Each day we must choose what leading to follow – that which is fleshly or that which is spiritual. No matter how mundane our day is, our mind will always follow a certain train of thought that can go to many places, both good and bad. Our spiritual health, behavior, mood, and growth in Christ depend heavily on where this train of thought goes, and who we are allowing to be our train’s conductor. The first thing we must realize is that, no matter how much we believe we can be in control, we can never and will never be able to be the conductor of our own train of thought. We cannot master our own mind because we are always subject to the influence and leading of a certain force, so we are bound to follow rather than lead as a mortal human. However, we can choose who the conductor is, and we have only two options: the Holy Spirit, or the other one. The Holy Spirit is God’s gift and loving, guiding presence within us. The other one indulges our own fleshly desires. He is the father of all lies, the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and the root of all that corrupts us. The other one, the evil one, never takes us to a good place, but instead takes our train to stations full of sin, regret, sadness, and death. When we allow him to dominate our thoughts, we inevitably become a slave to negativity and fear as we are transformed into the lowliest and worst version of ourselves. We become pinned down under a heavy weight of pessimism, low confidence, worry, and constant doubt in God and our future. Even worse, we can often become trapped in this train of thought, strapped in tightly and racing faster and faster on a destructive path rushing toward sin and pulling our mind away from God. The only way to banish him off our train of thought is to call upon the name of the Lord, and ask the Holy Spirit to deliver us. When we do this, we hand over the conductor’s hat and controls to the Holy Spirit. When we follow His leading, we change from a malevolent and cruel conductor to a kind and loving one. When He is in control, we are taken down a train of thought that leads to life, inner peace, and spiritual growth. The Holy Spirit wants only the best for us, and helps us become the best that we can be as it transforms us into a godly person who can understand and emanate the Lord’s glory. With the wise influence of the Spirit within, we are no longer enslaved to our flesh, but instead attain an indescribable freedom and confidence, liberated from the hindrances of our human sinful nature. Whether we like it or not, we are daily faced with this active choice between the Holy Spirit or the evil one. If we idly allow our thoughts to wander, floating from one thought to the next with no consideration of what is leading them, we will likely succumb to the wrong conductor, allowing him to get his hands on the controls. But if we stay in constant prayer, making a conscious decision every day to firmly follow the Holy Spirit and put Him in control of our thoughts and our lives, we will break loose from the bondage of the flesh. Every day we can choose freedom over slavery.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:5-6

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. Romans 8:14-15

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:17-18