"Battling Thoughts"

"And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Ephesians 4:23

It's been said that the mind is the battleground- and it is. Every temptation starts in the mind. Every bondage first started as a thought. Let me give you some examples of how it all starts in the mind with our thoughts: "Just one more piece of cake won't hurt you." "If they really loved you they would not have acted like that". "If you take this drink you'll be popular with your friends". "Nobody cares about you, you might as well end your life". "Everyone else is losing their job, you will too".

Have you ever had these thoughts? Even worse? The enemy uses "thoughts" as a weapon against us. That is why it is important that we discern where the thoughts are coming from and do something about them. What we do with the thoughts that come to mind determines how far those thoughts take us.

God gives us all we need to be victorious and unyielding to the thoughts that the enemy uses to tempt us with in order to steal, kill and destroy us. We have been given weapons that are not carnal/physical but are mighty enough to pull down even strongholds.

The three things that God has provided as our weapons of defense and victory are: the helmet of salvation- to protect our mind; the Word of God- to renew our mind; and the power of His Holy Spirit- to cast down those thoughts when they come.

You don't automatically defeat those thoughts just because you have been given the weapons to do so with. Just because a soldier has a gun doesn't mean he has defeated his enemy- he has to use his gun in order to do that. A soldier can't just ignore his enemy and think that he has victory over him, neither can we. Just ignoring the thoughts don't defeat them. We have to use what God has made available to us as well.

Have a great day. There may be a battle raging in our thoughts but we have been given the weapons we need to be victorious and win the battle.