Stomping Out the Darkness: Discover Your True Identity in Christ and Stop Putting Up with the World’s Garbage

9

WINNING THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND

Perhaps you’re like Shelley—spiritually out of touch and defeated in your daily life. You may not realize that Satan is battling to control your mind and ruin your life. May this chapter help you realize that God can renew your mind and free you from the struggle.

GOD’S WAY VERSUS MAN’S WAY

Faith is God’s way to live. Trying to think and reason without God is man’s way to live. God’s way (the high road) and man’s way (the low road) are often in conflict.

The Two Paths. Let’s consider some of the differences between these two paths.

· What does Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 55:9 teach you about the high road versus the low road?

· Why is the Bible important for walking the high road?

The Low Road. We walk the low road when we think thoughts and consider plans that conflict with what God’s Word says, and doing so can slow our spiritual growth and block our maturity in Christ.

· Remember the example in the text? God’s high road is honesty; the low road is cheating. When have you considered and even chosen the low road?

· What were the consequences of that decision? What did you learn from that incident?

· In what area(s) of your life do you tend to consider and even occasionally choose the low road?

· What will you do to get your thoughts back on the high road? (Don’t worry if you’re not sure at this point. That’s what this chapter is all about!)

The Source of the Low Road. The two mains sources of low-road thoughts and ideas are our fslesh (the part of us that was trained to live independently from God before we became Christians) and Satan.

· Think again about those areas of life where you feel especially susceptible to low-road thoughts and actions. What is behind that—your flesh, Satan or both?

· When have you been able to stand strong in the battle and choose the high road? What were the consequences of that decision? What did you learn from that incident?

You may feel helpless in this battle between the high road and the low road, but in each skirmish you are actually the one who determines which road to walk. Let’s work now on a strategy you can use.

STRONGHOLDS ARE THE PRIME TARGET
OF OUR WARFARE

In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Paul explains the battle for the mind.

· First, Paul states that the battle is not fought by human ability but by “divine power.” Why does this make sense?

· Second, the main targets that must be destroyed are the “strongholds” in the mind, those bad patterns of thought that are burned into our minds either through repetition over time or through one-time, deeply shocking experiences. What strongholds are you aware of? (We’ll look at several in a moment.)

Our Environment. You and I were born physically alive and spiritually dead in a world opposed to God’s design. Before we came to Christ, all our experiences came from this sinful environment, and this environment influenced and shaped us.

· What people, places, movies, music or events have tempted you to travel the low road?

· What painful or even traumatic events (such as accidents or death) have drawn you to the low road?

We learned ways (which may or may not have been God’s way) to cope with what happened to us and to solve the problems that resulted. When you became a Christian, your sins were washed away, but your old ways of thinking and behaving remained—a stronghold from your environment.

Temptation. When you feel attracted to the low-road plan instead of God’s high-road plan for your life, you are experiencing temptation.

· Read Matthew 4:1-11. What temptations does Satan set before Jesus?

· What does Jesus do to stand strong against those lowroad temptations?

· What can you learn from His example?

Satan knows just what buttons to push to tempt you away from depending on Christ. He knows where you are weak, and that’s where he attacks.

Consideration and Choice. At the point when we’re tempted to take the low road, we are on the threshold of a decision. If we don’t immediately choose to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV), the likelihood of yielding to that temptation increases.

· Remember the “Cathy” cartoon? What happened when Cathy didn’t immediately dismiss the tempting thought?

· When have you found yourself, like Cathy, hesitating at the threshold of decision and yielding to the low-road temptation? Give an example and say how you wish you would have handled it.

The Bible teaches that God has provided a way of escape from every temptation (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). But the escape is at the threshold—when the thought first occurs.

Action, Habit and Stronghold. People who study human behavior tell us that if we repeat an act for six weeks, it will become a habit. If we exercise that bad habit long enough, a stronghold (a low-road pattern of thinking) will be established.

· What strongholds have formed a groove in your mind? Circle any of these possibilities that apply and add your own.

IN ORDER TO WIN THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND, YOU NEED A PLAN

Negative patterns of thinking and behavior that you’ve learned along the way don’t need to control you.

Reprogramming. You can unlearn anything you’ve learned, and you can reprogram a mind that has been programmed wrong.

· What is the source of the wrong programming in your mind?

· Past experiences may have been spiritually or emotionally devastating. What can you do to start getting to know God as your loving Father and yourself as His accepted child?

Satan’s Tricks. There’s more going on in our minds than the bad patterns we’ve developed. We’re also up against the devil.

· If Satan can place a thought in your mind—and he can— it isn’t much more of a trick for him to make you think it’s your idea. Why does Satan disguise his suggestions as our ideas?

· David, Ananias and Sapphira fell victim to ideas that Satan planted in their minds. Looking back on times you’ve stumbled, what idea was probably placed in your mind by Satan?

If Satan can get you to believe a lie, he can control your life—but you can have victory over Satan. By hearing God’s Word being taught, studying your Bible and living as Christ’s disciple, you can experience God’s transforming and healing touch on your life. Let’s develop a more specific plan.

EXPOSE THE LIE AND YOU WIN THE BATTLE

Satan’s power is the lie. He has no power over us except what we give him when we don’t take every thought captive and hold it up next to God’s truth before believing and acting on it.

Truth. Since Satan’s primary weapon is the lie, our defense against him is the truth. Before we outline a specific plan of defense, write out the truths of these three passages and personalize them. (For instance, in John 8:32, what bondage will God’s truth free you from?)

John 8:32

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John 17:15,17

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Ephesians 6:14

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Now let’s look at your part in the battle.

Renew. First, you must be transformed by the renewing of your mind (see Romans 12:2). According to the following verses, how do you renew your mind?

Colossians 3:15

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Colossians 3:16

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· What are you doing to give your mind a steady diet of

God’s Word?

As you continue to fill your mind with God’s truth, you will become better equipped to recognize the lie and take it captive.

Prepare for Action. Second, prepare your mind for action (see 1 Peter 1:13).

· What’s the risk of dreaming and fantasizing?

· What good can come from dreaming and imagining—

and what does that good result hinge on?

If you imagine yourself traveling the high road by obeying God’s truth, you can move yourself toward living that way. Just be sure to follow through by doing what you imagine.

Captivate. Third, take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (see 2 Corinthians 10:5).

· What does this instruction mean in real life? Be specific.

· When have you successfully recognized a thought as counter to God’s Word and been able to refuse it lodging in your brain? Let the example (or two or three) you come up with give you strength the next time a thought arises that needs to be rejected.

When a thought pops into your mind that doesn’t agree with God’s Word, refuse it immediately. Say aloud, “In Jesus’ name, leave! I’m a child of God.” Choose instead to believe and act on the truth.

Turn to God. Fourth, turn to God.

· What does Philippians 4:6 say?

· Why is praying aloud the smart thing to do when your commitment to the high road is being challenged by low-road thoughts from the world, the flesh or the devil?

When we pray, we acknowledge God and expose our thoughts to His truth. Furthermore, as we turn to God, He will do His part. Victory in the battle for our minds is the inheritance of everyone who is in Christ.

START STOMPING!

Construction Zone! What can you make to remind you to choose the high road of life? If you’re good with words, come up with a slogan or write a poem. If you like art, make a poster. If you want something even more hands-on, do a 3-D road. Maybe making a bracelet or a bookmark is more your kind of thing. Whatever you do, put your “high road” wherever it can encourage you to choose that route throughout your day.

Give It Six Weeks, and Then … We’ve talked about bad thought patterns, knee-jerk reactions and habits that have taken root in your life, and you’ve learned what to do about those. Now think for a moment about a good habit you would like to develop over the next six weeks (a regular Bible study time, an exercise schedule, a Scripture memorization program, whatever!)—and do a six-week experiment. It just may stick! You’ve got nothing to lose by trying!

Make It Real. Read Philippians 4:8-9 again and then make it real. If you’re a words person, list some specifics to flesh out those categories Paul calls you to think about. If you’re more into scissors and glue, make a collage to illustrate things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise. You’ll have an easier time tuning out the world’s loud and strong voice if you can quickly replace it with the kinds of thoughts God wants His people to have.

It makes me angry, God, to think that Satan can put ideas in my head and then make me think they’re my own. No wonder they call him the deceiver! He’s playing hard ball! But I’m glad that, in You, I can have victory in this battle. I’m glad that You give me Your Word so that I can know the truth. I ask You to loosen those strongholds that keep me in bondage. And help me be a more able warrior when it comes to taking my thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ. It’s in His name I pray. Amen.

STRENGTH GIVERS

These words are for you and about you! As you read each day’s verse, ask yourself, “How would my life be different if I could live out this truth?”—and ask God to help you do so.

Monday:	Colossians 2:11
Tuesday:	1 Peter 5:8
Wednesday:	Colossians 1:13
Thursday:	Ephesians 3:12
Friday:	Philippians 4:8-9