Know Thine Enemy 9

The scriptures and truths in this article were either provided or inspired by my Pastor, Kent McBay.

Satan and God both want control of our hearts and minds. When we receive Jesus into our hearts, the battle for our hearts is won. But the battle for our minds continues until Jesus takes us home to glory. Every thought is important. Every thought is a skirmish that can be won or lost.

Our thoughts cause our actions, our actions cause our habits and our habits cause our addictions. One sinful thought not dealt with can be like the last snowflake that causes an avalanche. Satan wants to brain-wash us toward evil and God wants us to think right things. We get the deciding vote about which kind of thoughts we want to think. Our thoughts can be sinful or they can be righteous. Spiritual warfare is waged in our minds and what we think leads to victory or defeat. It is altogether appropriate to ask the Lord to help us to control our thought life.

2 Corinthians 10:5: 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;

Philippians 4:5-9: Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Romans 12:1-3: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

2 Corinthians 6:17: Therefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Those we associate with can influence our thoughts. The associations believers have with unbelievers ought to be attempts to influence the thoughts of the unbelievers for good. We must not permit Satan to use them to make our thoughts evil. We should be in the world but not of it. We must be separated from the world in our thoughts. Each of us should discover what keeps us from thinking what God wants us to think and eliminate those hindrances from our lives. Friends, hobbies, careers, TV, books and many other pursuits can influence our thoughts rightly or wrongly.

Satan wants to blind our minds and corrupt them. He has power to contaminate the minds of individuals. If we fill our minds with the Word of God, the Bible, he loses that power.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4: But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 11:3: But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Psalms 119:9-11: Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

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