Authors: Joyce Meyer

Tags: #Bible, #Christ, #Christian Life, #Religion, #General, #Jesus, #renewing the mind, #spiritual warfare, #Battlefield of the Mind

Battlefield of the Mind (25 page)

BOOK: Battlefield of the Mind

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It is not enough to reach a certain plateau and think, "I've gone as far as I'm going to go." We must be obedient in all things—not holding back anything or keeping any doors in our lives closed to the Lord. We all have these "certain" areas that we hang onto as long as possible, but I exhort you to remember that a little leaven leavens the entire lump. (1 Corinthians 5:6 KJV.)

GOD WANTS OBEDIENCE. NOT SACRIFICE

Samuel said (to King Saul), Has the Lord as great a delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of
rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
idolatry and teraphim (household good luck images). Because you
have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from
being king. 1 Samuel 15:22,23

An examination of Saul's life shows us vividly that he was given an opportunity to be king. He did not maintain the position for long because of stubbornness and rebellion. He had his own idea about things.

One time when Samuel the prophet was correcting Saul for not doing what he had been instructed to do, Saul's reply was, "I thought." He then proceeded to express his idea of how he thought things should have been done. (1 Samuel 10:6-8; 13:8-14.) Samuel's answer to King Saul was that God desires obedience, not sacrifice.

Often, we don't want to do what God asks, and then we attempt to do something to compensate for our disobedience.

How many of God's children fail to "reign as kings in life" (Romans 5:17; Revelation 1:6 KJV) because of their stubbornness and rebellion?

The introduction to the book of Ecclesiastes in
The Amplified Bible
says this, "The purpose of this book is to investigate life as a whole and to teach that in the final analysis life is meaningless without proper respect and reverence for God."

We must understand that without obedience, there is no proper respect and reverence. The rebellion shown by many children today is caused by a lack of proper respect and reverence for their parents. This is usually the fault of the parents because they have not lived in front of their children a life that would evoke respect and reverence.

Most scholars agree that the book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon who was given more wisdom from God than any other man. If Solomon had so much wisdom, how could he have made so many sad mistakes in his life? The answer is simple: it is possible to have something and not use it. We have the mind of Christ, but do we always use it? Jesus has been made unto us wisdom from God, but do we always use wisdom?

Solomon wanted to go his own way and do his own thing. He spent his life trying first one thing and then another. He had anything and everything that money could buy—the best of every worldly pleasure—

and yet this is what he said at the conclusion of the book:
All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and
worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for
this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the
object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all
happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and
conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Let me put into my own words what I receive from this Scripture:
The whole purpose of man's creation is that he reverence and
worship God by obeying Him. All godly character must be rooted in
obedience—it is the foundation of all happiness. No one can ever be
truly happy without being obedient to God. Anything in our lives that
is out of order will be brought into adjustment by obedience.

Obedience is the whole duty of man.

As far as I am concerned, this is one awesome Scripture, and I encourage you to continue studying it on your own.

OBEDIENCE AND DISOBEDIENCE: BOTH HAVE CONSEQUENCES

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:19 kjv

Our choice to obey or not to obey not only affects us, but multitudes of others. Just think of it: if the Israelites had promptly obeyed God, how much greater their lives would have been. Many of them and their children died in the wilderness because they would not submit to God's ways. Their children were affected by their decisions, and so are ours.

Recently, my oldest son said, "Mom, I have something to tell you, and I may cry, but hear me out." He then went on to say, "I have been thinking about you and Dad and the years you have put into this ministry, and all the times you chose to obey God and how it has not always been easy for you. I realize, Mom, that you and Dad have gone through things that nobody knows about, and I want you to know that this morning God made me aware that I am benefitting greatly from your obedience, and I appreciate it."

What he said meant a lot to me, and it reminded me of Romans 5:19.

Your decision to obey God affects other people, and when you decide to disobey God, that also affects others. You may disobey God and choose to stay in the wilderness, but please keep in mind that if you now have or ever have children, your decision will keep them in the wilderness with you. They may manage to get themselves out when they are grown, but I can assure you they will pay a price for your disobedience.

Your life might be in better shape now if someone in your past had obeyed God.

Obedience is a far-reaching thing; it closes the gates of hell and opens the windows of heaven.

I could write an entire book on obedience, but for now I simply want to make the point that a life of disobedience is the fruit of wrong thinking.

BRING EVERY THOUGHT IN TO CAPTIVITY TO CHRIST

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh
and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and
destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings
and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away
captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

Our thoughts are what get us into trouble quite often.

In Isaiah 55:8 the Lord says, For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.. . No matter what you or I may think, God has written His thoughts down for us in His book called the Bible.

We must choose to examine our thoughts in light of the Word of God, always being willing to submit our thoughts to His thoughts, knowing that His are best.

This is exactly the point made in 2 Corinthians 10:4,5. Examine what is in your mind. If it does not agree with God's thoughts (the Bible), then cast down your own thoughts and think on His.

People living in the vanity of their own mind not only destroy themselves, but far too often, they bring destruction to others around them.

The mind is the battlefield!

It is on this ground of the mind that you will either win or lose the war that Satan has launched. It is my most heartfelt prayer that this book will assist you in casting down imaginations, and every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity, into obedience to Jesus Christ.

Endnotes

Chapter 7

1 W. E. Vine,
An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
(Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell, 1940), Vol. IV, Set-Z, p. 190.

2 James Strong,
The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984), "Greek Dictionary of the New Testament," p.24.

3
Webster's II, New Riverside University Dictionary
(Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1984), s.v. "meditate."

4 Vine, Vol. III. Lo-Ser, p.55.

Chapter 9

1 Webster's
II,
s.v. "wander."

2
Webster's II,
s.v. "wonder."

Chapter 10

1
Webster's II,
s.v. "reason."

Chapter 11

1 Vine, Vol. I:
A-DYS
, p. 335.

2 Vine, Vol. IV:
SET-Z
, p. 165.

Chapter 12

1 Webster's
II,
s.v. "worry."

2
The Random House Unabridged Dictionary,
2nd ed. (New York: Random House, 1993), s.v. "worry."

Chapter 13

1 Vine, Vol. II: E-Li, p. 281.235

BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

2 Vine, "Hebrew and Greek Words," Vol. II: E-Li, p. 280.

Chapter 15

1
Webster's II,
s.v. "depress."

2
Webster's
II, s.v. "depressed."

3 Vine, Vol. II: E-Li, p. 60.

4 Vine, Vol. IV:
LO-SER
, p. 55.5
Strong's New Exhaustive Concordance,
"Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary," p. 32.

Chapter 23

1
Webster's II,
s.v. "reproach."

Chapter 24

1 Vine, Vol. II: E-Li, p. 37.

2 Webster's II, s.v. "jealousy."

Bibliography

Random House Unabridged Dictionary,
2nd ed. New York: Random House, 1993.

Strong, James.
The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984.

Vine, W. E.
An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1940.

Webster's II New Riverside University Dictionary.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1984.

About the Author

Joyce Meyer
has been teaching the Word of God since 1976 and in full-time ministry since 1980. She is the bestselling author of more than fifty inspirational books, including How
to Hear from God, Knowing God
Intimately,
and
Battlefield of the Mind.
She has also released thousands of teaching cassettes and a complete video library. Joyce's
Enjoying Everyday
Life
radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1 The Mind Is the Battlefield

6 Mind-Binding Spirits

7 Think About What You're Thinking About

8 When Is My Mind Normal?

9 A Wandering, Wondering Mind

10 A Confused Mind