It's All In Your Mind

It's all in your mind.  Whether we realize it or not, our minds are a spiritual battlefield.  While we are casually going through life, we are in the midst of spiritual warfare. Although the war was won by Jesus at the cross, every day there are battles we must fight in our minds against the enemies of our souls: Satan, the world system, and our flesh nature.  (For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places - Eph 6:12; ...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God - James 4:4; ...abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul -I Pet 2:11).  

The Bible tells us to protect our hearts (minds) because everything we feel, say or do starts with a thought (Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life - Pro 4:23).  We are told to keep and guard our hearts (minds) with all vigilance and to guard them above all that we guard. Daily what we do with our thoughts determines whether we experience victory or defeat. Since we are in it (this journey) to win it, we must be alert and start to think about what we are thinking about. We always have a conversation going on in heads with ourselves. When it comes to our thoughts we are instructed to evaluate, eliminate, eradicate, and elevate them. 

We can no longer just allow our minds to have free reign, thinking whatever thoughts that come into it, not if we want to be victorious; on the contrary, we must start evaluating our thoughts (But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual devilish. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy - James 3:15,17). Every thought that is not pure and peaceable needs to be eliminated. Stop thinking it. Every bitter, strife filled, envious, contentious thought, eliminate.  When we allow ourselves to think these types of thoughts, we become negative, bitter, frustrated, discouraged, angry people (For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he - Pro 23:7a). We have to evaluate our thoughts and as soon as we realize they are not from above we have to immediately dismiss them. 

Some thoughts require more than simple elimination, some need to be totally eradicated.  There are areas of our lives that we have erected walls of resistance (ways of thinking, reasonings) that are contrary to the will and way of God.  For some of us its pride, others its a refusal to submit to authority, or to forgive, or tithe. These are the areas where we essentially say, if not in word certainly by action, " I don't care what the Bible says,  I'm not going to..." these are called strongholds.  These strongholds form a barrier around our hearts and prevent us from receiving truth in this particular area.  They  must be eradicated through prayer and the word of God (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of God - II Cor 10:4-5).  

We are on our way to victory when we are willing to evaluate our thoughts,  eliminate the negative ones, eradicate reasoning that resists God's will, and elevate our thinking. Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise think on these things - Phil 4:8.  

If we are going to change the conversations in our heads we must fill our minds with the truth of God's Word, not worry, doubt or negative things about ourselves, others or our situations. Instead of rehearsing the offenses or shortcoming of others over and over in our minds, we should concentrate on things that are worthy of praise and commendation.   Victory comes one thought at a time.

let's think on these things,
Diane

 

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