(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (II Corinthians 10:5)
You Are In A War.
There is a battle for your mind. The battlefield is your thought life and to the victor goes the spoils. What takes place in your mind determines your destiny. “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he:” (Proverbs 23:7) It has been said: “How you think determines how you feel and how you feel determines what you do and what you do determines who you are.” Your thought life is your D-day, your Waterloo, but the good news is the Bible tells us how we can win the battle for the mind.
The Devil Works to Build Fortresses of Lies in Your Mind.
“…pulling down strongholds”
The Devil’s work is a work of deception (Rev. 20:10). Satan, “the father of lies”disguises himself as an “angel of light” (John 8:44; II Cor. 11:14). The Devil is constantly attempting to build fortresses, “strong-holds” of wrong thinking and beliefs in our minds. When fortresses or system of lies and deception are constructed in someone’s mind the Devil has control of their actions. “To be carnally minded is death…” (Romans 8:6)
Consider some fortresses of wrong thinking:
Personal History Fortress: “How I was raised…,” “because of how I was treated,” or “what happened to me…” Cultural Background Fortress: Because I am Scottish, Irish, Italian… “I am stingy,” “I have a temper,” “I hold grudges…” Fortress of false philosophy: from television, movies, books, friends, and family are constantly preaching false fortresses of philosophy and reality. “You deserve a break today,” “You owe it to yourself,” “look out for number one.” “One drink never hurt anybody.” “I did it my way…” “You only live once…” “only the good die young.”Wrong realities: immorality is normal, there is no bad outcome to sinful behaviour, adultery is ok, Christians are unscientific, married people are generally unhappy.
Imagine the tragedy to enter into eternity only to realize you lived your life in accordance with Satan’s lies rather than in harmony with the truth of God’s Word.
You Must Tear Down Old Fortresses of Wrong Thinking and Build Up New Fortresses of Godly Thinking
The Apostle Paul wrote to newly saved converts from very ungodly backgrounds. The former pagans at the church in Corinth could tell no stories of Grandma taking them to Sunday School, devotional time, or prayer at the dinner table. Instead, their memory bank was full of idolatrous practices and sins in all shapes and sizes. They all had fortresses of wrong thinking, that led to wrong behaviour, that needed to be torn down. The former “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, thieves….”were now “washed” and “sanctified!” They were “new creatures” in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17)
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (I Corinthians 6:9-11)
1.) Filter Your Thoughts.
Satan attacks our thinking by shooting fiery darts of lies, doubts, and deceit into our mind(Eph. 6:16). Fiery darted thoughts are an attempt to burn our thought life to the ground. These thoughts must be captured, “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” You are not responsible for every fleeting thought that passes through your mind, but you do have a responsibility not to dwell on these thoughts. “You can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep him from building a nest in your hair.” The Apostle Peter confronted Ananias and Sapphira in Jerusalem for lying to the church. The source of temptation was Satan, but Ananias and Sapphira were held responsible by God for dwelling on Satan’s temptation. “… Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” (Acts 5:3). When Christ was tempted in the wilderness, He immediately brought these “fiery” thoughts into captivity and obedience by combating them with scripture. Three times He said, “It is written…”
The key to filtering our thoughts is recognizing and identifying wrong thoughts. Capture them by submitting them to the Lord, “bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (I Peter 1:12)
2.) Focus Your Thoughts.
If the Devil has his demonic arrows of sinful thought, then we as well should have arrows of godly thought in our quiver. What is your meditation and memory verse for the day? Who is the target person you are going to pray for? What are you thanking and praising God for today? When wrong thoughts enter in, thoughts of lust, greed, covetousness, envy, hatred, fear, strife… recognize and identify their diabolical source! Those thoughts are trying to dethrone Christ in our mind, “…Exalting itself against the knowledge of Christ.” “Cast down” those thoughts by refocusing back upon Christ. Use your target verse, target prayer request, and target praise! Put your thought life back on track by refocusing your thoughts. Shoot toward the Saviour.
A practical exercise for tearing down strongholds is to identify what your stronghold is. We should be able to identify “the sin which so easily besets us” (Heb. 12:1). Find scripture that deals with that particular stronghold. Use those scriptures as your “target thoughts.” This practice will take down evil fortresses and build up godly fortresses.
3.) Fortress Your Thoughts.
The Apostle Paul taught the Philippian church how to have a fortress of supernatural peace. The “peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds…” Here are some key verses for peaceful thinking:
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:6-8)
Notice that Paul’s instructions: a.) to cast “care” upon the Lord in prayer, b.) to think upon “these things,” (target thoughts) and c.) peace will “keep” (garrison or fortress) you.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)