Winning the War of the Mind

Big Idea: Our minds are constantly being bombarded with thoughts of fear, anxiety and insecurity. The enemy plants thoughts in our minds hoping to trip us up and overwhelm us. Today in our study, we will discover the truth about the war that is raging in our minds and how we can renew our minds and walk in victory! 

Key Scriptures: 

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV) “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.” 

Introduction: The battleground is the mind! Satan used thoughts to snare Eve. “Has God said…?”  She didn’t know her life was at stake with that thought. She let that thought linger and mulled it over in her mind. Satan is a master in the realm of the mind. You cannot “out-think” him. You cannot fight thoughts with thoughts. 

There are two things we need to know if we want to win the war in our mind: 

1. Warfare is not passive. When something is aggressive, you cannot be passive. Eve let that thought just keep “hanging around.”
2. “Strongholds” are “reinforced thoughts.” They started as a little thought, then turned to a high thought, then became a stronghold.” 

Principles of Winning the War 

1. Your three parts are in constant warfare. 

Romans 7:22-23 (ESV) 

“For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being (spirit), but I see in my members (body) another law waging war against the law of my mind (soul) and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members” 

• You ARE a spirit. You HAVE a mind. You LIVE in a body, your flesh.
• Your flesh is constantly trying to influence your mind: addictions, habits, what you see, hear, etc. Eve stood at that tree and thought about how beautiful it was, how delicious that fruit would be, how smart it would make her. 
• Over time, her mind finally came into AGREEMENT with her body and became an ARGUMENT against her spirit.

Discussion Questions: Have you ever had a thought that was completely unfounded or irrational but for whatever reason you just couldn’t shake it? What are some thoughts you’ve had over the years that instead of taking captive you entertained or agreed with and formed arguments in your mind that were harder to overcome? 

2. There are 3 ways to answer arguments.

Romans 8:5 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

1. Speak the Word out loud so you hear it—“Faith comes by hearing…”. The Word in your Spirit is how you battle an argument in your mind. Jesus did not fight thoughts with thoughts. Jesus answered him, “It is written.”  (1) “My God will supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
2. Praise from your Spirit. Praise activates the power of your Spirit to clear and reset your mind. (Examples: Praise Him first thing in the morning; Paul and Silas in prison).
3. Pray from your Spirit, not just your mind. Romans 8:26-27 “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

• We can pray with our mind (English) or Spirit (prayer in a heavenly language). It is a perfect prayer that is in God's perfect will.

Discussion Questions: What scriptures do you know that you can speak out loud when you battle fear, anxiety, depression, etc.? What are some songs you can play in the morning to allow praise to come from your Spirit? Instead of worrying, pray about that concern. Allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you. If you’ve not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, that is a powerful weapon available to every believer. Your Bgroup leader would love to speak with you about it! 

3. Love in your Spirit overcomes fear in your mind.

We practice peace and become skillful at it when we know we are beloved sons and daughters of God the Father. You belong to God. You are His heir, joint-heirs with Christ, seated in heavenly places with Christ.

Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!’ ” 

Fear and worry are lies sent to rob us of our peace. “If you are thinking about it, you are worrying about it.”

• “You are going to die.” 
• “You are going to lose your home, your marriage, your children.”
• “You can’t swim in the ocean, a shark will get you.”
• “That door came off that airplane and it probably will happen to you too.”

• Call a thought of fear, “a lie” and declare the word of God over yourself. We are secure, safe, seated, and adopted by the Father. 
  • 1 John 4:18 “Perfect love casts out all fear.”
  • 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.” 
• A “sound mind” is a “right mind,” a “disciplined mind,” a “calm and well-balanced mind” 

Discussion Questions: Would you say that the “atmosphere” of your mind is peaceful or chaotic most of the time? What are some of the thoughts that have stolen your peace of mind? Let’s cast them down and let the peace of God flood your mind today! Is there a step of faith you could take to walk out your new level of freedom and peace? (Example: Fear of flying? Book a flight to a nearby city just because.) 

Conclusion

Like Eve, you’re at a moment of decision. If you don’t know Christ today, Satan is already controlling your life by your flesh and your mind. You need your spirit to be born again, become a child of God, be filled with the Spirit, adopted by God the Father. Even in this moment, Satan may be lying to you: “You’ve gone too far in sin. You tried that and couldn’t make it. God is angry with you.” Your mind is arguing with your heart. TODAY IS YOUR DAY. Your spirit is going to be saved, set free, delivered from sin, and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit!