For years I’ve fought a difficult battle. There were moments where I overcame. But within days I would be faced with the same battle. I’m a little embarrassed to say that most of these moments I did not overcome. I would have weeks of victory only to fail again. Going before the Lord broken because I couldn’t conquer this mountain. It seemed as if I would never move pass this obstacle. The more I fought it felt like it fought harder.
The battle I am referring to is the war against myself, my mind.
A mind that struggles to fully submit to God’s word! A mind that at times feels like a precipice full of darkness. Where if I am not careful I can lose myself. I know that sounds a little dramatic but that’s what it feels like. If I allow my mind, it will take me to dark and vain thoughts that knocks the breath from my lungs. But when I take control of my mind there’s nothing that can stop God’s light from manifesting within me. You see the mind is meant for God and is to be used to do God’s will. But what the enemy wants is to control our minds. Control over our mind gives the devil control over us. When we surrender our mind to God the Holy Spirit control us. But if we surrender it to the devil, the kingdom of darkness will control us( Rom 6:16).
‘ Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?
Romans 6:16AMPIt goes back to the age old question: Who will we choose, God or the devil? Just like Adam and Even we are faced with this decision every second of the day.
What I’ve realized is that if I allow a dark thought to penetrate my mind it gives access to the rest of their dark friends. When we allow deception to take residence in our lives it opens the door for an influx of lies and deception. Our mind becomes infected, loosing it’s ability to stand against those lies and deception. As I was praying this morning, I asked the Lord to forgive me for allowing my mind to become a precipice. I’m not sure if you know what that is, but let me give you a visual. I remember in 2000 I went to Jamaica for my cousin’s wedding. My family decided to visit our uncle in the hills of Jamaica, in a community called Mavis Bank. We drove up the hilly and winding roads. Cars were flying by us driving downhill on the narrow road. I looked out the right side window and all I would see was the cliff that would lead to my death if a car ran us off the road. The sides of the road led to a ledge without a barricade with rocks, dirt, trees and only God knows what else below it. The entire ride I squeezed my eyes tightly closing them hoping that we would not end up over the ledge. That is a precipice. If we are not careful our mind, which God intended for good can become a place where we fall to our death. It can be a precipice of never ending light or a precipice of never ending darkness. You choose. I can recall a moment in my life where I said, “Lord why can’t you just make me your puppet. I’m tired of making choices.” I said this because most of the times I made bad choices. But God showed me that He wanted me to choose Him. Not out of obligation but out of love because I genuinely wanted to show my love. It’s the same decision we have to make in regards to our thought life. A mind that is a precipice of light, purity, virtue, hope, love, peace, joy that always meditates on God’s word is the devil’s kryptonite.
The devil knows that a mind that is fully surrendered to God is lethal. The Hebrew word for heart means mind (lab). So we can use these words interchangeably. Your mind /heart is your inner man and the seat of your will. When our will is submitted to God, what can stop us.. It’s like people say now– Who is going to check me?Lol, only the Holy Spirit can…. Okay let me get back…
It is our heart/mind that sets the tone for our life.
Proverbs 4:23 says “watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.
Simply put, your mind (will, heart) is the source of your life. What you allow to take place in your mind will determine the kind of life that you live. This is why we are heeded to guard our heart (mind, will). This morning I reflected on the tumultuous night before when I allowed the devil to spew lies in my mind and I repented. I asked God to help me to remember His words when faced with the lies of the enemy. I was ashamed because once again I felt like I lost that battle; But I didn’t.What happened was the devil had my mind for a little but my spirit kept rising up with the truth. Then the devil would keep fighting and my spirit kept reminding me of the truth. I made the choice to listen to the voice of truth and I didn’t give up. But it makes me think of how I could have defeated the enemy within seconds if I had just stood on what God’s word says and guarded my mind. The war going on in my mind created an atmosphere that wasn’t there before. I became a little aggressive and easily irritated. This is why I don’t understand how people can say the spiritual realm is not real.
Your thoughts, creates an atmosphere that dictates your life! The kind of atmosphere, depends entirely on you. The atmosphere not only impacts you but everyone else around you.
In Psalms 1:1 it says “ Blessed [ fortunate, prosperous and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [ following their advice and example], nor stand in the path of sinners nor sit [ down to rest] in the seat of scoffers(ridiculers).
AmpWhy is this person considered blessed? Because they don’t allow themselves to partake in the atmosphere of the ungodly. Who a person is begins first in their heart then is manifested through their lifestyle. The next verse, we see that this blessed person delights in God’s law and meditates on it day and night. As a result, he(she) will yield fruit in and out of season. We are presented with two completely different people. Which one are we? The wicked whose will is darkened or the blessed whose will is enlightened. We can lie and deceive a lot of people but eventually the contents of our precipice will reveal themselves.
The first thought that came to me when I was working out this issue with the Lord was “ As a man thinks so he is.” I found the verse but I couldn’t ignore the verses that followed. In this Psalm we have a man who is selfish but invites you over to eat but doesn’t really want you to partake with him. What happens next is because his intentions were never good concerning you, you realize you were better off not eating to begin with. Who this man was revealed itself without him even having to mention it.
When I was younger I always heard your mind is like a computer what you put in is what will come out. I agree with this completely but let’s take it farther. Your imagination gives us endless possibilities… It provides a place where we can dream, plan and envision. What types of dreams, plans and visions we have are dictated by who our mind is surrendered to!
If you can relate to my continuous battle of the mind imagine the wonders God can do if our will is full of light and moved by the choice to serve God! Nothing will be out of our reach.
Our imagination was meant for the use of the Holy Spirit not for the devil.
We must first hope in our mind, heart and will before we see all that God has planned for us! If the devil perverts our mind and will, we may never access the hope God has made available to us. Without hope we will not have faith! Be sober and alert! We can win the battle within our mind! Stay the course.
Close your eyes.. not yet after you finish reading this paragraph lol.. Imagine taking a leap into a precipice full of light. Where as you are falling you experience God’s love. When you look around you see His joy and rainbows reminding you of His promise. You brush past a desire that God has given you and as you are falling He’s showing you how to bring it to pass…. Typing that made me feel so warm and cozy inside(lol, corny I know but seriously). God’s love for us is endless, He wants and plans Good things for us….. But we have to be able to SEE IT! I’m not talking about with the two eyes on your face but with your MIND. It’s hard for me to even conceptualize it in a way that can be explained through words. ANYTHING GOD HAS FOR US IS LIMITLESS, WE WILL NEVER REACH THE END OF IT! I pray that we will choose to take the leap into HIS PRECIPICE OF LOVE! May your mind be like Christ…..
‘ For who has known the mind and purposes of the L ord , so as to instruct Him ? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].
1 Corinthians 2:16‘Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.
Ephesians 3:18-20Everything starts in our mind! Let’s make a commitment together to guard it fiercely!
It took me one whole week to type and post this entry.. I was dragging my feet because this made me feel a little naked. I felt exposed and it bothered me because of what people might say or think. But I had to remind myself that even that thought is a lie of the enemy. I have to remember that everyone has their battles and this is what community is for. I know that the battle over my mind will be a continuous one, but I know that the more I fight the weaker the enemies attacks will become. When the Lord brings a weakness to my attention it’s because He wants to refine me. So even though this is difficult for me to post I am encouraging myself and you to keep going. There will be days where you don’t feel like an overcomer but you are! Not because of anything you did but because of what Jesus did for you on the cross! In the midst of the battle lean on Him, through Him you will overcome!
With Love through Christ, Nadesha!
Bloom in Journey 
Nadesha, this was so encouraging and convicting for me to read this morning. Faced a major disappointment this morning that worked up all these lies that I continue to battle in my mind, about my value, abilities, faith journey, etc. I willfully succumbed to the lies. I embraced burying myself in distraction and bad choices to cope. Justified the allowances and compromises I was making. But I CHOSE to read this post first. It was exactly what I needed. GOD IS GOOD! And your words convict me to also choose Him and His light. Amen!
LikeLike
Justina!!! When I read this this (Friday) morning I was encouraged.. would you believe that halfway through typing it I almost didn’t post it. I found myself in the situation you just explained too many times.. but Thank God for grace which He gives us in every situation! I am too happy that this post convicted and encouraged you! That’s my desire! The Holy Spirit is real y’all!!!!! I was dragging my foot so much that I almost posted it today( Friday) instead of yesterday, but I knew I needed to post it yesterday( Thursday)! That was for you my friend. He knew that you would need it, He always knows! Thanks again! Amen!
LikeLike
It always reminds me that we are not in this alone, as Christians we share similar struggles. The devil wants us to feel alone but we must rise up and share our struggles and failure as a testimony of how the spirit of god brought us out of the hands of the enemy. Thank you for reminding me that our struggles and failure is god working things out in us.
LikeLike
We are never alone! Thank you for reading babe!
LikeLike