The battle plan (fight) 2

I once heard a story of a Christian who had enlisted in the army. He shared the barracks with a bunch of non-Christians and they gave him a hard time. Every night, when he would begin to say his prayers, they would curse at him and throw things at him. He decided to let his Sergeant know about it. The Sergeant said, "Well, if you don't want them messing with you, just say your prayers in silent." The soldier gave that a try, but as he began to pray that night in silence he felt like the Lord wanted him to pray audibly. He responded by falling on his face and talking to his God about those in the barracks. He prayed for their salvation every night. And within a few weeks they stopped throwing things, three of them had given their life to Lord, and he was teaching a Bible study in the barracks. Can you imagine if this soldier would have stayed silent? Paul writing to Timothy tells us, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (I Timothy 6:12) If we stay in the battle and do not let our voice be silenced, lives will be changed.

The battle plan (fight) 1

As a Christian are you ready for a fight? Are you ready to go toe to toe with the enemy? Some people think that being a Christian is a non-confrontational relationship. There is nothing farther from the truth. We are engaged in a daily battle. It will sometimes feel like you are walking around with a target on your back. That's okay, because God is with us. If God is for us who can be against us? Paul writing to young Timothy told him this, "This charge I commit to you, Son Timothy, according to the prophesies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare." (I Timothy 1:18) It is good that we engage and not retreat, knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord and that He is going to give us final victory!

The battle plan (renew) 3

The bible says, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." I like to say, "Out of the abundance of the heart the body does." Whatever thoughts we are meditating on will eventually affect our actions. If we are listening to secular music it will affect our mood. If we are watching racy movies it will affect our thought life. Paul, in writing to the church in Philippi, said, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5) What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? The word 'mind' means to have understanding or to be harmonious. What it means is that we are allowing God to enter into our thought life. Our thoughts are in harmony with Him. It also means that anything that He is not pleased with, we simply discard. If we could learn this kind of discipline we would be able to think more purely. Many people like to say, "What would Jesus do?" How about if we change that to, "What would Jesus think?"

The battle plan (renew) 2

Is it possible to have victory in the area of our minds? I believe that it is possible. It seems like from the moment we flip on the television, turn on the radio, or even log onto the computer, the war begins. There is so much garbage out there and its constantly pulling us in. When writing to the church in Corinth, Paul said, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) Paul knew that there is power in prayer and especially in God centered prayer. We have to take those thoughts captive in the name of Jesus. And when they come in we must immediately throw them into the trash bin. If we could learn how to do this on a daily basis, we could live a victorious life in the area of the mind.

The battle plan (renew) 1

Everyday when we wake up there is a war that is raging on. That war that is waging within us begins in the mind. It is what I call a mind battle. The kind of battle that is filled with ungodly thoughts, thoughts of impurity, or thoughts of disobedience. Paul, in writing to the church in Rome, gives to us the most practical way to combat these thoughts. He says, "I beseech [urge]you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1, 2) The secret to success here is: make sure that we are presenting our bodies to God daily, making sure that we do not let the world squeeze us into its mold, and having our minds renewed. If we do this, we will be ready for the battle.