Winning the Battle of the Mind

I remember one night as a teenager during heavy rainfall; the wind was so strong that power went out and these strange whistling sounds could be heard outside. The curtain on the window began to move like someone was dangling it, struggling to turn the candle on, I felt the curtains grow legs and were coming closer. My intestines were in knots I kept consoling myself that nothing was behind the disobedient curtain, but my fearful heart could not be brought to rest, suddenly I got up, staggering towards my window I grabbed the curtain as panic seized me, half expecting something to grab me too, there was nothing. My trembling hands paused; it was just my same old curtain.  I held it again, moved it from side to side, and began to laugh, there was nothing behind the curtains after all. My mind was dealing so harshly with me. I felt relieved and soon after the power came back on.

This is exactly how the battle rages within our minds sometimes. Battle of discouragement, confusion, fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, etc But you
 can condition your mind to think right and stay pure.

Here’s how;
 – Acknowledge that this is real – You will know you’re dealing with a battle of your mind when your thoughts seem to go out of control. The enemy wants to gain control of your mind and ultimately doubt God’s truth. No, he doesn’t come with complete lies; he puts in sprinkles of lies here and there—sprinkles that are detectable by Christians who are on alert. So recognizing that a battle is ongoing is the first step to victory.

  – The Word is sure- let me add here that anytime there’s a battle in your mind, you want to know that somewhere somehow, you have compromised the reading of the scripture.  It is the truth you know that sets you free! We’re not created to be a vacuum for a long time, once there’s a space, something will fill it up.  You must fill your heart and mind up with the solid undiluted truth of God’s Word.

  – Pumping up your faith- Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17). When your mind is engaged in any battle, it is because some doubts have filtered through.  For example, you are filled with guilt because of an action you clearly know you shouldn’t have taken, and now you come to God in repentance, yet every time you go to pray, pictures of how you have failed God like a whirlpool cloud you. You begin to question God’s ability to forgive. “Maybe, I  have to do more Christian works to make up for it” you think. If you don’t arrest the riotous thoughts you might soon find yourself questioning every other thing that God has said. By having faith is to trust that God has done the finished work on Calvary and He will do just what He promised in His word.

  – Do it yourself- I’m sure you might have heard people say “Well I don’t believe God exists because I have been stealing for a long time,  I told God that he should stop me from stealing,  well, He never did, so here I am”. Now, this might sound trivial but it relates to various areas of life. The power of the Holy Spirit is already released to every child of God, so put to use that power, God will not do for you what He has given you the power to do.

  – Put on the whole armor of God- Ephesians 6: 11-18, this is another passage that I love. Because you’re in a battle, you must fight with the right weapon. One of the subtle games of the enemy during this period of battling with your mind is to make you constantly put blame on others, get offended quickly, and hold on to your anger. Putting the right weapon on constantly keeps you guarded and ready. Ready to discern and detect, ready to combat and withstand.

  – Differentiate lies from truth  – In today’s world where simple questions such as “Who is a woman? brings so many merry-go-round answers, we need men and women who will stand for truth and call bluff to every lie. The Spirit of God brings convictions within you telling you how to address your shortcomings with God’s word, hold fast to it. God’s word is infallible and true, believe it, feed on it, and live it. The truth makes free. Once you’re conversant with the truth, you’ll easily spot any lie.  John 8:32.

  – Watch what you feed yourself. – it is often said that you become what you eat.  Whatever you take in constantly,  you consciously or unconsciously become that reality. Your worldview, mindset and take on life are based on what you consume. Resist the urge to the scrolling syndrome on social media,  it has a way of sucking you into false reality and leaving you hanging at the edge of the cliff.

  – Bring to light everything-  you cannot condone half-truths and colored lies and still expect your mind to stay still without any war. Bring every decision, conversation,  relationship,  and ideology before the Lord and let His Spirit vet it. Oh yes, your pride will be wounded,  your ego will be bruised,  your will will be crushed but it’s all to make you more like Christ. And here’s the test, any thought that does not glorify Christ or bring you closer to Christ is a thought that should be cast away. 

  – Exercise authority- I love this verse  2corinthians 10 vs 5. Challenge every thought that passes through your mind  ( what are you thinking, why are you thinking that way, what are you believing,  what informed that belief?) once you identify the culprit, actively cast it out. Bring every thought to the obedience of Christ.

  – Renew your mind  – Romans 12:2; Someone puts it very clearly ;

Is this true, or is this a lie?
Does this sound like the devil’s accusation or the Spirit’s conviction?
What am I putting my hope in now: God’s word or work, or someone else’s?
How do the truths of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection address this thought or belief? What about Jesus do I need to remember right now? 

This is how you renew your mind.

Finally pray, in everything by prayer and supplication let your request be made known to Christ. It is in prayer that you war. This prayer will not be a one-time prayer, you’ll have to come back again and again, tackling and taking authority. I pray that I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Ephesians 1:18.

#ThatImayknowHim