Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Battle for the Mind



I wanted to repost this once again as a new year begins. Realizing that the onslaught and the battle for the mind has not decreased, but instead, has intensified, I felt the need to once again focus on the "front lines" of the fight.
Our society is gravely ill and in a wretched condition. On every hand, every day, we are awash in depravity, the images and words that feed the lusts of the flesh and turn the mind away from Godliness! Satan knows us well, he knows that if he can conquer and direct the mind, he has the victory.

My prayer in this new year is that our minds will be dedicated to our Lord in adoration and service and that the destroyer will find no place in them to establish a stronghold!



"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Mat.22:37)

A Battle rages! The Battlefield is the mind. The objective of this battle is to conquer and occupy the part of us that is to be wholly devoted to the love of God and His glory.

It appears, many times, that this battle is very one sided. The losses seem to far outnumber the wins. Since the fall of man, the mind has become a willing sympathizer with the invading thoughts and attitudes of ungodliness.
The "carnal mind" is fertile ground for the seeds of the adversaries! (Rom.8:7)

We are bombarded daily by attacks on our eyes and ears that call to us and say..."look here" or "listen to me" or "think about this."
These subtle, and sometimes not so subtle calls, seek to draw us away from the source of peace and bring us into captivity and defeat! (Isa.26:3)

They relentlessly work to overthrow that which we have received as the regenerated people of God. That is, a renewed, holy mind that delights in the law and righteousness of God.
According to Paul we have been given a "sound mind"! (2Tim.1:7) What a contrast this is in comparison to the madness and negativity of the world and it's corruptible offerings!

This battle is wearisome and exhausting and the saints are often found groaning within themselves as the onslaught never ceases in this life. But there is a safe haven, a city of refuge! God has given us this place of peace in the midst of our fight.
What is it? Is it not the exhortation, that is not only found in Isa. 26:3 but also in the words of Phil.4:6-8?

Here I find my tower and bulwark of protection from the enemy.

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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."


And when I meditate upon Christ in an attitude of love and thanfulness all of the above are comprehended!

5 comments:

Craig and Heather said...

Ah, the "renewing of the mind is definitely an ongoing process.

I often get tied in knots over what is a God-inspired desire for separation and what is just legalistic fencing that attempts to corral my flesh.

Definitely a humbling thing because it keeps me running back to the Father asking "is this okay?...how about this?"

I love the passage from Philippians, BTW. But even with that great foundation, I still have to run everything through God because otherwise I'd just freeze and never do anything for fear of worldly contamination.

Heather

Tom Gabbard said...

Heather,

This battle for the mind is a battle that never seems to let up, nevertheless, as you noted, we have the great consolation that our advocate is there with us, going before us in the thickest part of the fight! Thanks be to God for the fact that He never leaves us nor forsakes us!

Craig and Heather said...

Who has known the mind of God? But we have the mind of Christ.

This mind is explained in Phil 2. It is the posture of like-mindedness. Let us endeavor to work this out with fear and trembling.

Craig

Tom Gabbard said...

Craig,

So true, we have been given every thing that we need that pertains to life and godliness. My we just avail ourselves of it!

Craig and Heather said...

Thanks for re-posting this. It has been a good review for me.

Craig