Transcription
Well, hello and welcome back to Set Your Mind on Things Above. Today I want to talk to you about a very important topic, and that is spiritual warfare.
You see, most people when they think spiritual warfare, they think it looks dramatic. They imagine something loud, visible, or extreme. But scripture tells us of something very different. That the primary battle of spiritual warfare is not around you. It's within you. And the enemy's greatest strategy is not possession, it's persuasion. Because if he can influence the way we think, he can influence the way we live.
That's why scripture consistently points us to the mind as the place where the battle is fought. As the word says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds." Notice Paul uses the word strongholds. You see, a stronghold is not just a bad habit. It's a pattern of thinking that feels true but contradicts God's truth. And strongholds are built on lies. They're formed slowly. A lie is believed, the lie is repeated. The repetition creates a mental pattern, and over time that pattern begins to feel like truth. And eventually, the enemy doesn't need to accuse us anymore. The thought accuses us automatically.
As the scriptures say, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." You see, before peace is stolen outwardly, hope is stolen inwardly. And before faith collapses externally, truth is distorted internally. And here's a very important thing to know: that thoughts are not neutral. And one of the most dangerous assumptions believers make is this: "They're, they're just thoughts." But scripture never treats thoughts as harmless. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We take every thought captive to obey Christ." And you certainly don't take something captive unless it's trying to lead you somewhere. And thoughts are very directional. They are either leading you toward truth or owing you toward deception.
And another important fact to know is that not every thought is yours. This is so freeing for many believers that every thought that enters your mind is not authored by you. Some thoughts are temptations, others are accusations, and some, most likely, are a lot of twisted half-truths. Even Jesus was tempted through suggestions in the wilderness. So temptation is not sin, but agreement is.
And spiritual warfare is not about fear. It's not about obsession. And it's certainly not about seeing a demon behind every difficulty. But spiritual warfare is about discernment. Learning to recognize this thought: Does it align with who God is or who I am in Christ? This is where many of us believers struggle. We recognize the lies but don't know what to do next. And here's the truth: Renewing your mind is not passive. It is an act of spiritual warfare. So every time you identify a lie, reject it and replace it with truth, you are actively tearing down strongholds.
This is why I teach a simple biblical tool called RENEW. It's not complicated. It's not mystical. It's grounded directly in scripture. And here's how it works. We have the R: Recognize the thought. Name it honestly. Don't try to spiritualize it or excuse it. And then we got E: Expose it to truth. Ask, "What does God's word actually say about this?" And then the N: Name the lie. Call it what it is. Lies lose power when they're named. And then we got E: Establish truth. Replace the lie with a specific biblical truth. And then finally W: Walk in agreement. Choose to act, pray, and respond in line with truth, not the lie. And this is how renewal becomes daily, practical, and victorious. As Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." You see, renewal is not a feeling. It's a practice.
Well, if you've been struggling in your mind lately, please hear this. That does not mean you are failing spiritually. It means you're in a battle scripture already prepared you for. And God never calls his people into battles he doesn't equip them to win. As the scripture says, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you." So important to know that peace is not the absence of warfare. Peace is the result of a mind trained to return to truth. And spiritual warfare is not about fighting the enemy directly. It's about standing in truth consistently.
And if you want help learning how to renew your mind biblically and practically, that's exactly why I am working on a course called Renew My Mind. By God's grace, it's not finished yet, but by God's grace, I hope to have it out in the next month or two. And I will definitely keep you posted. But until then, please know that the battle is real, but so is the victory. And the victory begins when your mind learns to agree with what God has already said.
You might want to pray this simple prayer: Lord, teach us to recognize lies, cling to truth, and walk in agreement with you. Guard our minds, and renew them by your spirit in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. God bless you. Thank you so much for watching, and let us set our mind on things above together. I hope to see you in the next video.