The mind is the devil’s battlefield. When you first wake up in the morning, know that the enemy is right there waiting to plant seeds in your mind with doubt, fear, condemnation, negativity, people, circumstances, and whatever else you’ve been thinking about lately. That’s his job. But when that happens, that’s when you have to be on your job and make a conscious decision to take control of your mind.
I know this isn’t always easy, because most of the time, we don’t actually think about it this way. But we should. Think about it for a second. When you wake up in the morning to start your day, your mind has also awakened. And that’s when it’s on! The battle begins. So you’ve got to be on guard. Put on the helmet of salvation and arm yourself with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ref. Ephesians 6:13 & 17). You have to begin thinking this way.
If whatever you were thinking about the night before was negative, shake it off! And if you woke up with a negative thought, shake it off! The key is renewing your mind. Ephesians 4:23 says, “Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.” (NLT) Don’t let the enemy plant negativity or things against God’s word in your head. Instead, take control of your mind with God’s word and arrest those thoughts.
One of my life Scriptures is 2 Corinthians 10:5 which says, “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 Christ.” (KJV) This verse helps me a lot. The Holy Spirit reminds me of it right when I need to cast down a thought that is negative, distracting, doubtful, or detrimental to my spiritual health.
It’s like I’m batting it down as soon as it comes! It’s like I’m arresting it quickly, while not allowing it to take root in my life. Now granted, I don’t always see it coming. However, when I do recognize it, I know that I have the power to get rid of it through God’s word.
I like what Joyce Meyer said in an article entitled, “You Can Win the Battle in Your Mind.” She said, “We cannot have a positive, and exciting life and a negative mind.” And that is sooooo true! If we’re thinking negatively about our situations, circumstances, and people, then she’s right. We have to renew our minds with the word of God and ponder on what He says about the matter. Many don’t realize this, but our thought life kicks off our day and our actions. So we have to control them.
That’s why we have to choose to think on good things. God wants us to think on the right things. But this will take effort on our part. We have to choose to think about what God says about us, the situation, and about our day. So we have to choose to think like what Philippians 4:8-9 says, “…Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (KJV) This is how we should think when the other stuff comes into our minds that don’t fit.
So, here are just a few suggestive Bible verses that I pray will help you to think about and meditate on what is good when the enemy tries to invade your mind or when your flesh (soul girl) tries to entice you to ponder on the wrong things. Speak these verses out loud…
When fear strikes speak – “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
When doubt comes in speak – “…Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (NLT)
When unforgiveness comes in speak – “Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’ ‘No!’ Jesus replied, ‘seventy times seven!’” (NLT)
Memorize, meditate, and speak what God says about your situation! Again, these are just examples of verses that will help you take control of your thoughts. But you know where you are. You know if you’re battling with doubt, fear, lustful thoughts, guilt, condemnation, lack of faith, unforgiveness, discontentment, etc. So, search out the Scriptures that fit your life. The point is to get rid of the damaging thoughts by replacing them with what God’s Word says about you and the situation. Keep in mind, Jesus said, “It is written.”
I pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thought life and give you peace that surpasses understanding, sis. And I also pray that you will make a conscious choice and effort to take control of your mind…TODAY.
Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!
~Courtnaye
**Recommended book this week, “Battlefield of the Mind” by Joyce Meyer. It’s a classic! But it never gets old!
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