My take on Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers,1 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.2 Do not be conformed to this world,3 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.4  

This has been a verse that I have rarely acted on.  I have often failed to take action and that has been the problem.  I am starting to understand more and more on what this verse really means.  I believe that these are verses on a believer who is to no longer live according to the flesh.  I am supposed to take up my cross daily.  That is what it all means.  These verses are quite simple to understand when one sees it that way.  We are to be transformed is not just a physical or spiritual thing, it is a mental thing.  If I were to apply this, then I can see what is true and what is false.  The world is place filled with sin, hatred, revenge, strife, and evil.  We as believers are not to think on those patterns.  We are to think and believe the way Jesus has us to believe.  We are to be spirit-filled and spirit-minded.  Spiritual warfare begins in the mind.  Christians are to be sober minded, compassionate, and slow to anger.  We are to show restraint, kind to others, and have our minds filled with godly thinking.  We are to not be doormats, but to be strong and vigilant.  We have an enemy who wants to destroy or devour us.  With the tools that we have, we can win this.  This world will pass away, but God's Word will not.