14 September 2024 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition YOU ASK WHY The Battle for the Mind “You were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts” (Ephesians 2:1-3). Three foes of the faith We battle three implacable enemies that seek to destroy us: the world, the flesh and the devil. Every Christian – from the newest “babe in Christ” to the solid, mature believer of many decades – must be prepared to resist the insinuations and temptations that are hurled at us by these three relentless foes of our Christian faith. The world We live in a world system that rejects God and celebrates sin. From the recent abomination of drag queens mocking the Last Supper to the preposterous notion that men can get pregnant to the abhorrent sight of a man pummeling a woman in the boxing ring to the arrogant abandonment of any notion that there is objective truth, the world screams at us to jettison all moral standards. Anyone who objects to this cultural hedonism is furiously denounced as a bigot, a hater or some sort of “phobe.” The world works tirelessly to deconstruct our minds; it demands that we embrace evil and reject all that is good. The flesh And it’s not as if our flesh needs any external encouragement to sin! “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want” (Galatians 5:17). This is not a struggle that only afflicts those who are immature in the faith; even the apostle Paul lamented that “What I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). Much like the obnoxious little girl in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the flesh yammers at us, “Don’t care how, I want it now!” – whatever “it” may be: power, prestige, prosperity, pleasure, or any number of other desires. Our flesh urges us to ignore our mind – to not think, not consider, definitely not pray – and to adopt the “If it feels good, do it” philosophy. The devil Then there is the devil, our vicious, remorseless enemy, who prowls like a roaring lion, looking to steal our faith, destroy our Christian testimony and ultimately to kill us if he can (1 Peter 5:8; John 10:10). Satan hates humanity with a murderous hatred because man is made in the image of God, but he hates the people of God most of all, because God has declared and demonstrated His love for those He chose before the creation of the world. Satan cannot take away our salvation and consign us to hell (John 10:28), but he can and does make life on this earth a living hell for many Christian believers. The devil is the master pugilist, whipsawing us with powerful left-right combinations, first dangling some sin in front of our eyes and promising that it will feel great, only to begin sneering cruelly at us when we succumb: “Look at you! I can’t believe you did that again! You are worthless to God!” If we remain standing after those devastating body punches of discouragement, the enemy unleashes the uppercut of pride, fawning over some success and assuring us, “Look at you! You deserve respect and praise! You are ‘the master of your fate’ and ‘the captain of your soul.’” And if we somehow beat the ten-count and stagger to our feet, Satan hits us with the knockout punch: doubt. “Has God really said . . .?” he hisses. Most Christians understand that the Bible exhorts us to live godly in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12), but far too many no longer believe they have the power to actually do that. In my years as a pastor, I have sat with scores of Christians who have admitted to me, many of them with tears staining their cheeks, that they feel utterly desolate and defeated. How is it with you today? Perhaps you are aren’t at the point of despair, but you are painfully aware of the daily allure of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Or perhaps the battle is going against you to the point where you are ready to echo Paul’s anguished cry, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). Power to win the battle Keep reading, beleaguered believer! Paul joyfully answered his own question: “Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” On the night He was betrayed, Jesus told His disciples, “It is to your advantage that I go away.” Have you ever stopped to think about that? The disciples had been with Jesus for three years – sharing meals with Him, listening to Him teach, watching Him heal the afflicted and drive out demons. How could it possibly be to their advantage for Jesus to go away? Jesus explained, “If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). The Helper, of course, is the Holy Spirit – the third member of the Trinity. Jesus was born to be “God with us” (Matthew 1:23); the Holy Spirit is sent to be God IN us. Even better than walking side-by-side with God is having God living inside us all day, every day! On our own, we are all but helpless against the onslaught launched by the world, the flesh, and the devil. For man alone, victory is impossible . . . but with God all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26). The Spirit of Truth will guide our minds into all truth (John 16:13), empowering us to resist the siege being directed against our minds, and He will give us power for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). With the Holy Spirit living inside us, we can rejoice that He who is in us is infinitely greater the than the forces arrayed against us (1 John 4:4). With all that said, however, recall that I titled this article “The Battle for the Mind.” On this side of glory, that battle for our mind must be fought daily . . . hourly . . . sometimes even moment by moment. Yes, “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace,” but we must yield ourselves to the control of the Spirit every moment of every day. It is not a single prayer uttered at the moment of salvation . . . not a “baptism of the Holy Spirit” . . . not even a prayer offered up at the beginning of each day. It must be a conscious, consistent, prayerful decision to submit ourselves to God and to resist the shrill, insistent demands of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And we way need to make that decision thirty or fifty or even 100 times each day. The enticement of sin is ever-present, and you will never resist it perfectly on this side of the grave. Only one Man did that. But if you have trusted in His atoning death on your behalf, He has sent His Spirit to you to give you the supernatural power you need to win the battle of the mind. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). My brothers and sisters, let us prayerfully stand together and encourage each other to fight and win the battle for the mind in His power. This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN! Dr. Tommy Boland is senior pastor of Cross Community Church in Deerfield Beach (www.thecrosscc.org). He blogs regularly at tommyboland.com. - Dr. Tommy Boland - Pastor, Cross Community Church
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