Winning the Battle for Your Mind
The
battle for the control of your mind goes on relentlessly. Are you
winning, or losing? This revealing article shows some basic steps which
will bring success!
HAVE you ever
done things you deeply regretted later? Have you said things you
desperately wish you hadn't? Do you sometimes have thoughts you wish
you could remove? Are there times when you find yourself confused and
uncertain? circumstances in which you feel inadequate? Let's face it.
These things happen to most of us all too frequently.
But does it have
to be this way? Does God intend that we be wide open to, and unable to
rid our minds of, wrong influences? Does He intend that our minds
should be prey to all that causes agonizing hours of mental torment -
and sometimes even permanent damage? The answer is NO! God doesn't
intend these things - and He shows us that we can control our
emotions, thoughts and actions. He reveals in the Bible how we can win
the battle for our minds.
Every action
originates in the mind. We think; then we act. But we are often only
vaguely aware of forces that influence our thinking.
Eve was created
with the ability to think. But when she first
tested out this great power endowed on her by the Creator, she did not
do so independently. Her thinking was influenced. The force, which
acted upon her mind - subtly and cunningly - was Satan.
Most of us have
laughed at comedian Flip Wilson's parody on the housewife with a
tremendous urge for impulse buying. Her excuse was, "Well, the devil
made me do it." Of course, the answer is intended as somewhat of a joke.
But Satan's
influence is no laughing matter! He is powerful, cunning and
influential. The Apostle Paul called Satan "the prince of the power of
the air" (Eph. 2:2). He is broadcasting his wrong attitudes twenty-four
hours a day.
There is a
spirit in man (see Job 32:8; I Cor. 2:10-12), which imparts the power
of intellect to the human brain. Satan is able to communicate to
humanity through this spirit. The spirit in each human being - unless
we determine through God's Holy Spirit to jam or reject its impulses -
is tuned in on the devil's wavelength. Satan is powerfully able to
influence our minds.
Satan is the
"god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4); he fosters a way of life, which we
could, if we are not wary, unknowingly follow.
Satan's way is
the way of death. Unless we know how to fight that way, we shall lose
the battle for life - eternal life! We are engaged in a literal
life-and-death Struggle. To win, it is vital that we recognize how
great Satan's influence is, and understand the basic steps we must take
to ensure victory.
If you are losing the battle, or occasionally stumbling in the fight, these steps will provide an escape from Satan's influence.
A Way of Escape
It is not enough to eliminate the obvious sins in our lives. We must also actively resist the wrong influence of this society.
God tells us:
"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." But how? The same
passage answers: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you"
(James 4:7-8).
We are in a
spiritual battle requiring spiritual help. "For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but . . . against spiritual wickedness [wicked
spirits, marginal rendering] in high places. Wherefore take unto you
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil
day..." (Eph. 6:12-13).
God is a spirit (John 4:24). He is able to provide the spiritual help we must have. We must seek help from Him.
But just how does a person go about seeking God?
God Sets the Terms
God inspired
Solomon to write: "Keep my commandments, and live.:." (Prov. 7:2). He
also said: "The commandment is a lamp; and the law is light..." (Prov.
6:23).
Most of us
understand that God's law illuminates a way of life. We may even
understand that it is for our good. But how many of us have realized
that there is in this continuous battle for the control of our minds
one commandment which is of greater importance than all others?
A lawyer came to
Jesus and asked: "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"
(Matt. 22:36.) Christ immediately answered: "... Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind. This is the first and great commandment" (verses 37, 38).
Christ pointed out something that ought to have been so obvious, yet it
wasn't! They had never grasped that one commandment is truly greater than all the others!
What about us?
We don't bow down to false gods. We don't rely on talismans, idols,
icons, or images. We may never use profanity. We may not steal or
cheat. Most of us keep God's Sabbath. We are, in general, a
commandment-keeping people.
But have some of
us been living this way of life - keeping the commandments of God - yet
actually failing in the greatest commandment of all?
Why is the first
commandment the greatest? Because it is the key to spiritual zeal,
character development, the right control of the mind and the abundant
life which Christ intends us to live.
The source of
all of these qualities is God. They are spiritual qualities, and we can
attain them only with spiritual help from our Creator. The first
commandment is the vital key to obtaining that help from God!
God must have first place continuously. He will not permanently play second fiddle to anyone or anything.
Christ
emphasized this command ment when He said: "Seek ye first the kingdom
of God, and his righteousness ..." (Matt. 6:33). The word "seek" is in
the present continuous tense. It means that we must seek God's way not
only at baptism, but throughout the entirety of our lives. God must
remain in first place. But how can we ensure that we are really seeking
God first?
The Basic Building Block - Time
If you wanted to
build a brick wall, how could you guarantee it would be a good job?
There is only one way - to lay each brick accurately, one at a time.
The building
material of life is time. Your life consists of just so much time. This
is a basic ingredient that God has given each of us to build righteous
character. This is where we must start in seeking God.
The Apostle Paul
exhorted the Ephesians about "redeeming [Greek: buying back] the time"
(Eph. 5:16). But just how do we go about accomplishing this vital goal?
We have to begin
by realizing that the basic period of time revealed in the Bible is the
day. Christ showed us this when He told His disciples to pray, "Give us
this day our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11). God divided this basic unit of
time into two separate parts: daytime and nighttime.
First, what is the purpose of the daytime?
Paul said that
we Christians are "children of the day" (I Thess. 5:5). This, then, is
the time when we are to be doing the job God has given each of us. This
is the really important time!
The Use of Nighttime
The Bible shows that God started His time sequence at night (Gen. 1:5). Then why was the night given to man?
The night is
merely the time of preparation for the activity of the next day. The
nighttime hours prepare us for part of the very purpose of man's
existence - to enjoy the labor of his hand (see Eccl. 5:18-19).
But isn't it
interesting that much of the real activity time of the world takes
place at night? So much of what is glamorous takes place under
artificial lights.
Many people seek
entertainment at night, and they don't stop until fatigue overtakes
them or their entertainment tastebuds are totally satiated. Only then
do they take refuge in sleep.
The next morning
these people drowsily answer the sound of their alarm clocks, drag
themselves out of their beds, shock themselves into wakefulness by
drinking coffee, eat hurried breakfasts and reluctantly depart to work.
Start the Daytime Right!
But suppose we take a different approach.
How would you
like to face the daytime with a buoyant, happy, enthusiastic attitude;
with a mind that is alert and ready for the challenges of a hard world
- a world that is subtly trying to tear you and your family apart?
Here's how it can be done: GET TO BED ON TIME!
Most of us need
from seven to nine hours of sleep. This is scientifically demonstrable.
Too many are laboring under the false idea that they can get away with
lack of sleep. Such people are greatly impairing their ability to
function correctly in the daytime.
In many cases
bad sleeping habits have been formed over so many years that they are
difficult to change. But with effort we can change for the better with
beneficial and lasting results.
Getting to bed
about eight hours before we need to get up is generally the needed
physical preparation for the day. Don't let the siren song of
continuous entertainment, night after night, interfere with this
necessary preparation.
Now, what about
spiritual preparation for the new day. Wouldn't the best way to begin
the day (after the physical preparation of sufficient sleep during the
night) be to spend time with the One who gives you every breath of air
you draw - the Creator who bestows upon you the time you are about to
use?
If we are going
to seek God first, we must do so on a dailv basis. Paul emphasizes this
key principle, saying that the inward man must be "renewed day by day"
(II Cor. 4:16). We must spend time with God each day so that we are
properly prepared for the battle of the day ahead.
How Much Time?
What would a
young man interested in a young girl think if every time he called to
see her, she were to say, "I'd love to spend time with you, but I have
things to do"? How long would he continue calling? Wouldn't he reason:
"If all those things are so very important, she can just continue to do
them without me"?
When young
people begin developing an interest in one another. they don't have to
spend time together. It isn't something that requires legislation. They
like spending time together; they make excuses to do so. They just keep
"running into" each other!
This is the way it works on the physical plane.
Have you noticed
that you always manage to fit into your busy schedule the many
"necessary" things and the things you like to do?
But on the other hand, there are other things in life that you feel would be a "nice idea" but that you somehow never do.
But when it
comes to spending time with the Eternal Creator God, oftentimes five or
ten minutes here and there is all we feel we need.
So let's be a
little more specific. How much time? We don't want to become legalistic
or pharisaical in our approach - that in itself can become a pitfall.
Perhaps a
physical example will get the point across. Do you normally find time
to eat physical food, to take in physical nourishment? Do you not
normally manage enough time for three meals a day - around a half hour
to eat each meal?
So we spend
something like one and a half hours each day eating food; that's how
long it takes us to nourish our bodies physically.
But is our
spiritual condition of any less importance? Can we spend considerably
less time nourishing ourselves spiritually and get away with it in the
long run?
If you began to
cut down your physical intake of food, or began to eat low-quality
food, you would soon pay a penalty. Your resistance level would fall,
and you would have less stamina and lack energy.
In the same way, we weaken ourselves spiritually if we consistently reduce our spiritual nourishment.
Spiritual Nourishment
But somehow we
don't look at it that way. We try to kid ourselves that we don't have
to spend that much time with God - we tell ourselves that we don't have
that much time.
So often the physical crowds out the spiritual.
Jesus Christ
talked about a plot of land that could have borne fruit, but instead
there were thorns and thistles, which "choked" the Word. What were the
thistles? "He also that received seed among the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitful-ness of
riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful" (Matt. 13:22).
Jesus Christ said that the care and the concern for the physical things of this life can prevent us from being fruitful!
Luke 10:40
states that "Martha was cumbered about [with] much serving," whereas
Mary chose to listen to the truths Christ was expounding. Martha "came
to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me
to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered
and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about
many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good
part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Too many of us are spiritual Marthas!
Certainly there
is nothing wrong with serving - nothing wrong with performing physical
tasks. But if we allow God to be muscled out by the pressure of these
physical activities, we are starting down the wrong path.
Be honest with yourself! Have you really been spending enough time with God?
What Kind of Time?
Is time all that it takes? Just time, so long as it's enough?
Let's suppose
you have been spending an hour or more every day in prayer and Bible
study. Probably several thousands who read this magazine have. But does
even this fulfill what God requires?
Let's begin to
find the answer by understanding a physical type that God gave to
ancient Israel. Listen to God's instruction regarding the Passover
lamb: "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year..."
(Ex. 12:5). It had to be perfect. Only the very best was to be
offered for the Passover.
In Malachi 1:8 God warned Israel that He does not accept inferior sacrifices. This is what God demanded for their good.
With this
principle in mind, what kind of time should we give to God? Shouldn't
it likewise be our best? Shouldn't it be our prime time?
Advertisers
crave prime time on radio and television. The cost of this coveted time
is astronomical; it's the most valuable time there is on this type of
media.
Our Creator doesn't want us to give Him merely enough time; He wants prime time. Again, for our good!
But so often we
give God the dregs, the crumbs, the leftovers: We are fatigued, tired,
jaded, enervated; going through a ceremony, a ritual, instead of really
drawing close to God. We try to give Him time that we simply would not
offer to a fellow human being.
A Program for Seeking God
David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). When did he seek God?
"I prevented the
dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word" (Ps. 119:147).
He also said: "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the
morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up" (Ps. 5:3).
David was
excited about the opportunity to seek God, and he rose early to do so.
He anticipated the new day as another wonderful opportunity to go
before his Creator!
David knew when
prime time is. He had discovered a living law. He said: "O God, thou
art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirs-teth for thee, my
flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is"
(Ps. 63:1).
David's son Solomon personified wisdom in Proverbs 8:17. "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me."
If you were to
take a concordance and go through the Bible, you would discover that
the great servants of God sought Him early. They used the prime time
immediately after waking for prayer to their God and the study of His
Word!
Here is a simple plan for giving God prime time every day.
Determine when
you must walk out of the house in the morning, then count back two
hours, and that's the time you need to get out of bed. Not the time to
wake up, but the time to be out of bed!
Then, once you
are out of bed, take a shower or bath to get the sleep out of your
system. Next, spend a half hour in Bible study followed by a half hour
of prayer, or vice versa.
You can do it in
any manner you wish. Since most people have read books all of their
lives, it is easier for them to read than it is to pray. Reading is
something physical, while prayer is sometimes a difficult spiritual
activity.
Studying before
praying gives you a chance to get in gear. And you are letting God
teach you, enabling you to talk to Him more effectively.
Bible study prepares your mind for prayer. You may find it the easiest way to get started on this program.
Your study time
should be preceded by a brief prayer asking God to give you
understanding of the Bible. Pray as David did: "Open thou mine eyes,
that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Ps. 119:18).
If you have never consistently prayed and studied before, you will be amazed by the spiritual help you will begin to receive.
And if you have
been praying and studying, but haven't been giving God the very
best of your time, you will begin to derive the added impetus and
interest you need to begin combating Satan's influence on your mind
through his use of the society around you.
You might find
difficulty in persevering with prayer at first, but don't be
discouraged. Stay with it, and it will become increasingly easier as a
right habit begins to form. It will pay off in big spiritual dividends!
Set Your Mind for Battle
Do you realize
that your mind is most impressionable in the morning? Information put
into the mind early in the morning is usually more indelibly printed
than at any other time of the day.
If you have ever
walked on a beach after a beach-cleaning machine has smoothed out the
sand, you have seen your footprints deeply imprinted in those beautiful
ribbons of sand. Yet, if you were to go to that same beach later in the
day, you wouldn't leave the same quality of impression. Hundreds of
pairs of feet have trodden down the sand. No one track is clear.
Sleep smooths
out our mental landscape like a machine cleans the beach. Thoughts
impressed into the mind early are deeply imprinted.
If we put God's
thoughts into our minds by studying His Word first. our entire
spiritual resistance level will rise. We will automatically be better
equipped to face the battles and temptations of the day ahead. Of
course, you will still have problems - but now you will be making
measurable headway.
Studying the
Bible at the beginning of each morning, in the very prime hours of the
day, will arm your mind for the battle you will face.
Flexibility Necessary
However, this
isn't to say that there will never be variations to your morning
schedule. Any schedule must be flexible if it is to succeed. There have
to be exceptions, days when you can't follow the program exactly. But
they ought to be exceptions - not the rule.
Of course, some
of you will be reluctant to try any "new" schedule if you haven't
already been doing these things. Initially, some of you won't like the
idea. But as the Guinness stout ale ad says: "In so many cases we don't
like it because we've never tried it."
The Battle Is On
Satan's wavelength is broadcasting twenty-four hours a day. He never ceases his assault on the human mind.
Whether you are
ready to fight or not, Satan is already throwing all of his forces into
the fray. He isn't waiting for you to declare war!
You can't afford
to delay marshaling for the battle. You need to begin immediately to
arm yourself (see Eph. 6:10-18). If you aren't prepared to withstand
Satan's assault, you are losing the battle already!
The proper use of your time is the key to winning. Don't be too busy to pray or to study God's Word.
Don't be among
the many who will stand before their Maker unprepared, embarrassed,
ashamed - wishing they could live their lives over again - so they
could rearrange their "busy" schedules to include God.
But you can
begin now to put your plan of attack into action. Be sure you are able
to say with the Apostle Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith" (II Tim. 4:7).
It's your eternity that is at stake!
Reprinted article by Charles F. Hunting and David R. Ord from the July 1974 Good News Magazine
