has never surrendered their life to Jesus Christ.

The starting point isn't fixing yourself.

The starting point is coming to Jesus.

Trusting Him.

Following Him.

Making Him Lord.

Because when you truly belong to Jesus, He doesn't just want to change where you spend eternity. He wants to change how you live right now.

So today, surrender your mind.

Surrender your heart.

Surrender your life.

And let Jesus be Lord.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Because I belong to Jesus, I refuse to let the world shape my mind. I allow God's Word to renew my mind so that my life can reflect His will.

BECAUSE I BELONG:

Jesus Is Lord of My Mind.