It is so true: not realizing how much God wants to pour Himself out on us makes us miss out on so much. The primary weapon of the enemy is deceit by way of inferiority. Until we can see who we really are, we are only limited by what we think we are, hence, as a man thinks in his heart, so he is. The enemy’s tactics always attack our identity and cause us to get into doubt and fear, which hold us back from going for everything God has for us. That is why I wanted everyone to read the book [The Unquenchable Flame: Revival That Never Burns Out by Sandy Davis Kirk] because I believe it puts our priorities in their rightful place and helps us to see His great love for us. How can one look deeply into the cross and not see anything but love and grace? The key to walking in victory is to always see yourself in a place of victory that was already purchased for us on the cross. We should never battle from a place of defeat; that’s one of our biggest mistakes. We should only battle from a place of victory, focusing on the answer, Jesus, and not on the problem.

Renewing the Mind

James 4:7 tells us to submit to God; resist the devil and he will flee.

2nd Corinthians 10:4 says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty…

2nd Corinthians 10:5 continues with: Cast down every vain imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…

Philippians 4:6-10 encourages us to be anxious for nothing, do not worry, but by prayer and supplication make your requests made known to God… and to …meditate on these things…

Anytime we allow ourselves to get out of peace we are not submitting our minds to Christ. As long as we allow the enemy to keep us on a plane of feelings and emotions, we will be defeated. We must keep our minds renewed actively every single day, on purpose (Romans 12:2). Keeping our minds renewed has to do with what thoughts we allow, or meditate on each day. We are always thinking, thoughts are always coming in. They are either your own, the devil’s, or God’s. We are always meditating anyway but the key is to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and His Word (Hebrews 4:12). We do not focus on problems, only the solution, which is Christ.

So anytime an ungodly thought comes in, anytime a thought that is contrary to His Word comes in, we do what Jesus did in Luke 4. The devil tried to get Jesus on the plane, or realm, of reason, or the natural, the same way he did in the garden of Eden. Did God truly say…? He tried to plant doubt. If you really are the Son of God… Jesus never argued or shouted or allowed His mind to meditate on those thoughts; He immediately said, “It is written…” He used the Word of God as a weapon. One of our biggest mistakes is that we try to battle the enemy from our own reasoning and from our soul man. We do not first submit ourselves to God before we begin to try to resist the devil. We will never win that battle. We must first submit to God before we resist the devil. Then we will get the same results that Jesus did, for the bible says that the devil left for a more opportune time.

After we have submitted our thoughts, feelings and emotions to God, we can then resist the devil effectively by using the weapons of our warfare, which are not carnal. They are not earthly weapons, not natural weapons, but powerful, heavenly weapons. Pull out those weapons, put on that armor (Ephesians 6:13-18). Then we can begin to cast down all of those vain reasonings, vain imaginations that attempt to exalt themselves, that rage against God.

Then we pray and do not worry, do not doubt. James 1:6 says …and the peace that passes all understanding will come upon us. We meditate on, focus on, these things, His Word, whatever is lovely and pure etc. This is how we guard our hearts with all due diligence and change our natural thinking into Kingdom thinking.

Let us cross over into the promised land instead of living so far below what God has already given us. Let us come out of the natural way of living our lives and live only in the supernatural. Let us change — as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is — from living in defeat to living in victory. You are today the exact product of your thought life yesterday. Change your thoughts, change your life.