Eagle's Landing
Winning the Battle for the Mind!
2 Corinthians 10
But a mind isn’t just a terrible thing to waste it is a treasured thing to win.
The Bible is clear about the struggles of the mind.
Our minds are :
- Cursed, confused and frustrated (Deut. 28:20)
- Closed (Job 17:3-4)
- Sorrow filled, restless, vexed (Eccl. 2:21-23)
- Rash (Leviticus 3:4)
- Fearful (Isaiah 34:2)
- Fleshly, worldly (Romans 8:6)
- Troubled (2 Kings 6:11)
- Depraved (1 Timothy 6:5)
- Dull (2 Corinthians 3:14)
- Blinded (2 Corinthians 4:4)
- Corrupt (2 Timothy 3:8)
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
“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. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
A stronghold can be a worldview or a distorted, false gospel.
2 Corinthians 11:3
“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
A stronghold can also be an idol, personal attitude, belief system, or sinful, painful emotion.
Our assignment—destroy them…tear them down!
Why Fight to Take Every Thought Captive to Obey Christ?
Because the battle with sin begins with the battle for our minds!
Romans 7:15-19, 22-25
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”
Because we are so easily captivated and led astray by worldly wisdom.
Because a worldly mind will not please God.
What does it mean to take every thought captive?
How do we “take every thought captive” and “destroy strongholds?”
Two things we know:
1. The battle is real—our minds are broken and we are in a battle with sin.
Jeremiah 17:9
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
1 John 1:8
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
2. We can win but we have to continuously fight!
We have divine power through the presence of the Holy Spirit! v.4
We need a good defense and a good offense.
Defense
John 8:44
“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Psalm 101:3
“I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.”
Proverbs 15:14
“The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.”
Offense
concentrate—saturate—propagate
Concentrate on what God’s Word says is true!
Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Saturate your mind with God’s Word!
Joshua 1:8
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Matthew 4:4
“But he answered, It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Psalm 119:10-11
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Proverbs 30:5
“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
John 8:32
“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Propagate the Gospel of Jesus!
James 5:19-20
“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
Why should we concentrate—saturate—propagate everyday? To win the battle for the mind!
Ecclesiastes 10:10
“If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.”