My mind is the battlefield of sin. When we’re focused on the things of the Spirit, we’ll do what the Spirit wants. We’re new creations; the old self is gone. Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you knew that you shouldn’t be involved in and an alarm kind of goes off in your head? That alarm goes off in you because it’s not right, because it’s not your nature anymore. Your nature is now love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control.
The real battle is not the moment of temptation itself. Some think temptation comes at us and in that moment we’re going to decide whether we sin or not. That’s not where the battle is. The real battle is the mind, when we’re entertaining thoughts. When Satan puts that thought into our mind, we have a choice of what to do with that thought. We can reject it OR mull it over and over and over. The moment we start entertaining those thoughts, we’re sunk.
Satan’s not worried about time. He doesn’t toss out the temptation at the same time he gives you the thought. He’ll just toss the thought your way. He may do it several times. Then we have the choice of whether or not we’re going to entertain it. The moment we decide to think about it, Satan has us. He’s going to let it stew a little and let that thought grow. And then at the opportune moment, he’ll present the opportunity to us and we take it hook, line and sinker.
The choice was made the moment you decided to entertain the thought. You were done the moment you told the Holy Spirit to back off because you wanted to think about this one. That’s when the battle is being fought. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that that battle is being fought on a daily basis. We make decisions all day long.
I’m not saying that just because you have an evil thought you’re going to sin. But that’s how Satan works, by simply tossing thoughts your way. The more we entertain those thoughts, that’s when we’re sunk.
If we’re in a daily spiritual battle then we can’t put our mind into neutral. We must be ready to face those decisions. The mindset we come to things with is the mindset we’re going to perceive things through. If we think it’s going to be a great day, if we’re chipper, then our body language tells it all. And the same is true on how we deal with sin. We have to get our mind ready. This is a daily battle so get ready; prepare your mind in Christ. Set your mind on spiritual things.
Remember, the battle is in your mind, not at the moment of temptation. So if we’re focusing on these things mentioned in Philippians 4:8, then we’re able to resist sin, resist temptation when the opportunity presents itself. It’s amazing how many people tell me that they can watch all sorts of stuff or be around all sorts of stuff and it not have to worry about sinning themselves. And I can guarantee them that if they start entertaining those thoughts, it’s only a matter of time before they fall.
God, I don’t want to live a defeated spiritual life. I want a joy-filled, abundant life of victory in you. I know that I can’t overcome temptation and sin on my own power. I need your Spirit at work in me, empowering me. Thanks for forgiving my sin through Jesus and giving me the full measure of your Holy Spirit when I accepted you as Lord and Savior.
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