Freedom of the mind.
The devil took us captive With a lie. Not With other tools or mechanisms. Just with a lie. He has infused us with lies to confuse us to defuse the Power of The Message.
The first words satan said was, ‘did God truly say?’
Before the devil defeats you, he has to disarm you. (unknown)
Jesus died on a hill called Golgotha, the place of the skull. He died for us.
You shall Know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.
There are three things I want to draw your attention to today:
1. Understand the mind is the main battlefield of good and evil.
The battlefield of the mind is a daily battle in which we are involved. We wake up and either build or destroy the rest of the day. The way forward is always meaningful from where you start. When you start from negative thoughts, you will need more positive thoughts (points) to reach the same goal as the person who started from the status quo or an even more favorable position. Though starting position isn't all that's important, it remains crucial to start well and to finish well. Some people start well but end badly. Others start badly but finish well. Your position in Christ is all you need to make a good start and an excellent ending to everything.
Check out this number line:
Imagine you wake up every morning on the left side of 0... Or even worse, you end up on the far left of the chart. I see many people going to their workplace, and they look off the charts to the far left. Only after 10 Am will some move slightly to the center position and give you a smile or a grin. Positive people always light up the world they're in, and I guess we bring the light to the world according to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 and so we should shine in these evil days like never before. The dimmer the light, the slimmer the hopes for a brighter future. We shine because Jesus shines through us. He shines because He lives inside of us. His light in us will bring change in the hearts and minds of people in the world.
Let your mind be inlighted with the knowledge of God, and the devil won't be able to darken your mind to defuse the hope inside of you.
2. Understand The Word of God is a powerful spiritual weapon.
Ephesians 6:10 final, my brothers be strong in the Lord... all the elements of the weapons are a true thought. Your righteousness? No, His righteousness. He did a complete work of finalizing your faith. Use Scripture quotes to overcome the devil as Jesus did in Matthew 4. The sword of the Word is the only weapon we can win with. We have no other mechanicals to win a spiritual battle but the Word of God. You, with the Word of God in your hands and on your lips, is the most potent weapon against a wicked generation. This generation feels they don't need the liberated and free Disciples of Jesus, but they do. They will fight you in the night when your lights are off! Nothing good happens in darkness other than someone coming to his senses of their senseless lives without Christ. We need Christ and His powerful and strong weapons to bring down evil in the world. This weapon isn't a weapon we use all on our own, but we use it in unity with the Body of believers to make it even stronger. It's almost like the 'Carebears' we watched on television when we were young. One carebear can't permanently destroy the evil monster or character in the story, but no evil can stand in front of them when they reunite. The same with the church. When you feel weak and you think it's impossible to destroy the evil in your life, join hands with other believers and see how fast evil flees out of your life. Now that's a story for another day... some folks will see the evil disappear but will not commit with the church of God. They will fall prey soon enough under evil influences and dilutions of the precious Word of God.
3. Understand Biblical meditation as Spiritual warfare.
Psalms 1. “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law, he meditates day and night.”
When we rethink the Word of the Lord, it means His Word is always part of the cognitive process. Most people's sins didn't just happen; they first fell in their minds and hearts. When you're happy about the Word of God, your whole body will follow the positive energy the Word of God brings. The devil keeps us occupied with so many things that it becomes impossible to delight ourselves in the Word of God. When last did you speak out your appreciation for the Word of God? When last did you tell someone that you are living by the standards of the Word of God to love people more than you value things? We read the Bible to be spiritually fed, but we go on a Word fast ever so often and realize we have a hunger that can't be satisfied. Meditation the Word of God is referring to isn't a meditation like in the eastern religious concept, but a rethink and restoration of the human mind and heart.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary calls it a time to engage in contemplation or reflection. We need more of those moments. Moments of inner strength and outer display.
May this bless your life as you space your life to dream bigger and pray non-stop around God's Word.
“Amid movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” -Anonymous.