OCTOBER THEME – “Crucified with Christ: Dying to Self, Living to God”
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
The natural mind is chained to what it can see, bound by pride, and restless with the passing distractions of this world. Scripture declares it is “enmity against God” (Romans 8:7)—unable to grasp eternal realities because it is trapped in the temporary, tossed by fear, selfish desires, and confusion. In contrast, the mind of Christ is formed by the Spirit, anchored in the Father’s will, marked by humility, and steadied by peace because it sees through the lens of eternity. From Bethlehem to Calvary, Jesus lived with undivided focus—never distracted, never turning from His holy mission. The fiercest battle we fight is not around us but within us, for every sin, doubt, and fear begins as a thought. Left unchecked, those thoughts harden into chains; surrendered to Christ, they are shattered, and we walk in freedom the world cannot take away. Holiness, then, is not willpower or discipline alone but the fruit of a renewed mind—Christ’s pattern shaping our motives, the Spirit empowering our choices, and His Word guarding our thoughts. Like a sponge, the mind releases what it has absorbed. If it is filled with the world, corruption drips out under pressure; if it is filled with God’s Word, purity and life flow forth. True holiness is not bondage but liberty—the freedom to think clearly, to live with eternal direction, and to love with Christ’s compassion. It brings joy in suffering, stability in storms, and turns the believer’s life into a testimony of God’s grace and power.
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
The Power of Holiness
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” — John 8:36
Holiness is not your willpower reaching up to God—it is God’s Spirit reaching down to transform you. Trying to live holy in your own strength is like a glove trying to move without a hand—empty and powerless. But when the Spirit fills you, the glove comes alive with purpose, movement, and strength that doesn’t belong to it. Holiness is not human effort polished up; it is divine life poured out.
The Spirit as the Source of Victory
The difference between defeat and victory is not human grit but divine grace flowing through a surrendered vessel. Paul admitted, “When I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Even Jesus, the eternal Son of God, chose to face temptation not in His own independent strength but in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1). This shows us the Trinitarian pattern of redemption: the Father sends, the Son obeys, and the Spirit empowers.
A sailboat does not move by rowing harder—it moves when it raises its sails to catch the wind. In the same way, the believer advances not by straining harder, but by opening wide to the Spirit who supplies victory. Instead of saying, “I will try harder next time,” we should say, “Lord, I will trust deeper next time.”
Guarding the Mind Through Scripture
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He did not argue with Satan or reason with him—He simply declared, “It is written” (Matthew 4:4). The power was not in debate but in truth. Later, when the Pharisees dragged the woman caught in adultery before Him, He lifted His thoughts to the higher standard of God’s wisdom, saying, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone” (John 8:7). In both moments, His holy mind was guarded and guided by the Word.
A soldier never enters battle without a weapon, yet many Christians face daily spiritual warfare without Scripture hidden in their hearts. The Word of God is not just a book—it is a shield, a sword, and a lamp for the path.
Holiness is impossible without the Word saturating your thoughts. The Spirit takes the written Word and makes it a living defense in the believer’s mind.
Holiness as Freedom, Not Chains
Many view holiness as a cage of “don’ts” and “can’ts,” but Jesus calls it freedom. Holiness frees the mind from guilt, fear, and shame. It frees relationships from selfishness, replacing demands with humility and love. It frees worship from empty rituals, filling it with Spirit and truth (John 4:24). True holiness is liberation, not bondage: the Spirit doesn’t just change how you think—He transforms how you love, how you forgive, how you endure.
Think of a prisoner who has lived so long in a cell that freedom feels foreign. When the door is opened, he steps cautiously. But once he realizes he is truly free, joy overtakes him. That is what holiness does—it opens the prison door of sin and invites us into the wide-open fields of grace.
When you surrender to the Spirit’s sanctifying work, you don’t lose life—you find it. Holiness is freedom to become the person God created you to be.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess my weakness and invite Your Spirit to fill me. Break the chains of sin, fear, and pride. Make me free indeed to love, serve, and live with the mind of Christ.
Challenge: Memorize John 8:36 today. Each time you face temptation or fear, declare it aloud: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Nancy Brown – Rehab
Allysa Elliott
Amy Garner’s Dad
Annette Ford
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Ann Stanley
Carol Lawhead – Park Place Rehab in Monroe
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
Debbie Foskey
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
Jessica Headrick
John McClain’s Mother
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kathryn Raines
Kim McClain’s Mother
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda
Lee Cronan
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Mays
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williams
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Mrs. Franklin
Nora Allison
Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Sheila Simmons
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shellnutts
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher