Battlefield of the Mind

242 Pages·2009·3.67 MB·English

by  Joyce Meyer

Battlefield of the Mind

Battlefield of the Mind

Winning the Battle in Your Mind

by

Joyce Meyer

NEW YORK BOSTON NASHVILLE

If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have
been stolen property and reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher. In such
case neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this "stripped
book."

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Amplified Bible
(AMP). The Amplified Bible, Old Testament, copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan
Corporation. The Amplified New Testament, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1987 by The Lockman
Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from The New King James Version of the Bible.
Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Warner Books Edition

Copyright © 1995 by Joyce Meyer
Life In The Word, Inc.
P.O. Box 655
Fenton, Missouri 63026
All rights reserved.

Warner Faith

Time Warner Book Group
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Visit our Web site at www.twbookmark.com.

Warner Faith® and the Warner Faith name and logo are trademarks of Time Warner Book
Group Inc.

Printed in the United States of America

First Warner Faith Printing: October 2002
10 9 8

ISBN: 0-446-69109-7
LCCN: 2002110910

Dedication

I would like to dedicate Battlefield of the Mind to my oldest son, David.

I know your personality is enough like mine that you have had your

share of struggles in the mental realm. I see you growing continually, and
I know that you are experiencing the victories that come from the renewal
of the mind.

I love you, David, and I am proud of you. Keep pressing on!

Contents

Part 1: The Importance of the Mind

Introduction
9

1 The Mind Is the Battlefield
11

2 A Vital Necessity
22

3 Don't Give Up!
26

4 Little by Little
31

5 Be Positive
37

6 Mind-Binding Spirits
48

7 Think About What You're Thinking About
52

Part 2: Conditions of the Mind

Introduction
61

8 When Is My Mind Normal?
63

9 A Wandering, Wondering Mind
71

10 A Confused Mind
77

11 A Doubtful and Unbelieving Mind
86

12 An Anxious and Worried Mind
97

13 A Judgmental, Critical and Suspicious Mind
109

14 A Passive Mind
123

15 The Mind of Christ
133

Part 3: Wilderness Mentalities

Introduction
155

16 My future is determined by my past and my present.
158

17 Someone do it for me; I don't want to take the responsibility.
164

18 Please make everything easy; I cant take it if things are too hard!
172

19 I can't help it; I'm just addicted to grumbling, faultfinding and complaining.
179

20 Don't make me wait for anything; I deserve everything immediately.
188

21 My behavior may be wrong, but it's not my fault.
196

22 My life is so miserable; I feel sorry for myself because my life is so wretched!
205

23 I don't deserve God's blessings because I am not worthy.
211

24 Why shouldn't I be jealous and envious when everybody else is better off than I am?219

25 I'm going to do it my way, or not at all
227

Endnotes
235

Bibliography
237

PART 1:

Part 1: The Importance of the Mind

Introduction

ow can we express the importance of
our thoughts sufficiently in order to

convey the true meaning of Proverbs 23:7: For
as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he...?
H

The longer I serve God and study His

Word, the more I realize the importance of
thoughts and words. On a fairly regular basis,
I find the Holy Spirit leading me to study in
these areas.

I have said, and I believe it is true, that as

long as we are on this earth we will need to
study in the areas of thoughts and words. No
matter how much we know in any area, there
are always new things to learn, and things we
have previously learned that we need to be refreshed in.

What does Proverbs 23:7 really mean? The King James Version

says, ...As he [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he .... Another translation
states, "As a man thinks in his heart, so does he become."

The mind is the leader or forerunner of all actions. Romans 8:5 makes

it clear: For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its
unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify
the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by
the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which
gratify the [Holy] Spirit.

Our actions are a direct result of our thoughts. If we have a negative

mind, we will have a negative life. If, on the other hand, we renew our
mind according to God's Word, we will, as Romans 12:2 promises, prove
out in our experience "the good and acceptable and perfect will of God"
for our lives.

9

For the weapons of our warfare
are not physical [weapons of
flesh and blood], but they are
mighty before God for the
overthrow and destruction of
strongholds, [Inasmuch as we]
refute arguments and theories
and reasonings and every proud
and lofty thing that sets itself
up against the [true] knowledge
of God; and we lead every
thought and purpose away
captive into the obedience of
Christ (the Messiah, the
Anointed One).

2 CORINTHIANS 10:4,5

BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

I have divided this book into three main parts. This first part deals

with the importance of thoughts. I want to establish firmly in your heart
forever that you need to begin to think about what you are thinking
about.

So many people's problems are rooted in thinking patterns that

actually produce the problems they experience in their lives. Satan offers
wrong thinking to everyone, but we do not have to accept his offer. Learn
what types of thinking are acceptable to the Holy Spirit and what types
are not acceptable.

Second Corinthians 10:4,5 clearly indicates that we must know the

Word of God well enough to be able to compare what is in our mind with
what is in the mind of God; any thought that attempts to exalt itself above
the Word of God we are to cast down and bring into captivity to Jesus
Christ.

I pray that this book will help you to do that.

The mind is the battlefield. It is a vital necessity that we line up our

thoughts with God's thoughts. This is a process that will take time and
study.

Don't ever give up, because little by little you are changing. The more

you change your mind for the better, the more your life will also change
for the better. When you begin to see God's good plan for you in your
thinking, you will begin to walk in it.

10

Chapter

1

1 The Mind Is the Battlefield

The Mind Is the
Battlefield

Chapter

1

rom this Scripture we see that we are in a
war. A careful study of this verse informs

us that our warfare is not with other human
beings but with the devil and his demons. Our
enemy, Satan, attempts to defeat us with
strategy and deceit, through well-laid plans
and deliberate deception.

F

The devil is a liar. Jesus called him ... the

father of lies and of all that is false (John 8:44.)
He lies to you and me. He tells us things about
ourselves, about other people and about circumstances that are just not
true. He does not, however, tell us the entire lie all at one time.

He begins by bombarding our mind with a cleverly devised pattern of

little nagging thoughts, suspicions, doubts, fears, wonderings, reasonings
and theories. He moves slowly and cautiously (after all, well-laid plans
take time). Remember, he has a strategy for his warfare. He has studied
us for a long time.

He knows what we like and what we don't like. He knows our

insecurities, our weaknesses and our fears. He knows what bothers us
most. He is willing to invest any amount of time it takes to defeat us. One
of the devil's strong points is patience.

TEARING DOWN STRONGHOLDS

For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh

and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and
destruction of strongholds,

[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and

reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up
against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought
and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the

13

For we are not wrestling with
flesh and blood [contending
only with physical opponents],
but against the despotisms,
against the powers, against [the
master spirits who are] the
world rulers of this present
darkness, against the spirit
forces of wickedness in the
heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

EPHESIANS 6:12

BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

Messiah, the Anointed One).

2 Corinthians 10:4,5

Through careful strategy and cunning deceit, Satan attempts to set up

"strongholds" in our mind. stronghold is an area in which we are held in
bondage (in prison) due to a certain way of thinking.

In this passage, the Apostle Paul tells us that we have the weapons we

need to overcome Satan's strongholds. We will learn more about these
weapons later, but right now, please notice that once again we see that we
are engaged in warfare, spiritual warfare. Verse 5 shows us clearly the
location of the battlefield on which this warfare is waged.

The Amplified Bible translation of this verse says that we are to take

these weapons and refute arguments. The devil argues with us; he offers
us theories and reasonings. All of this activity goes on in the mind.

The mind is the battlefield.

SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Thus, so far we have seen that:

1. We are engaged in a war.

2. Our enemy is Satan.

3. The mind is the battlefield.

4. The devil works diligently to set up strongholds in our mind.

5. He does it through strategy and deceit (through well-laid plans and

deliberate deception).

6. He is in no hurry; he takes his time to work out his plan.

Let's examine his plan more clearly through a parable.

MARY'S SIDE

Mary and her husband, John, are not enjoying a happy marriage.

There is strife between them all the time. They are both angry, bitter and
resentful. They have two children who are being affected by the problems
in the home. The strife is showing up in their school work and behavior.
One of the children is having stomach problems caused by nerves.

Mary's problem is that she doesn't know how to let John be the head

14

THE MIND IS THE BATTLEFIELD

of their home. She is bossy—she wants to make all the decisions, handle
the finances and discipline the children. She wants to work so she will
have her "own" money. She is independent, loud, demanding and a nag.

About now you may be thinking, "I've got her answer. She needs to

know Jesus."

She does know Him! Mary received Jesus as her Savior five years ago

—three years after she and John were married.

"Do you mean there hasn't been a change in Mary since receiving

Jesus as Savior?"

Yes, there has been change. She believes she is going to heaven even

though her bad behavior causes her to feel constant condemnation. She
has hope now. Before she met Jesus, she was miserable and hopeless; now
she is just miserable.

Mary knows that her attitude is wrong. She wants to change. She has

received counseling from two people, and she gets in almost every prayer
line asking for victory over anger, rebellion, unforgiveness, resentment
and bitterness. Why hasn't she seen more improvement?

The answer is found in Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this

world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial
customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your
mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for
yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even
the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

Mary has strongholds in her mind. They have been there for years.

She doesn't even understand how they got there. She knows she
shouldn't be rebellious, bossy, nagging, etc., but she doesn't know what to
do to change her nature. It seems that she simply reacts in certain
situations in an unseemly way because she can't control her actions.

Mary can't control her actions because she doesn't control her

thoughts. She doesn't control her thoughts because there are strong-holds
in her mind that the devil set up early in her life.

Satan begins to initiate his well-laid plans and to sow his deliberate

deception at a very young age. In Mary's case, her problems started long
ago, in childhood.

15