“But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 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, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” – 2 Corinthians 10:2-6
Walking the disciplined Christian life involves not merely being concerned about what you do and don’t do. Such a focus is very important, coupled with maintained focus on what you think and say as well. Engaging in the discipline of your heart and desires in self-denial as you mortify your flesh, daily seeking to exhibit the spiritual fruit of self-control in thought, word, and deed is essential in your day-to-day spiritual warfare. As you can likely heartily agree with, the disciplined walk of a Christian is in many ways front and center in spiritual battle.
Today, I want to start with considering more about your mind in battle and the needed discipline of your mind, of your thoughts as you’re engaged in the daily fight. Never forget that the battlefield is often in your mind. Considering the corruptions of your flesh and the lures, pressure, and persuasion of your flesh, the world, and the Devil, the battle begins there. It also often swirls and rages there, as it’s rightly said that part of the battle is for your mind.
Therefore, it’s critically important that your mind is fixed and filled with that which is right and true. What comes into your mind affects your heart, and effects your decisions. Satan hates that Christ has redeemed you and freed you from bondage to his rule and he will do all he can to lure you back into voluntary bondage, and spiritual paralysis, especially in your mind through the world’s reasoning, persuasion, mental burdens, doubts, fears, etc. He wants you to return to be conformed to this world and not transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).
And yet, your victorious King and Savior, Jesus Christ, has not only given you godly wisdom and zeal to fight and obey Him. He has not only given you complete spiritual armor for you to stand in (Ephesians 6), but also spiritual weapons that are mighty in God and effective in your warfare, especially in the battlefield of your mind. Take a moment and consider what God teaches you through the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 10 regarding both the presence of and your access to such spiritual weapons, along with instruction on 4 things they are to be used for:
- Pulling down strongholds- It’s important to recognize that Satan has havens of sin and evil that plague the minds, words, and bodies of men and women. People of the world have erected strongholds that they believe can protect them against the truth of God, can withstand opposition from God, and enable them to continue to disseminate demonic doctrines around the world. As is true in history, you can see this today in various aspects and parts of people, groups, organizations, governments, societies, and nations. Yet, God powerfully works through His Word, Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), and people to pull down, to lit. destroy and demolish all of Satan’s devices, all of his dens of darkness.
- Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God- The evidence of truth is powerful with God’s blessing to make all opposition fall before His victorious Gospel. Therefore, the luring strategies, philosophies, and reasoning of the world can’t stand though they be exalted in the minds of men to be against God and set up to reign in His place. They are cast down and exposed for what they truly are.
- Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ- The glorious and blessed effect of spiritual weapons for Gospel use is that you have been brought from darkness into His marvelous light and belong to Christ. Therefore, think about it this way. If every thought is being brought into captivity, or lit. is being captivated to the obedience of Christ- 1) “every thought” really presses to you the idea of your whole person. Every idea, motive, desire, and decision belong to Christ, and 2) every thought being captivated teaches a true turning away from false teaching (those tenets of the demolished strongholds that spread exalted arguments) as you turn with a captivated mind and obedient walk unto Christ.
- Being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled- The need and practice of church discipline is in view here. See that church discipline has an important place in spiritual warfare and your sanctification in maintaining a disciplined Christian life. Paul taught the saints in Corinth the truth and gave them some time to repent before he disciplined the disobedient. This is a needed and helpful lesson in every generation of the church! The undershepherd’s love for the sheep and faithfulness to Christ need to be evident to the sheep through instruction, guidance, call to repentance, patience, and then follow through in discipline for the good of the sheep and the glory of Christ.
Beloved, never forget that where your mind goes, so goes your life. Your mind is so important in your spiritual growth in grace. Think about this for a moment:
- It’s not only good to consider whether your thoughts are lured by false notions and teaching, but do they race with anxiety? Do you fall into pits of despair and your mind feels heavy or numb? Are your thoughts often fueled by flames of anger and are hard to quench? Anxiety, depression, anger, etc. are also part of the battle in your mind that often slow down your running the race through pain, distraction, time wasting, and sinful thoughts, If you struggle with any of these, come talk to me and I will seek to help you.
- Are you allowing garbage into your mind? Are you filling it with images, words, songs, movies, etc. that find good company in the spiritual dens of darkness? If so, stop, repent, and turn to Christ. Reject the temptation to think that playing with garbage in your mind won’t affect your life, or need for loving discipline. A disciplined mind supports a disciplined walk before the Lord and is pleasing to Him.
Final thoughts for today- How disciplined is your mind? Take Paul’s words to heart- Be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Ephesians 4:23). Set your mind on things above, not things on the earth and meditate on them (Colossians 3:2, Philippians 4:8)
Seek God for His grace to have a daily practice of self-control in your mind. Stop-Think-Pray-Act. Stop the spin. Stop any sin. Think about and meditate on God’s precepts and promises. Pray. Then take action in obedience. Such discipline will help guide the direction of your life, decisions that you make, and the battle you fight.