Pastor's Corner

I was driving in the car one day and my mind begins to drift off into space. Later that same week a friend told me that his mind was telling him to retaliate against someone that did him wrong. I begin to ponder how our minds in some regard control what actions we will take; and I thought about how important it is for us to protect our minds from the devil.

As each of us knows, man is a tripartite being. That is, every man is made up of body, soul and spirit. The body allows us to interact with the physical world. The soul allows us to respond to the intellectual and emotional world. The spirit allows us to relate to the spiritual world. Each part of this system is extremely important! Without the body, we would have no contact with the world. Without the soul, we would have no ability to think or feel. Without the spirit, we would not have the ability to commune with God.

The soul can also be called the mind. It is the seat of the intellect, the will and the emotions. It is where we think, feel and decide. It is also the place where all of the conflicts we face in this life begin! You see, the mind is the ultimate battlefield of life. The Lord, the flesh and the devil are all battling for control of our minds. Why does the battle rage there? Because the Bible says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...", Pro. 23:7.

We need to understand that this battle that is raging in the mind is a spiritual battle. Ultimately, it is a battle between good and evil for the control of our lives. Since this is a spiritual battle, we must fight it with spiritual resources, 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18. Today, I want to let you know that you do not have to lose the battle for your mind! You do not have to be defeated in your walk with the Lord. You do not have to be a slave to worry and fear. You do not have to live a life controlled by the lusts and desires of the flesh! You can live your life under the control of the Spirit of God. You can win the battle.

How, you might ask? First, it doesn't happen automatically! You have to take certain steps that will allow it to come to pass, Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:23; 1 Pet. 1:13. (Note As we take the step in 1 Peter to "get a grip on the mind", we put ourselves in a position to receive the ministry of the Lord as He renews the mind. The word "transform" in Rom. 12:2 and the word "renewed" in Eph. 4:23 are both passive voice. They are something to and in the child of God.) Second, we need to know that we do not have to do this alone. We have the Lord's promise in the matter, 2 Tim. 1:7. Therefore, today, I want to take these verses we have read and show you Paul's plan for victory in the battlefield of the mind. I want to share with you simple steps that teach us all How To Fortify The Mind. If followed, these steps will help us to build a wall of protection around our minds. They will help us to achieve victory in the daily struggle we all face.

Be Blessed,

V. 4 BUILD THE WALL OF PRAISE

Paul commands the believer to "rejoice". This word means "to be glad" (Note It is in the present tense, active voice and imperative mood. This means that the believer is commanded to "go on being glad in the Lord.")

V. 5a BUILD THE WALL OF PATIENCE

The word "moderation" literally means "gentle or gracious spirit". It has the idea of being patient with others. Of giving way to the rights and wishes of others in this life. It does not mean a compromise in doctrine. It does mean that you have a willingness to take the back seat in favor of other people. This is the idea of Phil. 2:4

Paul is saying that the reality of our faith should be demonstrated in how we deal with other people. If the focus of our lives is on ourselves, then when people hurt us, slight us, cross us, etc, there will be a desire to retaliate and get vengeance. Paul wants us to get the focus off of ourselves, and get it on others. When we are focused on those around us, we will be less likely to hurt by what other people do. What they say won't sting us so bad. How they act can be passed over more easily.

BUILD THE WALL OF PRAYER

Verse 6warns us against the dangers of worry. The word "careful" has the idea of "anxiety". It refers to a state of mind that is agitated over the events and circumstances of life. Now, there is nothing wrong with having concern. We all have our concerns about certain things. It is when your concerns have you that the problems begin to arise!

Worry is so dangerous because it allows the mind to conceive false notions about God. Worry says "God is dead!". Or, "If there is a God, He obviously doesn't care about me and my situation." Both of those statements are false! God is alive, Heb. 7:25, and God does care, Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 5:7.When the problems of life come our way, we are given some precious help in the verses.V. 6 - Exercise the tool of prayer - Paul speaks of prayer, supplication and requests. These might be thought of a general praying, specific praying and detailed praying. The main thrust of this verse is that instead of worrying, the believer is to demonstrate his faith in the power and will of God by seeking the Lord in prayer!

Make sure you protect your mind!!!!

Pastor Corey J. Neal