Carnally Minded: 7 Biblical Tips to Purity!

When someone is described as “carnally minded,” it means they are operating from their flesh. The flesh is insecure, selfish, rebellious, unforgiving, angry, prideful, etc. As a result, a carnal person may struggle to believe in God’s promises and face challenges related to sin, impure thoughts, self-doubt, and an orphan mentality. Ultimately, a carnal person has not fully let go of their fleshly nature, making it difficult to allow God to lead them into purity and freedom.

If you feel that you’re carnally minded, consider asking yourself these questions: Do you believe that Jesus’ blood on the cross is enough to transform and purify you? Do you believe you must do something to earn healing, salvation, and authority?

Do you believe that Jesus Is the Messiah (Deliverer or Savior)?

In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would come to set us free from the prison of carnality. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Isaiah 61

After Jesus read Isaiah 61 in the Synagogue, Jesus said: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)

Essentially, Jesus came to earth and died to free us from our carnal nature and carnal mind. To renew our mind, we need to drop human pride and the belief we can become free in our strength. When we humbly accept the blood shed by Christ to free us from our carnal nature, we will see the most breakthrough.

Without Jesus Christ we are a PRISONER to sin and the Devil. Fortunately, the blood of Christ is powerful enough to free us from Satan’s jail and helps us to end patterns of sin, impure thoughts, bad relationships, and bad habits.

What does carnality mean?

According to dictionary.com, “Carnality is pertaining to or characterized by the flesh or the body, its passions and appetites; sensual: carnal pleasures. not spiritual; merely human; temporal; worldly: a man of secular, rather carnal, leanings.”

18 Signs of Carnality

• Distrust of God: Doubting God’s word or guidance.
• Selfishness: Prioritizing personal desires over others’ needs.
• Manipulativeness: Using deceit to control or influence others.
• Fearfulness: Excessive fear hindering trust in God’s plan.
• Lust: Intense or inappropriate sexual cravings.
• Control: Seeking to dominate or manipulate people or situations.
• Victim Mentality: Avoiding responsibility by seeing oneself as always wronged.
• Shame and Condemnation: Dwelling on guilt and self-rejection.
• Anger: Frequent or uncontrolled outbursts of resentment.
• Hypocrisy: Acting contrary to one’s stated beliefs or values.
• Hearers but Not Doers: Knowing God’s word but not applying it.
• Judgmental: Being overly critical of others.
• Pride and Legalism: Valuing tradition or rules over love and humility.
• Unrepentant: Refusing to seek forgiveness or change.
• Materialism: Pursuing wealth and possessions over spiritual matters.
• Lovers of Pleasure: Seeking excessive enjoyment or indulgence.
• Idolatry: Placing people, possessions, or status above God.
• Unforgiving: Holding onto grudges and refusing to forgive others.

Carnal Person Meaning

A person with a carnal mind has not TRULY accepted the power of Christ’s death and doesn’t fully believe the Holy Spirit has given them the power to conquer all sin/obstacles. They are controlled by the flesh, constantly going along with what they want, what they think is best, and what they fear. They have no anchor or security in life because Christ is not their cornerstone and foundation. Therefore, their lack of faith causes them to manipulate, control, and act out of fear because they only trust in themselves to fix things. They must let go of the control and trust God to guide, protect, and provide for them.

“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.  The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.  But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.” Romans 8:6-10

Related Article: 12 Things the Holy Spirit Does For You

What does carnally mean in the Bible?

The word “carnally” in the Bible points to people that feed into selfish desires OR individuals that go through life trusting their own self effort more than God’s power. The carnal mind is usually consumed with the flesh and worldly things. A carnal Christian is insecure, jealous, lustful, prideful, fearful, manipulative, legalistic, hypocritical, etc. But, God doesn’t want anyone to live with those negative thoughts and bad behaviors!

The blood sacrifice of Christ payed for your mind to be set free from the captivity of Satan. “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 Through His death we are no longer captives NOR slaves to carnal thoughts and behaviors (fear, jealously, pain, slaves to sin, etc.) !

In a dream, I was a captive imprisoned in Satan’s jail cell. There were no doors at the jail, but everyone stayed in the prison because of fear. This is a picture of what the body of Christ often looks like. Many Christians are still stuck in Satan’s grasp even though Christ died to set them free. Sadly, Satan wants to keep us stuck, so he uses fear, lies, and schemes to imprison us in our sinful nature. And if we are too prideful to acknowledge our weakness, we may avoid OR stop relying on God’s help!

It’s sad, but we often think we can defeat Satan, change our bad habits, forgive,  fix our low self-esteem, gain wisdom, and more, all without fully surrendering our pain, fears, and worries to God.

Related Article: 13 Lessons from Bible Verses about Carnality

When you’re Weak, God is Strong

When I pray or fast with fear, control, and distrust as my focus, I come to realize that I’m not truly connecting with God. This happens because I’m relying on my own wisdom and strength, which is rooted in pride.

My most powerful prayers are when I surrender my emotions: “God I don’t have the strength. I need your power to enable me to forgive or ___fill in the blank___.” On our own, we cannot overcome sin/obstacles because Satan brings sneaky traps we are not wise enough to escape without the Spirit of God. 

Paul understood that God’s power is most effective in a humble man that has surrendered it all to God: “[Jesus] said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I (Paul) will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Related Article: 12 Things the Holy Spirit Does For You

The Good News

THE GOOD NEWS: The blood of Jesus purifies us and helps us avoid thinking impure and negative thoughts. But, when you get saved the process isn’t instant! The selfish and prideful thoughts don’t just GO AWAY instantly. As we grow in Christ, we have to be warriors that identify the lies that Satan is trying to feed us and we must quickly: “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

We should seek God EVERYDAY for healing and strategy to avoid the thoughts that the devil is trying to get us to believe. The devil came to kill, steal, and destroy. He wants to kill your happiness. He wants to steal your free gifts from God. And, he wants to destroy your destiny and relationship with God. Will you let him?

I can help you take every thought captive with 20 minutes of free Empowerment Coaching!

Carnally Minded vs Spiritually Minded

The carnally minded Christian believes the lies of Satan. The lies cause the carnal person to fear, worry, strive, and seek purification in their own strength. You can avoid the Enemy’s Schemes by understanding the three main ways that he attacks our mind. The Devil preys on the carnally minded, but we can defeat him by being spiritually minded.

What does it mean to be spiritual minded?

To be spiritually minded you should focus on pleasing God, having a relationship with him, and bringing the kingdom of God to earth. To begin the process of cultivating a spiritual mindset, you should also actively replace the lies of the enemy with biblical truths. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Related Articles: 5 Tips + How I Overcame Sexual Sin!

1. The Ability to Live Sin Free Is a Biblical Promise

You can’t earn what Christ died to give you. It’s a free gift, but you have to BELIEVE you have it.

• When Jesus died on the cross, he gave us the following GIFTS: The Holy Spirit, forgiveness, the power to break generational curses in our lives, protection/guidance, help to be pure, an escape from temptations, access to the voice of God, fruits of the spirit, a royal inheritance and access to heaven.
• Believe God’s gifts are yours and you WILL receive it freely. The enemy wants to steal and destroy your FAITH. He will try to convince you to work hard for the FREE gifts of God. Remember, Jesus died while we were still sinners (John 3:16) to FREELY give us forgiveness and cleansing – We only need to believe it’s true to receive the gifts.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good work, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 

Satan will try to convince you to do unbearable fasts and prayers to earn holiness & forgiveness, but such works of the flesh will leave you tired and stuck in your cycle of pain & sin. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) So, Learn to pray and fast in a healthy way!

2. Don’t believe Satan’s lies.

The Devil wants us to believe lies about God, others, and ourselves.

Satan is the father of lies. “[The devil] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44

• He convinces believers that they aren’t pure, saved, gifted, or powerful. 
  • He wants you to think about your flesh and everything that is wrong, so you’ll stay carnally minded. He makes people work for the free gifts of God. He throws fiery darts — little attacks that make us tired and less confident that we are powerful children of God. He attacks you, over and over. At first you may be strong enough, but his goal is to wear you down. Eventually, if you aren’t in the Word and prayer you will become tired and burnt-out. Then when you’re at your lowest, he’ll bring even more temptations.

• If we are bitter or angry towards someone, Satan uses this to accomplish his plans.
  • He tempts us to lash out, ignore, disrespect, and hurt others when they have hurt us. “Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” 2 Corinthian 2:10-11

God desires for you to understand the plan of the enemy and escape his traps. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10)

3. God does everything from truth and love.

A spiritually minded person is able to think positively about themself and God, even during the hardest situations. They are able to have faith that they are REDEEMED and CLEANSED by the blood, even when carnal thoughts try to convince them that their past is too dirty to forgive.

• • Satan will try to get you to turn away from God with anger, fear, and distrust. He’ll use your pain to convince you that you don’t know God and you’re not connected. But, remember “nothing can separate us from God’s Love.” Romans 8:31-39
  • God’s truth in the Bible helps us to break free from the traps Satan creates with lies. “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
  • Many lose faith when they find waiting on God unbearable. God asks us to wait so we can seek His face, and He can mature us, and heal us (waiting isn’t a punishment). “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

Don’t lose faith because God will not break his promises listed in scripture! “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19

Related Articles: 14 Tips to Stand Firm In Faith When You’re Tired!

10 Steps To Stop Being Carnally Minded & Renew Your Mind!

You can overcome carnality by following these 7 steps to renew your mind:

1. Change your focus to holy and pure things: As Romans 8:6 tells us, ‘For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.’

If you’re stuck in a carnal mindset, it’s like choosing to focus on things that bring spiritual death, such as your lack of progress and  fear of being stuck forever in sin or pain. Instead, focus on what you’re doing right and how powerful God is to lead you out of this problem. Trust that the blood of Christ is enough to santificy you in his perfect timing.

2. Reading the Bible teaches us the truth and defeats Satan’s lies. Often times, we are brainwashed by “worldly wisdom.” Sadly, you won’t notice that you believe lies about God and the Bible till you get into the WORD! 

The Bible is considered the meat and solid food to further our spiritual growth. It gives us the foundation to discern what God is saying vs. the world vs. satan. “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:14

For example, the Bible helps us distinguish between conviction of sin and condemnation:

• Conviction is a sorrow for sinning, but doesn’t make us feel like a horrible people. Condemnation is a deep shame and guilt that means you don’t believe God has forgiven you.  “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10
• Feeling horrible about sin means you may struggle with perfectionism and fear of punishment. Instead, allow God’s love to remove your fear and shame. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

3. You don’t have to earn God’s healing power. Seek God and He will freely give it to you. You will need God’s healing power to create a pure heart within you. 

4. Pray and have faith that God wants to remove the lies. God wants you to notice when you believe lies and discern God’s voice from the Devil’s lies. Healthy fasting and prayer can help this process.

5. Start practicing better thoughts before your healing arrives. When you have a negative thought replace it with something positive.

6. Be vulnerable with God. Open your heart and tell God exactly what you feel and think in prayer. The Bible says that Jesus has felt and been tempted in the same ways we have, but he didn’t sin.

He gives us his secret formula by giving us the Holy Spirit. “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.(1 Corinthians 10:13)

7. Surround Yourself With Wise Counsel. Often we try to do everything ourselves and the Bible says we need mentors and wise counsel to guide us into truth. We can SKIP a lot of pain if we hear the mistakes and steps to victory from others that have gone before us. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Proverbs 12:15

8. Resist Temptation and Submit Yourself to God. James 4:7  and 1 Corinthians 10 teaches us that when we choose to obey God’s word and stand against temptation, the devil will run away from us. It also assures us that God always shows us a way out when we face temptation, helping us endure it. Related verses: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) and “but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10)

9. Confess and Repent: Confessing your sins and repenting is crucial for overcoming carnal thoughts and temptations. When we admit our wrongs and seek forgiveness, we open ourselves to God’s grace and guidance. As 1 John 1:9 assures, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

After confessing our sins, we should repent – turning away from sinful behaviors. Repentance means acknowledging our mistakes, feeling genuine remorse, and committing to change. This process allows us to embrace the new life God offers us.

James 5:16: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

10. Repent and Walk in Your New Nature: Repentance means acknowledging our wrongdoings, feeling sorry for them, and committing to change our ways. We should repent to God, confessing our sins and seeking His forgiveness. It’s about turning away from our old, sinful behaviors and embracing the new life God offers us. As Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Sermon on Freedom from Carnality