We choose - Romans 6:11-14 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

with a darkened understanding!

of being alienated from God because of your ignorance! (you have walked away, not Him - you are still saved, IF you were saved in the first place...?)

with a blind heart!

where you have given yourself over unto lasciviousness because you are past feeling!

working all uncleanness with greediness!

*I.  Evil Affected
...against the Brethren who preach Paul
Acts 14:2 - But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

• the world is stirred up against Christianity - even towards the false Christianity of today!
• the lost are stirred up against the saved
• Christians are stirred up against Christians in whatever fashion... judgment, etc. (unless it is done properly in I Thessalonians 3 - still not an enemy by us, anyway...)
• Acts 13:50 - holy and devout women - women are stirred up against the leadership and authority of the male - But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
• The Great Commission folks are stirred up against Paul!
• Baptists are stirred up against non-Baptists - non baptizers - former baptists (lthose leaning towards Hollywood but also those leaning towards rightly divided truth!)

• never comforted; no joy; no peace; tense; somebody is always out to  get / hurt them; afraid of others even offering to help or offer some input.
• GROW UP! and you can ONLY do that with Paul!
• Put away childish things - be a man in your understanding - let the winds of doctrine blow you around no more!

IV.  Fleshy Puffed Up Mind
Colossians 2:18,19 -  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  (today, the head - spiritually is the RD KJB!)

V.  Blinded Minds
II Corinthians 3:13-16 - not use plainness of speech...
II Corinthians 4:3,4 - blinded by the devil
Luke 8:12 - stolen words - Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Job 17:5 - flatteries blind - He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.
vain words - great swelling words of vanity - wisdom of words - enticing words of man's wisdom - good words and fair speeches - they all blind!

VI.  Otherwise Minded
Galatians 5:10 - against faith (vs 6) - puts one in bondage -  I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
walking contrary
I Thessalonians 2:15 - Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
Romans 16:17 - Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Galatians 5:17 - For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
I Timothy 1:10 - (vs 9) the law is made... For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Titus 2:8 - Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Be glad you don't live in the OT times... Leviticus 26:21 - And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

VII.  Enemy in Your Mind
Colossians 1:21 - by wicked works - And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (sin attached) -
moved away from hope of the gospel - vs 23 - If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

VIII.  Selfish Desires of Mind (not just selfish flesh)
Ephesians 2:3 -  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Romans 14:7-9 - For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

IX.  Reprobate Mind
Romans 1:28 - And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
God will not and can not give a Christian over to a reprobate mind, but we can try to choose to live like we have one. See verses 29-32

• Do you have that war going on between your flesh & the Spirit of God?
• Do you have that battle between 'your opinion' and the Spirit of God?