Isn’t it weird? 6.8 billion people are walking all over the globe controlled by 3 pound lumps of wrinkled, gray, electric flesh. Those lumps can order armies, write symphonies, invent weapons, cultivate gardens, and paint masterpieces. And they are the seat of both physical and emotional joy and pain for every soul they serve. That is how powerful and magical our minds are…
Our minds are also dangerous things, and when we fail to understand them, we fail to understand the terrain of the epic spiritual battle we sign up for when we belong to Christ. I’m not talking about angels and demons fighting each other in the spiritual world (although I don’t deny that’s going on). I’m talking about the fight for our effectiveness and joy in life.
God says “Watch over your heart with diligence for from it flow the springs of life.” And, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” And, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything be excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”
We are the appointed guardians of our minds because, believe it or not, that is where the action is. The enemy wants to neutralize us and make us too distracted to be of any use in God’s kingdom. And, his primary weapons are the thoughts and lies that take up residence in our heads. You know what I’m talking about… If I’ve believed the lie from childhood that I’m a poor communicator, it could keep me from speaking when necessary. If I feel insecure about who I am, it gets in the way of serving others.
Do you feel too insecure to minister to other people?
Have you put yourself and your abilities inside a box and refused to do anything outside of it?
Are you paralyzed by worry and doubt?
Is your perfectionism making it hard to take risks?
Are you looking for affirmation from someone other than the Lord?
These are all headspace issues, things that we just accept in life without recognizing that they are in fact battlegrounds. Instead of accepting the lies, we have a responsibility to assess and demolish them.
I want to talk about ways of doing this over the next couple of weeks, to take stock of our thoughts instead of letting them come and go as they please. That sword of truth you hear about in Ephesians? This is what it’s for. It’s for guarding your mind. Let’s begin…
–SONG
Truth Series:
