Fight Of Our Minds Part 2
Suit Up!
We STAND in the suit of armor that the Lord has forged and crafted for us to wear in order to withstand attacks from the enemy. It is the armor that looks like what the world says it ought to? No, it is the armor that will look ridiculous to the people of this world, but it is the best kind of armor.
Nor do we put on just part of it, but we put the suit of armor on in its totality. "So that when the day of evil comes, (because it will come) we may be able to stand our ground (in our minds, emotions, and actions) and after we have done everything to stand.” (Ephesians 6: 10-17) We stand firm then, with the
Belt of truth buckled around your waist
Breastplate of righteousness in place
Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
Take up the shield of faith, which can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
Let’s focus on the Belt Of Truth buckled around your waist
Why? Why would we be called to buckle truth around our waist?
Maybe it is because we know what it feels like to get “punched in the gut” either by life circumstances or by someone’s words that cut very deeply. You know what I am talking about.
In addition, the belt holds everything together. Oftentimes, when armor would come undone it is because the belt fell apart or came open. Does this sound familiar? When we start listening to “truth” that is no truth at all, we begin to spiral into a place we were never meant to go and then are surprised at how quickly we arrived.
Truth is the foundation and the stabilizing factor, not only for a suit of armor, but for our relationship with the Lord, and our thought life. It is how we “demolish every stronghold that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
It does not simply say we let the thought in and determine that it is untrue. We make it obedient to Christ, so that means REPLACING IT with the truth. However, in order to replace an untruth, we have to know the truth first.
So, how do we identity truth and things that aren’t true?
1. We have to spend time in truth. We have to invest time and effort into knowing scripture and studying it by ourselves and with others.
When was the last time you sat in your room and listened to worship/prayed and read your bible?
When was the last time you shared about what you are learning with God with someone else and asked them to continue to ask how that thing is going?
Start today! Invest in your relationship with the Lord and let someone walk this journey with you!
2. We have to know God’s tone. Now, I don’t necessarily mean an audible tone because I have never heard God’s voice audibly, but I do know His tone.
For example, do you have a friend that before they even say who it is on the phone, you recognize their voice? That you have spent so much time with them that even if you didn’t have caller ID, you would know in an instant who it was?
When we have spent so much time with God and in His word, in worship, and around other believers, we more quickly recognize what is his voice and what is not.
One way I recognize whether or not it is God speaking or if it is the enemy, is to ask myself - does this revelation lead me to conviction or shame? Shame and conviction are very different. Shame leads us to want to hide and not share what we have discovered; whereas, conviction leads us to repentance through the Lord’s kindness (Romans 2:4) While this is a very specific example, try using it when you have a thought come to your mind today. Does this make you want to be better and see what God can do with my incomplete but willing self, or does it make you feel self-hatred and want to hide?
3. We have to know God’s heart and motive and believe He always wants our best even when it doesn’t feel like it or make sense.
When Jesus was tempted in the desert by the devil after forty days of fasting, you know what the devil used to tempt Jesus? Scripture. But Jesus not only knew the scriptures, He knew the God behind them and the intent, so when the devil came and twisted truth to try and tempt Jesus, He knew that the enemy had tainted the truth with his own agenda and wanted no part of it. (Matthew 4:1-11)
Truth has the power to hold our lives together. It set us free from sin, regret and bring us to a life of joy and walking intimately every day with a God who loves us more than life.
Truth is truth.
It never loses its potency.
It Sets Us Free.
I pray that as you fight for the battle of your mind today and in the coming weeks that you would know how much God loves you and gave you with an amazing mind.
Be Blessed!
Jess