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Battle for the MIND In order to be effective conquerors, to be in the liberty of Christ's grace and to win over demonic control, we must keep our minds pure. We cannot stop evil thoughts from entering in. But God has given us individual willpower to decide what to do. Anytime we elect to follow through on thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God, it becomes disobedience; and disobedience gives Satan a foothold that allows demonic activity. God has allowed this means of operation in every life. God does not want slaves. He wants those who will serve willingly! That is why He does not reject you if you mess up. We have to keep coming back for more free grace. In Luke 22:24-34, Peter denies and curses Christ three times. Why? Was it fear? It was not human fear that caused Peter to deny Christ. It was Satan's permission to come against Peter -- Jesus said so. And the reason Satan succeeded was because Peter had something in his heart that was more important than his call -- a desire for greatness. He was dwelling in his mind and thoughts and words and actions on what was in it for him. And that opened the door for Satan to cause a fall. Peter was lifted up with pride, which comes before a fall. Here is the course of events for this faithful disciple of Jesus: 1. Pride overtook his thoughts. 2. Satan got a foothold. 3. Jesus went out and was troubled in His spirit because of all that was about to take place, so He asked for the best prayer warriors he had to go with him to intercede on behalf of His turmoil. 4. Peter slept! If he would have prayed and listened to the voice of the Spirit, he might have realized what had happened and repented. But he slept. 5. Judas came with soldiers. 6. Peter stepped out in the flesh, in defense of Christ, and cut off a man's ear. Jesus rebuked him. 7. That foothold from Satan had already started. Peter was walking in the flesh instead of the Spirit. He was thinking with his fleshly mind -- through strongholds. 8. We can only surmise what Peter thought when Jesus reached down, picked up that ear and put it back. (I don't think he praised God for a miracle.) I believe anger, dismay - "Well, I was only trying to save your neck." 9. Then Peter went into the city and began to join the crowd and DENY Christ. DO YOU SEE THE STEPS THAT PRECEDE TRANSGRESSIONS? We have a choice. All of our actions begin from what is in the heart and left open in our minds. There are always going to be attacks in our mind. But if our hearts are right, we can submit to God - resist the devil and he will flee. Satan does not hold the power of life and death. He only holds the power given by God to sift us like wheat. WHY? To break that outer hard protective covering so that soft kernel of life inside can grow. God cannot use you until you are broken. "The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart." (Psm. 51:17) For you to succeed in spiritual warfare, your mind must be submitted to God. And that comes from repentance, humility, and possessing a clean heart. Satan will stop sifting you if he knows it is drawing you closer to God. He hates humility. He hates surrender to God. I said it before and I will repeat it. You cannot fight spiritual warfare against Satan until first, there is repentance, and second, there is liberty in Christ. Before we try to take authority over the host of hell and his demons, we must separate flesh from spirit. (Mat. 5:25-26 KJV) "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." A. Who is the adversary? Satan! B. What is it that Satan does day and night before God? Accuses us! C. And what is it he wants from us? To imprison us! D. What does "agree with" mean? It does not mean obey the devil! Jesus is saying, when Satan accuses you of some sin or flaw, if there is just a minute chance that he might be right -- don't delay, agree with him about your unrighteousness. Isa. 64:6 says "our righteousness is as filthy rags." If Satan says you are impure or you blew it or you messed up or you didn't follow through or you didn't pray, AGREE -- DON'T ignore it or argue the point. He is absolutely right. You have nothing in you that can stand before almighty God that says you deserve Him. Our salvation is not based upon what we do, but upon Jesus, who is in us. The more we recognize Jesus alone is our righteousness, the less Satan our adversary can assault us with failure. When the accuser condemns you, submit and repent. Come to the throne of grace in true humility, and don't try to defend your image or that old nature. (2 Cor. 10:5 KJV) "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." Our mind is a battleground for Satan. The strongholds that come against us are thinking that exalts itself above the knowledge of God, which gives the devil access and influence through spirit beings to our minds and lives. This is where often times deception enters; even Spirit-filled believers can be deceived unless we cast down every thought, every imagination, every personal desire for greatness. A thought that we develop outside of the Holy Spirit's control can bring deception. This is where itching ears receive every wind of doctrine without allowing the Holy Spirit to do the watering. If you get caught in one of these traps, the only way out is humility of mind with a repentant heart. It is almost impossible to break deception without some measure of repentance. Part of our spiritual growth comes when we allow Jesus to reveal the thoughts from our hearts and expose truth from error. Don't ever think that a stronghold can be overcome by merely changing your views. There must be true heart repentance. You can even put on the whole armor of God daily, but if your thoughts, attitudes and opinions are not in agreement with the Spirit's movement, you could be severely assaulted by Satan. "Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" involves a season of inner conflict and turmoil. Peter says (1 Pet. 5:8-9 KJV) "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion ,walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." We must resist steadily the devil who is roaring and seeking after us; and if we are faithful, after a time, he will leave us. 1. The first step in pulling down strongholds is a desire. 2. Next, begin to appropriate the nature of Jesus into your life. 3. Submit to God, repent of any unbelief and yield to the Spirit. 4. Discern the spirits -- not everything is evil. True discernment includes the good as well as the bad. 5. Take the necessary authority. 6. Be free for a season (Luke 4:13) - Pastor Steve February 1996 Newsletter | Battle for the Mind | The Harvest Pastor's Journal February 1995 | The Debts People Owe | Preparing and Prepared part 2 of 4 Revised: June 25, 2008. |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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