A battle for our minds

There is a battle for our minds!
“Be not conformed to this world by be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 (KJV) The mind is the part of our humanness that originates in the brain and manifests itself in perception , emotion, will, and imagination. This has to be renewed so that we can be transformed.
Paul also writes to the Saints at Rome saying “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. (NIV) Romans 7: 21-23.
There is a resident sin-nature lurking within us as long as we are in this body which prevents us many times from doing what is right. There is a battle going on to take control of our minds. This mind belongs to us! We are exhorted to take control of circumstances and situations. The scripture calls it that “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (NIV) Or “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (KJV) 2 Corinthians 10:5
Talking about the battle, James puts it aptly: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. 16Do not err, my beloved brethren. (KJV) James: 1:14-16
The battle starts in our desire. We are “drawn away of our own lust” This is the resident evil that is ever present with us all. Desire feeds the emotions. Our emotions begin to stimulate our mind where there is deception. This is where we are “enticed”. This is where we begin to justify the wrong, and it seems suddenly the right thing to do. We become convinced that it is OK. Then comes the part where there is no turning back! Our desire which feed our emotions which deceives our mind suddenly becomes “pregnant” James says that “lust has conceived” This is where the will comes in. First it is our emotions, then the mind and now the will. Once conception takes place inevitably there is birth. The “Baby” is sin. Sins is the act, of disobedience. Disobedience results in death.
So you see, no one simply becomes a victim of circumstances. It does not simply just happen. It has nothing to do with our “makeup” or “geanes”. It is a process. There is a process that takes place within us, before it turns in to action. This process is in our minds. What ever we do starts in the mind. And circumstances around us influence the actions that we may take! In
We have all inherited a certain way of thinking. Circumstances in life may contribute to our pattern of thought. For example, if we had been bitten by a dog in our childhood, we could be afraid of dogs: or if we have had bad experiences we may end up in having a suspicious attitude. If someone had cheated us in our finances, we may think that others are going to cheat us out of

something that we treasure. Or perhaps, we have been molested or had hurtful experiences in our child-hood, which may cause us to have an insecure feelings and cause distress to our fellow beings. The point is that these experiences more often than not, dictate terms to in our pattern of behavior, And in many times we have the tendency to insist that others around us should fall in line with our way of thinking. What we hear with our ears and what we see with our eyes usually influence the state of our mind, and in turn we put them into action, and come to quick conclusions that may have a positive or a negative effect on our lives and affects those who are around us. Some of us more of an ability than others, really influence others around us. It’s ok if we are pulling others out of the mire, but it has very adverse affects when we use it to pull others down! We should not err in this matter!
Hence we realize that things have to be worked out from within us, before we try to help others. Salvation is free, but everything else has to be worked out. What ever our past may be, once we are “under the blood-In Christ” we will have to work on our minds to come in conformity with the Word! Things like this don’t happen automatically just because we are born again! The only thing that is transformed when we are born again, is that we are “positionally” “in Christ”: Because our sins are wiped away. This we received as a gift because we believed in the efficacious work of Jesus on the cross. Nevertheless there could be many things of the past that still cling to us, even if we are saved. Paul spoke to the church in Galatia about this. Galatians 4: 9-11: “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage. 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”
The only way out of this is to align ourselves to the Word of God. So let us get back to the word and see what it has for us. David the King is advising his son Solomon to seek the face of the Lord so that he will be successful in all his ways. David knows the value of knowing the mind of God . He says in 1Chronicles 28:9 “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” (KJV)
“And Solomon, my son, get to know the God of your ancestors. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and with a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. (NLT)
Analyzing this portion of scripture will help us to keep on track on what the Lord wants us to do. Here are the instructions that David gives his son Solomon.
1: know thou the God of thy father. It means to perceive: find out and discern.
Paul uses the same word in Philippians 3:10 “I may know Him.” he says. This knowing comes through fellowship! (Fellowship: association, communion, joint participation, intercourse) Intimacy is the key. How do you have fellowship with Him? We must have fellowship with the Word! This is His letter to us! Get to know Him through what He says! I’m not talking about having an “intellectual - Theological” fellowship! But just heart to heart fellowship. Just let Him

speak to us through His word! Spending time before His presence with his word, and letting Him speak to us! There is mutual pleasure and spiritual healing in this kind of fellowship!
This knowing come through obedience 1John 2:1-3 “My little children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God's law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate [One Who will intercede for us] with the Father--[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father's will in every purpose, thought, and action]. 2And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world. 3And this is how we may discern [daily, by experience] that we are coming to know Him [to perceive, recognize, understand, and become better acquainted with Him]: if we keep [bear in mind, observe, practice] His teachings [precepts, commandments]. (Amplified) We know His nature by His mercy in forgiving us, and in our obedience to His word.
2: And serve [Labour, do the work] him with a perfect heart [Salem: peaceful : Whole: complete heart] and with a willing mind: [Desiring, delighting mind]
Once we know Him, serving the Lord comes naturally. Serving is a natural out-pouring of our love to the Lord! This is something that we want to do just because we love him. Religion goes out of the window! There is no outward show, no putting on of spiritually, or are we inspired to impress others! There is no hidden agenda of making “merchandise of the gospel” We serve Him not out of compulsion or for vain glory, but with a “desiring delightful and a willing mind” I remember my wife doing this over and over again on the phone! She has not able to go around physically to every one because of her limitations, but how she prayed for others on the phone! People still talk about this even after her passing. She also served Him by pouring out her heart in communion with the Lord ever so often! Bless her memory!
3. The Lord searches our hearts.
King David knows that the Lord is the discerner of our very being, and that knows our hearts and motives and thoughts. Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” He is advising his son Solomon and says, “for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts (KJV)
The original scriptures suggest that the Lord searches us with care! Not haphazardly, but carefully to see that we do things according to His will, and He understands the frame work in which we are made. Just like a potter who knows his creation! How true! Once again the psalmist says in Psalm 103:14. “For he understands how weak we are; He knows we are only dust.” (NLT) We are fragile, but God’s care is eternal. Our weakness should never be used as a justification for sin. His mercy takes everything into account. God will deal with you compassionately. Just trust Him. Yes we are made from dust and to the dust we shall return! He is also the discerner of our thoughts. None of us can “hoodwink” the Lord. Just imagine He “understands the imagination of the thoughts”