The Garden of Your Mind Sýnishorn

We have to be ruthless to win the battle for our mind.

In the Old Testament, the enemy of the Israelites were the other nations living around them. In Deuteronomy 7, Moses makes it clear to the people what God’s instructions were as they prepared to enter the promised land. It’s a fascinating read. They were told unequivocally to totally destroy the enemy nations. To make no treaty with them. And what choice words were used to eradicate the enemy!  ‘Burn’, ‘no mercy’, ‘drive out’, ‘invade’, ‘wipe out’, ‘smash’, ‘cut down’, ‘annihilate’.

The Israelite nation were told that under no circumstances should they intermarry with the enemy, as that was the slippery slope to compromising who they were as His treasured people. God wanted them pure, with an undivided heart. He was loving and reassuring and promised that obedience to His command would equal blessings. Blessings that enriched their body, soul, and spirit. (Deuteronomy 28)

But in reality, they carried fear into the promised land and not total dependence on God.  Fear that was largely birthed from the negative report the spies had given (Numbers 13), established a defeated narrative in the minds of the people. Perhaps, as they entered that land, they still saw themselves as grasshoppers. So instead of being obedient and driving out the enemy, they failed to uproot them. (Judges 1-2) The enemy became a constant trap in the lives of the Israelites who became a generationally compromised people.

As I read this story recently-  I saw exactly how the truths in here can be applied to the landscape of our mind. Which we shall explore tomorrow!

Prayer: Holy Spirit- enlighten the eyes of my heart to see and take hold of the power I have been given to defeat the enemy in my mind and renew my thoughts with your Word