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Battle for the Mind

by Dr. Henderson Ward  
7/07/2013 / Christian Living

One of the worst things that occurs to anyone is that you have inadvertently walked into a raging battle and be unaware that you have done so. What is even far worse is that you are a participant in the battle and do not even know it.

The world has become a battlefield on par with nothing in its history and the effects are staggering and may last until the end of time.

Alarmist? Not really, all you have to do is take a serious look all around you and be perceptive enough to see the reality and understand what is actually going on.

The world is like a ferociously spinning orb, cutting a deadly path through time and space, and heading relentlessly for oblivion, and taking all on board to a hellish and ungodly eternity. There are those who are fighting bravely, lovingly and unselfishly to rescue as many as possible (Paul said, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." - 1 Corinthians 9:22) and there are others who are working feverishly to emasculate humanity, deny humans any hope of salvation and gloat at man's appalling grief and fast approaching demise.

It is as if some people are not humans but devils, trying to break humanity into tiny units of slobbering, subservient, defeated, swamp-dwelling minions that can be easily swept away with heads bowed and spirits broken to whatever awaits them. Depraved and degenerate humans, with even the slightest smidgeon of humanity, do not welcome, relish and rejoice at human calamity and devastation but devils do; so go figure why so many people toil to make common cause with Satan.

Every good thing on earth is being challenged, where possible it is being dirtied and devalued, where it resists these challenges it is being derided and abused or legislation and the courts used to disfigure or undermine it.

There was a time when sodomy was evil now they are legalizing it, when fornication and adultery were regarded as wicked now these sinners are being regaled as heroes and given their own TV programmes and reality shows, when children obeying their parents was the norm rather than now where parents are running around like fools trying to obey their children, when stealing was a crime and punished rather than now where petty stealing is severely punished and the crimes of grand larceny by the rich are rewarded with fat bonuses and business perks, there was a time when truthful employees with integrity were seen as assets to a company rather than now where they are seen as "not one of us" and overlooked for promotion, there was a time when shameless politicians knew how to cheat and tell lies with quivering lips but now the quivering is long gone, and the list goes on and on.

All across the globe standards that have withstood the test of time, and have shown themselves to be proper and beneficial to humanity, are being removed and the consequences are appalling. The Bible warns us of tampering with landmarks that have served us well, "Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set." (Proverbs 22:28) This applies not just to the physical landmarks but also to the spiritual and moral landmarks as well, "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." (Jeremiah 6:16)

Many psychological, moral and spiritual battles are being fought everywhere but the fiercest battle of all, with existential implications, is the battle for our mind.

They know that if they can conquer our mind, if they can create mental confusion and mental instability then they have us where they want, i.e. at their mercy. The Bible tells us, "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:8) Even the normal, mundane things of life can cause some believers unnecessary angst because of doubt and equivocation and we are warned accordingly, "And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind." (Luke 12:29)

The right mind, the right state of mind of all believers should be like that of Jesus' for he is our prime example and we are advised, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5) and Paul affirmed that the disciples had this very posture when he wrote, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16)

A DEFECTIVE MIND IS A CHOICE

In the physical world a defective mind, sometimes called mental illness, may have a variety of causal factors - social, psychological, biochemical, genetic, etc. - but in the spiritual and moral realm a defective mind is a consequence of choice. The corruption of the mind, spiritually speaking, is neither an incident of happenstance nor a confluence of events but a natural result of deliberately choosing a deleterious alternative.

Every human being has a choice about his mind; its spiritual health, robustness, purity and orientation.

The mind can so easily become corrupted with worldly considerations since there is a natural orientation towards carnality. Paul pointed this out when he said, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

A defective mind finds companionship and facilitation with those opposed to godliness and spirituality and rejects light from any source. The truth in these situations become anathema to them for their posture is one of opposition and dissent, "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." (2 Timothy 3:8)

It is not as though these people were never enlightened but rather that they made a deliberate choice to become renegades, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." (Romans 1:28) Having chosen the harmful alternative the mind became defective, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7) The Apostle Paul expanded on this situation and included some who were part of the assembly, "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:15-16)

A REDEEMED MIND IS ALSO A CHOICE

Sometimes the choices we face are so numerous that we cannot decisively make up our minds what exactly we want, but here we have but two choices; a defective mind or a redeemed mind and the choice could not be clearer.

No one is saddled for life with whatever he may find himself with; and no one on earth is capable of preventing him making his preferred choice. This is the beauty of God making man in his own image; the ability to exercise freewill.

Here are how these choices are presented to us:

"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." (Matthew 22:37) A clear choice with the responsibility on the individual.

"That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." (2 Thessalonians 2:2) A strong-minded decision to stand firm is the choice suggested here.

FIGHT FOR YOUR MIND

The battle for your mind is ongoing and relentless; you are bombarded by television and over the airways, magazines and newspapers join in the affray, companies and their advertising agencies gleefully enjoin the battle and governments of all sorts jump on board with reckless abandon. Even charitable organisations and non-governmental organizations are not disdaining the battle and they all engage in propaganda, half truths, outright lies, misinformation, naked deception and fraud.

You need to battle for your mind and ward off encroachment:

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" (1 Peter 1:13) "Gird up your loins" is an expression similar to "roll up your sleeves", its being ready for action, for work for enjoining the fight.

Whatever you do you must never let them colonise your mind, or control it and make you a pathetic puppet at their bidding. You must anchor your mind in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3) David understood this and so should you, "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber." (Psalm 121:3) Keep battling for your mind and God, surely, will give you the victory.

Enough said.

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Dr. Henderson Ward received his Doctor of Divinity in theology, with distinction, from Masters International School of Divinity, USA, where he is currently a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Ward's career involved pastoring, evangelism, and teaching. Copyright 2017

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