I shared this with my youth group and I'm making it available here for them and for you. This is more of an informational blog than my usual conversational style blog. I sincerely hope that you find some info here that will help you win your battle in your mind.
What is the battle of the mind?
It is the fight for control of one's thought patterns and processes.
That battle is caused by a seed, a thought that is allowed to take root and grow uncontrollably. That seed really is temptation.
What influences the mind?
Internal Influences
- Poor Self Worth
- Living for the day/not setting goals
- Losing sight of what's most important
- Irrational Fears
External Influences
- Music
- TV
- Friends
- Parents/Family
If we look around us, we can observe several people who have lost the battle in the mind.
- An obese person who decides to eat another slice of cheesecake. Even if this person knows that their obesity could lead to serious health problems, they decided to keep eating. They have lost the battle in their mind.
- A drug addict who returns to drugs even several sessions in rehab. No matter how badly they know their addiction will affect their lives, they keep going because they have lost the battle in the minds.
- A thief who steals again after spending years in jail, over and over again. They take no thought of the negative consequences because they have lost the battle in their minds.
- A serial killer who continues to kill even though he/she knows that it is wrong. This one continues to baffle me. It takes a long battle for someone to justify murder in their minds. But stew on it long enough and even the most decent person can rationalise murder. A lost battle of the mind.
- A teenager who gives in to peer pressure and decides to have sex. Well aware of the consequences, you make the decision anyway. A lost battle of the mind.
- A teenager who give in to suicidal thoughts and decides to kill themselves. A major battle has been waged in their heads. For some reason, they believe they're not good enough, they're not pretty enough or no one loves them. The devil plants thoughts of despair and suicide in their minds and they give in. They have lost that battle of the mind.
- A teenager who decides that Christian life is not for them because they are going to get laughed at by friends. They have just lost the battle in their minds, and they have lost their souls.
Lost Battles of the mind cause:
- Hallucinations - These are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing or feeling something that is not there.
- Bad decision making
- wrong choices in relationships
- You go places that you shouldn't go
- You do things that you shouldn't do
Have you ever had an argument with someone in your mind? The person does something to upset you in some way and before you've spoken to the person about it, you've mapped out in your head the person's reason for harming you. You've waged war in your head, gotten angry and stopped speaking to the person and they have no clue what's going on. Sometimes, they don't even realise that you are angry with them until you treat them badly. Sometimes they don't even know that they have hurt you.
If you allow yourself to spend time dwelling on a thought, eventually you will find yourself comfortable with the idea of doing the wrong things. (And that is precisely what happens to us when we make decisions that we know are bad)
There are several symptoms of a lost battle. These include:
- Feeling of defeat
- Procrastination
- Fear
- Doubt
- Unbelief
- Greed
- Lust
- Anger
- Addictions
Fear is a major symptom of a lost battle. Irrational fears cause us to be so afraid of something that can in no way harm us. It is a paralyzing fear that grips a person and makes them unable to function properly.
All irrational fears begin in the mind. The idea stews in there for some time and eventually the battle is lost.
Some irrational fears include:
- Fear of riding in an elevator
- Fear of bathing (Ambulophobia)
- Fear of noise (Acousticophobia)
- Fear of heights (Acrophobia)
- Fear of Wind (Ancraophobia)
- Fear of walking (Ambulophobia)
- Fear of men (Androphobia)
Irrational fears make sense only in the mind of the individual experiencing it. In their heads, they believe that something horrible will happen to them if they encounter the thing that they are afraid of.
So how do you win the battle?
Kill the seed before it becomes a tree.
It is alot easier to dig up a seed than to cut down a tree. After you cut down a tree you're left with a stump. That stump has roots and if left unattended, it will grow again. You need to go through a lengthy and difficult process to uproot the stump. When you're done you're left with a whole that you must fill in. (a scar/wound)
Practical tips for winning the battle
Remember - it's YOUR mind and it will do what YOU tell it to do. If the devil can control your mind, he controls you.
It is the fight for control of one's thought patterns and processes.
That battle is caused by a seed, a thought that is allowed to take root and grow uncontrollably. That seed really is temptation.
What influences the mind?
Internal Influences
- Poor Self Worth
- Living for the day/not setting goals
- Losing sight of what's most important
- Irrational Fears
External Influences
- Music
- TV
- Friends
- Parents/Family
If we look around us, we can observe several people who have lost the battle in the mind.
- An obese person who decides to eat another slice of cheesecake. Even if this person knows that their obesity could lead to serious health problems, they decided to keep eating. They have lost the battle in their mind.
- A drug addict who returns to drugs even several sessions in rehab. No matter how badly they know their addiction will affect their lives, they keep going because they have lost the battle in the minds.
- A thief who steals again after spending years in jail, over and over again. They take no thought of the negative consequences because they have lost the battle in their minds.
- A serial killer who continues to kill even though he/she knows that it is wrong. This one continues to baffle me. It takes a long battle for someone to justify murder in their minds. But stew on it long enough and even the most decent person can rationalise murder. A lost battle of the mind.
- A teenager who gives in to peer pressure and decides to have sex. Well aware of the consequences, you make the decision anyway. A lost battle of the mind.
- A teenager who give in to suicidal thoughts and decides to kill themselves. A major battle has been waged in their heads. For some reason, they believe they're not good enough, they're not pretty enough or no one loves them. The devil plants thoughts of despair and suicide in their minds and they give in. They have lost that battle of the mind.
- A teenager who decides that Christian life is not for them because they are going to get laughed at by friends. They have just lost the battle in their minds, and they have lost their souls.
Lost Battles of the mind cause:
- Hallucinations - These are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing or feeling something that is not there.
- Bad decision making
- wrong choices in relationships
- You go places that you shouldn't go
- You do things that you shouldn't do
Have you ever had an argument with someone in your mind? The person does something to upset you in some way and before you've spoken to the person about it, you've mapped out in your head the person's reason for harming you. You've waged war in your head, gotten angry and stopped speaking to the person and they have no clue what's going on. Sometimes, they don't even realise that you are angry with them until you treat them badly. Sometimes they don't even know that they have hurt you.
If you allow yourself to spend time dwelling on a thought, eventually you will find yourself comfortable with the idea of doing the wrong things. (And that is precisely what happens to us when we make decisions that we know are bad)
There are several symptoms of a lost battle. These include:
- Feeling of defeat
- Procrastination
- Fear
- Doubt
- Unbelief
- Greed
- Lust
- Anger
- Addictions
Fear is a major symptom of a lost battle. Irrational fears cause us to be so afraid of something that can in no way harm us. It is a paralyzing fear that grips a person and makes them unable to function properly.
All irrational fears begin in the mind. The idea stews in there for some time and eventually the battle is lost.
Some irrational fears include:
- Fear of riding in an elevator
- Fear of bathing (Ambulophobia)
- Fear of noise (Acousticophobia)
- Fear of heights (Acrophobia)
- Fear of Wind (Ancraophobia)
- Fear of walking (Ambulophobia)
- Fear of men (Androphobia)
Irrational fears make sense only in the mind of the individual experiencing it. In their heads, they believe that something horrible will happen to them if they encounter the thing that they are afraid of.
So how do you win the battle?
Kill the seed before it becomes a tree.
It is alot easier to dig up a seed than to cut down a tree. After you cut down a tree you're left with a stump. That stump has roots and if left unattended, it will grow again. You need to go through a lengthy and difficult process to uproot the stump. When you're done you're left with a whole that you must fill in. (a scar/wound)
To avoid the scar/wound, kill the seed.
Practical tips for winning the battle
- Follow the rules. They are there to preserve you. Rules can be annoying but as you grow up and move forward, you'll realise that there was a reason for it. The bible says not to fornicate because of the consequences that come with it. (STDs, unwanted pregnancies, complicated lives (drama), heart break.
- Replace a negative thought with a positive one.
- Keep your mind purposefully occupied
- Guard your gates - information comes into your mind through your ears and your eyes, choose what goes in very carefully.
Remember - it's YOUR mind and it will do what YOU tell it to do. If the devil can control your mind, he controls you.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret
Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret
Nice inspirational blog. Blog increases our mind tensile strength also leadership influence, internal influences, influence motivation in well manner. Thanks for sharing.
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