Winning the Battlefield in Your Mind

When you are faced with a trial or are in the middle of a battle, what are the first words out of your mouth? Where is the first place your mind goes?

If I’m going to be honest as I write this, then I would have to admit, that more times than not, the first words out of my mouth sound something like this: “Why God, why is this happening to me?” or “Help get me through this.” My mind immediately goes to a place of weakness, disbelief, stress and defeat. But as a seasoned Christian, I should know better…..shouldn’t I?

Not always the case. I’ve come to learn that the battlefield is in our mind. Our thoughts generate in our mind and then come forth out of our mouths. We hear the words that we speak and they serve only to reinforce what we already think and believe. We must change the way we think. We must win the battlefield of our minds.

Faith comes by hearing….. The more we allow ourselves to hear what is not true, what goes against what the Word of God says, the more we begin to believe a lie. So when we are faced with trials, we begin to doubt the promises of God. The more we surround ourselves with things that are even slightly contrary to God, then those thoughts begin to penetrate our mind and we are transformed according to that way of thinking. Transformation begins in the mind.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

We are told in 1 Corinthians 10:5, to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. We must check our every thought against the truths of God’s Word. If it doesn’t line up, than we must take that thought captive. Lock it up and throw it out. We must protect our minds and our way of thinking if we are to truly have victory in Christ.

Saturate your thinking with His words and hide them in your heart. Train your mind to go to the promises of God when trials come. We must surround ourselves with the things of God: His Word, His people, His teachings, His thoughts and Him.   Then we can rest assured knowing that as we battle and win the war in our minds, He is battling and winning the war of our lives. Keep your mind set on Christ and rest in His peace.

Isaiah 26:3 assures us, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

Let us remove the negatives from our thoughts and spoken words and replace them with the positives of God’s promises. Let us renew our minds so that our lives will be transformed into His image.  I will end with this final scripture that gives us the criteria for aligning our thoughts:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Now I ask again, when you are faced with a trial or are in the middle of a battle, what will the first words out of your mouth be? Where is the first place your mind will go? What will your thoughts be focused on?