Battle For Your Mind

Ever eaten food you recognised as being exceptionally good?  We can have the same experience spiritually.  In our minds we understand all scripture is inspired by God, but sometimes a passage "hits the spot," so to speak.  God's Word speaks to specific needs in a person, and when applied by the Holy Spirit the results are transformational.

This morning we read 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 at Calvary Chapel Sydney:  "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  I used to think "spiritual warfare" was something that occurred out in the world.  The Bible reveals the "ground zero" for spiritual battles takes place in our minds.  Paul was writing to Christians to beg they wage war upon their worldly ideas and sinful thought patterns.  The regenerated Christian mind is filled with strongholds of satanic lies and deceptions only the Word of God can expose and the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ can pull down.

When we are born again and given a new nature, our physical brain stays the same.  We continue to live in the world, exposed to all manner of sinful thoughts and ideas.  We still live in a body which lives to please itself.  Imagine for a moment your mind as a massive kingdom which for years was ruled by a ruthless, cruel tyrant who oppressed and enslaved the common people.  Little did the people realise the tyrant was actually a usurper who assumed the throne by deceit.  Fearful of overthrow, he sent spies and hired mercenaries throughout the kingdom to maintain his elaborate network of strategically-placed shelters with provisions, weapons, and armour.  One day a man clothed in white appeared before the tyrant's throne.  He unsheathed his sword, looked at him sternly and said, "I know who you are, fraud and father of lies!  You have no right to sit upon this throne.  Before God, I am the true King!"

Frightened by the man in white, the coward commander stood to his feet, surrounded by men loyal to him.  "You may have won today, your Majesty," he said sneering, "but I will not give up my power so easily.  I won't go down without a fight!"  With that, he and his men stormed off to their strongholds.  As you knelt before the rightful King, he turned to you and said, "You are now my loyal subject.  I have commissioned you to seek out these strongholds of lies wherever they remain and wage war against them until they are utterly destroyed.  For every stronghold you vanquish in my name, another may rise up to take its place.  Be on guard against this.  Be of good cheer, for I have overcome!"  As he sat upon the throne, he gave a word of warning:  "Be sober and vigilant.  A stronghold pulled down can be rebuilt."  And with that, the battle for your mind began.

When we are born again through the Gospel, Jesus Christ becomes the LORD and Saviour of our lives.  We are freed from the power of Satan who oppressed and enslaved us.  Though Christ is on the throne and we are justified from all sin, Satan engages in guerrilla tactics against our minds.  He has established strongholds in our minds, lies we have believed as long as we can remember.  He assaults us with arguments and temptations to idolatry.  A spiritual battle requires spiritual weapons and armour.  We have been given the fearsome sword held by Christ Himself.  The Word of God illuminates the strongholds, and we have authority from Jesus to pull down those strongholds.  These established, fortified, hidden strongholds are brought to light with God's Word, overthrown in prayer, and obedience to God in faith causes the enemy to surrender and flee.  We must take captive all thoughts to the obedience of Christ, for worldly arguments and idols have a way of scampering off and fortifying themselves again.

There is a wonderful illustration of this spiritual battle for our minds found in the book of Joshua.  When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, the stronghold of Jericho loomed before them.  Skirting the stronghold was not an option:  it had to be utterly destroyed.  Joshua 6:1-5 reads, "Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. ² And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valour. ³ You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. ⁴ And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him."  God granted his people victory over this great, ancient stronghold.  It does not take a military genius to see the plan given the people was beyond orthodox - it looked completely ridiculous!  But since God gave the command, faith in Him and obedience to His Word brought about the victory promised by God.  What is true for Jericho is true for the deeply entrenched strongholds scattered throughout our minds:  the weapons of our warfare are mighty in God to pull them down and utterly destroy every one!

After the service this morning, it dawned on me:  Jericho did not stay vanquished forever.  Joshua pronounced a curse over any man who would rebuild the city, but it did not stop it from being rebuilt.  In the days of wicked Ahab, the land was rife with idolatry and wickedness.  1 Kings 16:33-34 says, "And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. ³⁴ In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun."  Strongholds in the minds of Christians can be rebuilt even as Jericho was.  Every Christian must understand the primary location of the spiritual battle taking place they are called to engage is within their own minds.  When we order our minds in obedience to Christ, and align our hearts and will with God's, we enter into the victory Jesus has provided!

The Light of Life

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

Psalm 27:1

Jesus is the Light of the World.  In the beginning He said "Let there be light!" and there was light.  It was not long before the light of the sun was shrouded by spiritual darkness due to sin.  There remained light, but sin brought darkness and death.  Even as the sun is critical for life on earth, Jesus Christ is vital for eternal life.

The sun, moon, and stars were created by God for a divine purpose:  for signs, seasons, days, years and to provide light in the heavens and on the earth. (Genesis 1:14-15)  As God said, so it was.  On earth we are absolutely dependent on the sun, even with the widespread use of electric lights.  In addition to providing the correct light to make plants grow and flourish, it also warms the earth.  It dried the earth after the great flood and all the rains since, and keeps watch over every day.

Did you know a day will come with the sun will be unnecessary?  This world, galaxy, and universe will pass away and God will make all things new.  It is written in Isaiah 60:19-20, "The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. ²⁰ Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended."  During the earthly reign of Christ this will be true in a spiritual sense, and in the new heavens and new earth this will be the eternal reality for all God's redeemed.  In speaking of the New Jerusalem, John confirmed in Revelation 21:22-25:  "But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. ²⁴ And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. ²⁵ Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there)."  Simply glorious.

Let us not think the glory of heaven only as a beautiful end to a life of woe and sorrow.  Oh no, my friends.  David wrote under the Old Covenant of the Law:  "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"  God has given us a New Covenant through faith in Jesus Christ, a better covenant based on better promises.  Jesus is the Light of the World who gives light and life to all who believe.  The hearts of Christians are now the dwelling place of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19).  Our lives can be perpetually filled with light, though we live in a world of darkness.  When the plague of darkness was poured out in Egypt, the Jews had light in their dwellings.  God's Word is a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105).

The sun in the heavens is nothing compared to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.  God is our light and salvation, and we do not need to fear what crouches in the darkness.  For the Christian, Jesus provides undimmed light and life for eternity despite any season in this world.  We will suffer tribulation in this life, and all pass through valleys of the shadow of death.  But we need not fear or despair, for the LORD is with us; His Spirit indwells and empowers us.  For Christians, Christ's eternal light and light is already shining and we can bask in the warmth of His presence.  When God shines His searching light into sin-darkened areas of our lives, it is for our good and growth to confess, repent, and be restored to righteous living.

The light of Christ is shining, and we must choose to walk in it.  As it is written in 1 John 1:5-7, "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."  Walking in the Light keeps us from fear, despair, and darkness.  No matter how dark the world becomes, the Light of Christ shines like the day in and through those who walk in it.  Rejoice, for Jesus makes all things new!

Be Ready!

I recently viewed a video of pastor Jay McCarl and it is a great explanation and exhortation from scripture.  As Jay spoke of "this" generation I was reminded of Proverbs 30:12-14:  "There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its filthiness. ¹³ There is a generation--oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. ¹⁴ There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, and whose fangs are like knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men."  I believe this is a good description of a generation I have seen in my lifetime.

No one knows the day or the hour of Christ's coming, but we know for certain He is coming.  He is coming at an hour when unbelievers will not expect it!  2 Peter 3:1-7 reminds all who have ears to hear, "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), ² that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, ³ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴ and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." ⁵ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, ⁶ by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. ⁷ But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

Life continues as it always has until suddenly, unexpectedly, it stops.  People who die in house fires, who are buried under debris by earthquakes, or perish in a car accident likely didn't wake up that morning with the knowledge they had less than 24 hours to live.  No one knows the time of Christ's return, but we should be watchful.  It is a wise man who knows the signs of the times, but a wiser man still who seeks reconciliation with God and being born again through the Gospel.  Those who scoff and continue in unbelief without receiving salvation through repentance and trusting Jesus Christ face certain destruction and ultimate suffering in the lake of fire for eternity.  Take it from Jesus:  be ready!

Glory in the LORD

I have been reading through Gene Edwards Tale of Three Kings, and it is among my favourite Christian books.  Relevant, instructive, and profound, I find particularly useful the portrayal of David.  He was a man after God's own heart, chosen by God to be king of His people.  The fact David was anointed did not make life easy on David, and in him we see a shadow of Jesus Christ.  He was the chosen Messiah - the Anointed One - yet He faced rejection and willingly laid down His life on the cross for sinners.

After numerous attempts on his life, David fled.  1 Samuel 22:1-2 reads, "David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. ² And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him."  David left all alone, yet people came to him in the cave.  His family sought David and came to him, but also everyone who was distressed, in debt, and discontented.  To David came the dregs of society, those weary of a miserable existence, people who had nothing to contribute but needs, debts, and hungry mouths to feed.  They seemed a liability, but David became their captain.  He gave them no promises of wealth or success, but he was a man after God's own heart in whom the Holy Spirit dwelt.  From this description it is hard to imagine, but out of this rabble were forged mighty men of renown, brave-hearted warriors, loyal servants, men who were willing to sacrifice all, and faithfully followed David everywhere He went.  They were willing to risk their lives for the chance to please and bless David.  With this humble group, the beginnings of David's kingdom was established.

In His wisdom, God has seen fit to fill His Church - the Body of Christ - with such men and women.  Not many mighty, wise, or noble are called.  The Church is comprised of people who are distressed about the state of their souls, people who owe a debt of sin no man could ever pay, and have become discontented with all the lies, deceitfulness of riches, and the cares of this world.  David didn't cherry-pick his men based upon what they could offer him, and Jesus receives all who humbly approach Him in faith.  What can a man offer God?  We can only offer ourselves, wretched though we are:  full of fears, faults, burdened under guilt and an everlasting weight of sin.  We come to Jesus in weakness and desperation, having exhausted all hope in ourselves for salvation.  The Bible never mentions the debts of David's men again, and when we are born again through repentance and faith in Christ our sin God remembers no more.

David's mighty men would never have been mighty without him, and the only way we can become all God created us to be is through faith in Jesus Christ.  All my life I have desired to be the "real deal" when it comes to following Jesus, but I have learned Jesus Christ is the only "Real Deal."  I'm nothing of myself.  I am a liability and am unworthy.  I'm just a man who has discovered in Christ peace that passes understanding, my debt of sin has been paid, and I am learning to be content in any and every situation.  1 Corinthians 1:26-31 concludes, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- ³¹ that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."