Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Notice that Romans 12 instructs us to be transformed. The word transformed is the same Greek word that is used to describe the transfiguration of Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Notice that it is in the passive voice. That means that we are not doing the transformation. The Spirit of God is doing the transformation from glory to glory. We are are to be transfigured by the renewing of our minds, again in the passive voice. The Spirit of God does the renewing of our minds. We cannot reform ourselves. We can only yield to the anointing of the Spirit of God. This is why God has provided the gifts of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, and the Scriptural order of the Church.

We can choose to direct our mind and will to the Spirit or to the flesh. Directing it to the will of the Spirit of God has one result and directing it toward the flesh has the opposite effect.

The human heart and soul was not designed to be fulfilled by the things of this world.

The human mind was never designed to function outside of the direction and power of the Holy Ghost.

Romans 7:22-23 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Romans 8:5-6 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Romans 8:12-14 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Ephesians 2:1-5 And you hath he quickened [He made us alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 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. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)

God cannot even look at sin, so he lifts us out of our sins. We then have the option to direct our mind and will to do His will or to do the will of our flesh. One is life and the other is death. We don't have to continue in sin any longer.