Are you ready to battle?

In this life, people face so many different battles from financial hardship to relational issues to career pressures, however battles of the mind challenge me the most. I have probably struggled with my mind for most of my life. I am a thinker, actually an overthinker. I observe things and try to figure them out. I want to make everything better for anyone and everyone. I overthink simple comments and situations, resulting in complicating thoughts that I have created. Often these thoughts can lead to negative thinking about myself or the circumstances I find myself in. Looking for help from the Bible as I have worked with my mind battles, I found 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. In this passage, through the Holy Spirit’s guiding, Paul wrote “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The last sentence caught my attention. So, what steps would one take to make thoughts captive to obey Christ?

Recognizing thoughts that are destructive or against God can be difficult, because Satan is so good at deceiving us. Sometimes we may not even realize the paths our brain is taking until we find we have lost focus, we are unhappy and falling into a depression, or we are downright cranky. We feel bad about who we are, we respond incorrectly to others, we forget who we are in Christ, and Satan has had another victory. We become ineffective for God.

I have learned some very effective ways to fight the thoughts that are not obedient to God or cause us to move off His path. One of the biggest things I do, of course, is talk to the Lord. My talk with Him is more than just sharing thoughts I am having. Sometimes, I have to actually ask Him to show me what is going on in my head, what the underlying issues are. Sometimes I can’t tell what is causing me to feel down or negative. He graciously shows me the root of my thoughts and sometimes I must deal with sin, sometimes I just need to get out of a negative thought pattern. Rather than continuing to dwell on those thoughts, I ask God to change them and replace them.

Paul shares in Philippians 4:8-9 the “whatever’s” as we seek to replace negative and untrue thoughts. He states, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Paul suggests that we replace the negative and untrue with the truth of God’s Word, which takes practice.

And that is the key. Not only do we have to be armed with prayer but with the powerful weapon of God’s Word. Paul declares in Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” What better weapon for battle than God’s Word!

When I find a verse of scripture that stands out to me and really encourages me, I write it down with the intension of committing it to memory. What a treasure to have a verse of scripture ready when we are struggling or want to encourage someone. Memorizing verses not only stores truth in our heads but also in our hearts. When the unexpected or unforeseeable circumstances occur, when someone needs help or encouragement, when we don’t know the way to go, or when we are tempted to sin, God’s Word comes from our hearts and minds to meet the need. Scripture enables us to have God’s wisdom ready to face whatever is before us with complete trust that He is there to guide us.

God does not want any of us to stay trapped in negative thoughts. Yes, we will battle in our minds, some more than others. God has given us everything we need to have victory through His very words and talking to Him, so that we are able to “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.”

In His Love,

Susan