Battlefield in Your Mind
An excerpt from the book by Joyce Meyer.
If your life is in a state of chaos because of years of wrong thinking, it’s vitally important to understand that your life will not get straightened out until you get your mind straightened out. Get serious about tearing down the strongholds Satan has build in your mind.
Just as my physical life is dependent upon my vital signs, so my spiritual life is dependent upon spending regular, quality time with God. Once I learned this, I gave it priority in my life. In the same way, once I realized that right thinking is vital to victorious living, I got more serious about thinking about what I was thinking about, and choosing my thoughts carefully.
Because our battle with the enemy begins in our thoughts, God has given us powerful spiritual weapons with which we can protect ourselves. Our most powerful weapon is His Word. We can pray the Word, speak the Word, sing the Word and study the Word. Even Jesus used the weapon of the Word in the wilderness to defeat the devil (See Luke 4:1-3). Each time the devil lied to Him, Jesus responded with, “It is written,” and quoted him the Word.
Two other spiritual weapons available to us are prayer and praise. Prayer enables us to draw close to God and be completely open with Him. Prayer is fellowship, friendship, and an opportunity to express gratitude for all He is and does. If you want to have an effective prayer life, develop a good personal relationship with the Father. Know that He loves you, that He is full of mercy and grace. Get to know His Son Jesus, Who loves you so much He died for you. He is with you all the time. Let Him help you. And when you praise Him, praise Him from your heart.
According to Zechariah 4:6, we accomplish what we need to do, not by might, not by power, but by (His) Spirit. So the best way we can be empowered is by asking God for a lot of help, and by asking often. You can’t overcome your situation by determination alone. You need to be determined, but determined by the Holy Sprit, not in the effort of your own flesh. The Holy Spirit is your Helper – Seek His help. Lean on Him, not on your own strength and understanding.
As You Think, So You Are! Proverbs 23:7 says what we think in our hearts is what we will become. I frequently say, “Where the mind goes, the man follows.” The bible also says a tree is known by its fruit. The same is true in our lives. Thoughts bear fruit. Think good thoughts, and the fruit in your life will be good. Think bad thoughts, and the fruit in your life will be bad.
Whatever the condition of your life is right now, I want to encourage you to keep moving forward in your relationship with God. The key is to never give up or give in! As you spend your time with Him in prayer and read His Word, you will renew your mind and experience more of the victorious life we have in Christ. He is working on you; at least, He is if you have invited Him to have control over your thoughts. Just keep cooperating with Him – and never give up!
