The Battle Is Real.
Engage.

Welcome to Day 4! You are doing great, keep going. Today we look at the battlefield of the mind and how we should view our lives from a Christian perspective. Life challenges our mental game whether we believe in Jesus or not. Adding the redemptive process into the mix can be difficult and complex, because you will find great opposition as you grow in your relationship with God.

Two Enemies

To understand the battlefield of the mind, we first have to understand who we are actually battling. Because of the fall of man, every human is hardwired with a sinful nature. As believers we face two enemies at all times, and they are described in scripture this way:

• The Sinful Nature. Our flesh wages war against the soul, pulling us toward sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed.

  Colossians 3:5 Romans 7:20 1 Peter 2:11

• The Enemy Satan. The thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He prowls like a roaring lion, working through the rulers and authorities of this dark world.

  Ephesians 6:12 John 10:10 1 Peter 5:8

We have these two forces working against us at all times. Since we still live in this world (which is fallen), and our soul dwells in a body and mind that carry the fallen nature, we have to acknowledge these opposing forces. Only then can we take the right action to battle and win the fight. Daily victory is attainable and very possible, but we have to commit to our faith and practice the right spiritual disciplines to ensure victory.

Remember, through Christ's death and resurrection, He has overcome sin and death. In the end, God wins, not the enemy. Therefore we must consistently remind ourselves of this truth so we walk in victory rather than captivity and defeat. We are overcomers through Christ, who gives us the strength (John 16:33).

Our Daily Target

So, what is the goal for the believer on a daily basis? What is our target, and what does it mean to have daily victory in a practical sense? Three verses help shape this for us.

1. We live daily to glorify God. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). This simple verse carries powerful insight. Since our lives are now in Christ, everything we do is tied to a greater purpose because we understand the unique position we now have with God. We are no longer just living for ourselves (2 Corinthians 5:15); we are living to know and honor God under His Lordship. The personal benefit of following Him and dying to yourself (Luke 9:23-25) is a life of purpose, meaning (Romans 8:28), and relationship (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) with the Creator of the universe.

The enemy will try to convince you that you are giving up too much of your life for God. That could not be further from the truth. Luke 9:25 says, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self." What the enemy and your sinful nature will not disclose to you is the blessing (Luke 11:28), the favor (Psalms 84:11), and the fullness of life (John 10:10) that proceeds from a life of commitment to Him. This does not mean everything goes perfectly. There will be injustices, hard times, and struggles, but you do not face them alone. We have the Lord with us throughout it all.

2. We live daily for God's will. "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude... they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-4). We are reminded that we live for God's will as believers in Christ. We will go deeper on God's will in Week 5, but for now recognize that giving glory to God is also living out His will for our lives.

So, how do you know God's will? It is not a destination, and you do not just arrive at it one day. God reveals His will for your life step by step through the Holy Spirit, and it requires us to walk in obedience to His guidance. This also means we strive to abstain from anything that leads us away from His will.

3. We live daily to love God and love others. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37-40). The heart represents emotion, the mind represents our thinking, and the soul represents the spiritual aspect of the human. If we want to gauge our daily living, this is a great measurement. Are we loving those around us? Are we loving God with everything we have? As we love both God and others, we are glorifying God and walking in His will at the same time.

How To Stay Engaged

So all that we have learned today has led us here. We know the enemy. We know our goal. So how do we stay engaged on a daily basis? There is no perfect answer, but I want to highlight a few things from the word of God that will be a tremendous help.

1. Become a living sacrifice. The terminology might sound a little barbaric, but it holds powerful truth. As we have been discussing, this life is no longer ours. Scripture tells us we are now hidden with Christ: "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:2-3).

To become a living sacrifice means we offer our lives to God for His glory. This is the only way we move from conceptual Christians to devoted Christians. Without commitment in this step on a daily basis, your spiritual journey will end quickly, and the thought of God and the power of salvation will become a nice idea instead of a living reality. Staying engaged takes a tremendous amount of commitment and effort, mentally and physically, and your mind has to be fully engaged. This is why the four pillar diagram has commitment arrows woven through it. There are no shortcuts to becoming spiritually mature.

2. Renew your mind. Renewing the mind is very similar to physical training. We have to train our minds to stay committed to God daily, because we are hardwired to desire and pursue the things of this world.

How do we renew our minds?

• Scripture. Saturate your mind with the word of God daily.

  Joshua 1:8

• Worship. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

  Psalms 150:6

• Take every thought captive. Demolish arguments and pretensions that set themselves up against the knowledge of God.

  2 Corinthians 10:3-5

• Dependence on the Holy Spirit. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

  Galatians 5:25

• Prayer. Pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.

  1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

I want to expand on one last thought before we close. Taking every thought captive is so crucial to you as a believer. You have the power, through Christ, to take every thought captive. That includes every negative, sinful, or lustful thought. As the gatekeeper of your mind, imagine you are standing at the front gate, and the gate is closed. Only you possess the power to open it. So when lies, negative thoughts, anxiety, depression, and sinful thinking come to that gate, you have the authority as a believer to reject them. The Holy Spirit will help you identify what thoughts are approved. All you have to do is listen and obey.

The most important thing to remember in this battle is simple. You are the gatekeeper of your own mind. The enemy will throw lies, accusations, fear, and temptation at the gate constantly, but only you can choose to open it. Through Christ, you have authority to reject every thought that does not align with the truth of God's word. The Holy Spirit will faithfully guide you to recognize what to allow in, what to push back on, and what to take captive at the door.

Daily victory is not about being perfect; it is about staying engaged. Be a living sacrifice. Renew your mind. Walk in step with the Spirit. Keep the gate guarded. As you do, the truth will reshape how you think, how you feel, and how you live, and you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.