Winning the battle of your mind

 It sounds futuristic to say that we can be in multiple places at the same time.

But our minds paint a different story.

Often scattered and sometimes frantic, our thoughts can bounce off the walls of our brains at lightning speed covering 100 topics in a matter of seconds. 

And you don’t have to be a neurosurgeon to know there is a war going on in our minds.

It’s real. It’s spiritual.

We can’t completely control the thoughts we think, but we can control what we do with them.

Let’s dive in.

You’ve probably heard the New Age term “clear your mind”. On the surface, it could sound like a good solution.

If I could just clear my mind of my thoughts – I’d be okay. 

But scripture doesn’t ever talk about clearing your mind. It’s not Biblical.

The transformation of our minds comes from renewing our minds.

Proverbs 23:7 says “for as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” The word for “thinks” here is translated to mean “to be a calculator” or “to act as a gatekeeper.”

As followers of Jesus, we’re called to be gatekeepers of our minds, and we can choose to fight the battle with the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:16 – “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:17 – But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

Hebrews 8:10 – For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2 Timothy 1:7 – for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Hebrews 4:12 –  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Towards the end of his letter to the church in Philippi, the Apostle Paul writes about the battle of our minds. He breaks it down in a simple verse, chock full of wisdom.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” -Philippians 4:8

Let’s breakdown the 8 things he tells us to think on:

Whatever is true.

It’s no accident that Paul talks about what’s true first. If you’re constantly thinking about (or meditating on) what’s not true, it’ll take you down a dark hole fast.

Truth combats lies. Truth combats fear.

And in the words of scripture, knowing truth sets you free.

Whatever is noble.

In short, this is whatever is honorable and honest.

Whatever is just.

Things that are innocent, holy, righteous.

Whatever is pure. 

Think on things that are modest or chaste. And to be clear, the motivation isn’t legalism. Scripture is clear that legalism profits us nothing.

This is the abundant life in the Kingdom of God!

Whatever is lovely.

Can we get back to saying the word “lovely” again? It almost brings a picture to life of an older person on a front porch looking out at nature… ahh, lovely.

Things that are friendly, welcoming, and accepting.

Lovely.

Whatever is of good report.

Think on things that are spoken well of, things with a good reputation.

Whatever is virtuous.

The word here actually means manly valor, chivalrous, or excellence of character.

Whatever is praiseworthy. 

Simply put, think on the things that are commendable, Holy, and good. It’s the things you think about that make you want to praise God!

Again, there is an all out battle on our mind. And it’s not one that we can passively hope goes away. We must wage war against it!

Remember, we are called to be gatekeepers of our mind. (Proverbs 23:7)

As believers, we have been given the mind of Christ. It’s the power of God’s Word that causes that mind to develop and renew daily.