The Battlefield: The Human Mind
Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above,
not on things on the earth.”
“Merely having an open mind is nothing; the object of
opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something
solid (G. K. Chesterton)”
A war is not
complete without at least one battlefield.
During the American Revolution, Colonial America existed as the
battlefield. During the American Civil
War, Gettysburg served as a battlefield.
During World War II, Europe and Asia served as battlefields. During the War on Terror, Afghanistan and
Iraq served as battlefields. Spiritual
warfare is no different. Spiritual
warfare is no different than physical warfare in this sense because it too has
a battlefield.
There exists
one main battlefield upon which the devil and his demons fight. Man is a tripartite being because God created
man in His image. Man consists of body
(beten, geviyyah, geshem; soma),[1]
soul (nephesh; psuche),[2]
and spirit (ruach; pneuma).[3] The devil’s battlefield is not the human
spirit because the spirit portrays the true nature of the heart. If the individual has a heart after God, than
his/her actions will correspond with proper godly actions. If the heart is wicked, than it will react in
a manner pleasing to the devil. The
devil’s battlefield is not the body because the body cannot function on its
own. The body needs something or someone
to send it a message on what to do.
These messages come from the original computer…the mind.
All actions
originate from a single thought.
Scripture clearly connects our thoughts with our success or failure in
spiritual matters. Romans 8:6 states, “For
to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
If the believer remains or becomes
carnal, they will separate themselves from the presence of God. However, if the believer thinks on spiritual
things, such as Scripture or spends time in exercising their mind in prayer,
then they draw closer to God. God
encourages the believer to thing on spiritual things. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, “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.” Colossians
3:2 states, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Therefore, thoughts affect our spiritual
success and failure. The devil knows
this. Thus, he and his minions attempt
to drag mankind to the lake of fire and brimstone along with them using a
single thought.
A single thought can lead to the
downfall of an individual. James 1:13-15
shows the path that this single thought can take an individual down. It states, “Jas 1:13 ¶ Let no man say when he
is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is
tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth
forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” How is man tempted? The devil tempts man with a single
though. This thought normally
corresponds to a weakness that this individual possesses. If this individual dwells on this thought
long enough, they will act upon and this act will be an act of sin. It will be rebellion against God and His
Word. However, if the individual who is
tempted with a thought and acts according to the Bible, they will successfully
overcome the temptation and live a Godly life.
What is the Biblical method for overcoming this temptation? James 4:7 informs the reader, “Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” RESIST!! RESIST OLD SLOOFOOT and the temptation
will leave because the believer resisted the tempter. How can the believer know that this will
work?
Matthew 4:1-11 proves that the mind is
the devil’s battlefield. After Christ
was driven by the Holy Ghost into the wilderness, the devil came to Him on
three different occasions attacking the mind of Christ with ungodly
thoughts. These thoughts consisted of
the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. The devil never physically forced anything on
Christ or took control of Christ’s body.
He always implanted thoughts.
[1] Deuteronomy
28:4 “Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body <beten>, and the fruit of
thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the
flocks of thy sheep.”
Daniel 10:6 “His body <geviyyah> also
was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes
as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass,
and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.Daniel 4:33 “The same
hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men,
and did eat grass as oxen, and his body <geshem> was wet with the dew of
heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like
birds' claws.”
Matthew 6:22 “The light of the body <soma> is
the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of
light.”
[2] Genesis
12:13 “Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for
thy sake; and my soul <nephesh> shall live because of thee.”
Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall
gain the whole world, and lose his own soul <psuche>?”
[3] Deuteronomy
2:30 “But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy
God hardened his spirit <ruwach>, and made his heart obstinate, that he
might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.”
Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens,
his spirit <pneuma> was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly “given
to idolatry.
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