The Mind

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
One of the best books on spiritual warfare that I’ve read was by Warren Wiersbe, The Strategy of Satan. In the first chapter he says that the spiritual battles begin in the mind. He went on to explain how important the mind is because your mind is the place where God communicates with you. God speaks the truth, His word, to your mind. And Satan’s greatest weapon against our minds is his lies. All of us act and live based on what we believe to be true. If the devil can convince you that a lie is truth then your life will be based on a lie. So, our thoughts are of utmost importance.

What we think about the most usually reveals where our true passion lies. It may be our goals, children, parents, jobs, etc. But most of what most people think about are earthly and will soon perish. Many seem to be running around like ants on a hill, never thinking much of eternity. Most do not even consider that they will one day die and enter into eternity. What will they do then? We are laboring, striving, and exhausting ourselves for what? Is it some fleeting pleasure that will soon pass? It is trying to secure the recognition of someone who will soon not be here? What is it? Set your minds on things above where Christ is seated in heavenly places! The battle for your life begins in the mind. Think on Christ!

One more thought I want you to consider: you can control your thoughts. One of Satan lies is that we can’t help what we think about or how often we think about something. But 2Cor.4:5 tells us that we are to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. We are not to allow certain thought processes to control us. We are to control our thoughts, take them captive so they will obey Christ.
As wonderful as our minds are we can only think about one thing at the time. A person cannot entertain evil thoughts and thoughts about the Lord Jesus at the same time. If, then, an evil thought should come to him, he should immediately get rid of it by meditating on the Person and work of Christ. Satan cannot read your mind but God can and does. Our thoughts are on loud speaker, surround sound and in high definition before Him. The battle really does begin in the mind. Let’s be sure that we are thinking on things that are above, things that are pleasing to Christ.