Battlefield of the Mind

I finished my bible study on "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce Meyers. It was so good, I looked back and took some notes on my favorite points. Here goes. Some may be a repeat of what I have written before. But bear with me, it is awesome stuff. (Ephesians 6:12) The devil lies to us about ourselves, others and our circumstances, but he doesn't tell us the entire lie all at one time---he is subtle, using a slow boil of roiling confusion so that we don't see the truth. He uses a stategic pattern of clever reasonings, doubts, suspicions and fears. Satan is not in a hurry. He carefully, deliberately decieves us, laying layers of groundwork to color and control our thoughts. Renewing of our mind takes place little by little in steps so that pride doesn't consume us as it will if we recieve too much freedom too quickly. The Israelites wandered in the desert 40 years on an 11 day trip because of pride. Words and thoughts are powerful. God created the world with words and humans are the only creatures He created with the ability to speak, making us in His image. Satan knows the power of words and that if he can control our thoughts/words he can control our lives! Don't allow reasoning to keep you from obeying God. Reasoning opens the door for deception an docnfusion. Faith is a gift of God. Doubt is a choice that Satan whispers encouragingly to us. Often the storms in life come to intimidate us. They tend to stop when we get back in the boat. Don't give up---weather the storms and walk on water. Peace is present and available (His peace and our Prince of Peace). But peace is also a choice for us to make. Use the word of God---reading and speaking it. A sword in its sheath does no good. Our actions don't change until our thoughts change. Evil spirits are behind laziness, apathy and passivity. Failure to exercise our will causes defeat for believers. An empty, passive mind is easily filled by Satan with wrong thoughts. Don't clear your mind. Instead, fill it with the word of God, the truth. If we don't meditate on God's love for us, we cant experience it. If people really knew how much God loves them, they would act differently. There is a temptation for us to wait for a convenient season when God asks us to do something. We want to hold back until it won't cost us a smuch or be so difficult. But when we obey and take responsibility, we become stronger from pushing on despite the resistance. If we only do what is easy, we don't get strong and will stay weak. If we don't obey and glorify God we can't be delivered. Suffering doesn't please God, but a godly attitude in suffering does and it glorifies him. Complaining has a negative power and praise has a positive power. Be cautious which you choose to weild. Patience isn't the ability to wait, but waiting with a good attitude. Complaining keeps us in the wilderness. The devil can't control a patient person. Self pity is idolatry. We can't be pitiful and powerful at the same time. The holy spirit can't work in us if we are prideful and with pity becuse he is the spirit of truth and can only work in us if we are truthful. Pity is full of pride because we think we deserve better. Obedience and disobedience afftects others. Your decision to disobey and stay in the wilderness will keep your children in the wilderness with you! They may manage to get themselves out when they are grown, but they will pay a price for your disobedience. Obedience is far reaching. It closes the gates of hell and opens the windows of heaven. Choose wisely. Choose obedience and guard your mind in the battle.