Battlefield of the Mind Chapter 3

I am finding what I am reading and meditating on in regards to our thought process has so much to do with so many different messages, courses, etc that I have had the privilege to learn from. I am also finding in this stage of my life and where I am ministering how important these truths are. I urge you, especially young people to lay hold of these truths early in your life. It will make all the difference.

As we have been learning the mind is a battlefield. Our problem is as we tend to live for self we do not really want to do battle. Sometimes it is easier to just not battle and when we lose we try to apply grace mercy and love. We use the excuses like " I just could not help it, they made me so angry, or I could not help what I saw on the TV and my mind wondered, or I have my rights." These probably sound all to familiar to all of us. But if we are born again we have been bought by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are OWNED by Him. HMMMMM makes us think doesn't it. If we are owned by Him, He indeed is a gracious Master.

Notes on Chapter Three:

PG 33 "Regain the territory the devil has stolen from you. If necessary regain it one inch at a time always leaning on God's grace and not on your own ability to get desired results."
Ish 43:2 "I will be with you- through the rivers- they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire you will not be burned or scorched nor will the flame kindle upon you."

When I read this verse the part the flame will not kindle upon you, I remembered how when I was a kid we would gather kindling wood to start a bigger fire when we would go camping. This wood was needed to start a bigger fire. So basically what this verse is saying when we walk through the fire it will not harm you in any way, not even to begin something small and turn bigger. We must remember this and apply this to our thoughts . For instance when we have a thought and all of a sudden the whole thing is blown out of proportion what happened. Something kindled something to make it bigger. Was God with us, probably not because we did not call upon Him for His word says He will be with us. We need to make sure we call upon Him for His help on a continuous basis so nothing can kindle.

Chapter 3 continues talking about Habakuk 3:19 and how we need to develop hinds feet(to climb mountains swiftly) to walk not to stand still in terror but to walk and make spiritual progress upon high places (of trouble suffering or responsibility."It continues to say it is easy to quit but takes faith to get through.

Yesterday we went to preach at a Church in a pretty hilly area. As I looked at some of those hills many people would laugh because I was not the most physically active person. I hate hills. But I tackle them quickly. I can't stand walking up them slowly like most people do. So there I would be way ahead of everyone tackling the hill determined to reach the top and then there I would rest and catch my breath. So this is what must be in handling our troubles, etc.

PG 34 of Chapter three "The mind has to be renewed to follow after the Spirit and not the flesh. Our carnel, worldly fleshly minds have had so much practice operating freely that we surely do not have to use any effort to think wrong thoughts. After we have finally decided to be like minded with God then we will need to choose and continue to choose right thoughts."

This comment is crucial. The problem is we do not want to think like minded with God. We basically want to hold onto our excuses. "I can watch that on TV, it does not matter it is a sex scene. I am old enough. I can handle that without sinning. Or it does not matter what kind of language I use of hear on movies, etc etc. We can think of a zillion excuses to not want to think like God. But the problem is we think we think like minded to Christ. We need to truly recognize what are my thoughts. If they are not pure holy and like Christ then they are sinful thoughts and must be taken captive.

As the chapter continues it talks about God having set before us life and death and He urges us to choose life. It is always our choice,.
Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the tongue and they who indulge in It shall eat the fruit thereof. Sort of our common phrase "What goes around, comes around". Or "It will come back to bite you"

The chapter goes on to encourage us that though the battle seems endless we must remember we are reprogramming a very carnel, fleshly worldly mind ....reprogramming to think as God thinks

PG 35 states your mind is like a computer that has a lifetime of garbage programmed into it.

These next comments in chapter three really grabbed a hold of me to desire my life to change.
"...I had to wake up and realize I was going no where. I was a Christian without victory. PG 36 continues "Wrong mindsets many mental strongholds built up over the years, living in deception, ..been at the same mountain long enough..The Israelites had a wilderness mentality certain types of thinking (wrong thinking) kept them in bondage...Quality decision to get your mind renewed and learn to choose your thoughts carefully. You will not Quit and give up until victory is complete and you have taken possession of your rightful inheritance."

These last few thoughts shook me to the core. I realized I had a wilderness mentality. And that I do not want to stay there and I will fight to regain the territory the enemy has stolen.