Insights Into The Word

Ground Zero
by Cindy Nunley

The journey we are going to begin involves the most targeted place the enemy attacks us, and that is the mind.  Sadly, this is where the greatest devastation takes place in our lives.

NASB Prov 23: 7  For as he thinks within himself so he is...
Another translation says it like this.  "As a man thinks in his heart, so does he become."

Our minds dictate our actions and choices.

AMP Rom 8:5  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 as the word says in Rom. 12:2 then we shall walk out experientially that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

AMP Rom 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].

Virtually every one I have spoken with wants the good things in life.  They want peace of mind, they want their life to be worry free and stress free, they want to be free from depression and oppression, they want more of God, they want to be out of debt, they want to be a better witness for Jesus, they want to be able to help others get closer to Jesus, and so on and so forth.

This is where we begin!

AMP 2 Cor 10:5  [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),

I also like what another translation says.

V.5  We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ.

We absolutely must know the word of God in order to compare what we are thinking with the mind of the Lord.
Listen, you are not going to know it all immediately nor in the next five years, but in five years you are going to know more than you do today, if you stay faithful.

KJV 2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Study= to use speed, make effort, be prompt or earnest.

Workman= toiler, teacher.

Dividing= make a straight cut, to expound, to dissect.

Word= something said, including the thought, reasoning or motive. ( definitions from Stongs)

This next verse spells out very clearly the war we are in and the enemy we are fighting.

AMP Eph 6:12  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.

NASB Eph 6:12  For our struggle³⁸²³ is not against⁴³¹⁴ flesh⁴⁵⁶¹ and blood¹²⁹, but against⁴³¹⁴ the rulers⁷⁴⁶, against⁴³¹⁴ the powers¹⁸⁴⁹, against⁴³¹⁴ the world²⁸⁸⁸ forces²⁸⁸⁸ of this³⁷⁷⁸ darkness⁴⁶⁵⁵, against⁴³¹⁴ the spiritual⁴¹⁵² forces of wickedness⁴¹⁸⁹ in the heavenly²⁰³² places.

Let's look at some of the meanings of these words. (Strongs)

Struggle= to wrestle, to strive with arms extended, as two men, who seize each other by the collar and arms, each endeavoring to throw the other by tripping up his heals and tripping him off his center.  To struggle to strive to contend.

Flesh= The body as opposed to the soul or spirit, or, as the symbol of what is external, or by implication human nature.

Blood= bloodshed.

So far, this scripture says that my battle is not fighting against human nature and punching or beating up someone verbally or physically. 

So what is it?

Let's look at the remainder of this scripture.  The definitions are from  the Strongs Concordance.

, but against⁴³¹⁴ the rulers⁷⁴⁶, against⁴³¹⁴ the powers¹⁸⁴⁹, against⁴³¹⁴ the world²⁸⁸⁸ forces²⁸⁸⁸ of this³⁷⁷⁸ darkness⁴⁶⁵⁵, against⁴³¹⁴ the spiritual⁴¹⁵² forces of wickedness⁴¹⁸⁹ in the heavenly²⁰³² places.

Against= forward to, pertaining to, destination of the relation to, about because of.

Ruler= chief, beginning corner, principality, principle rule.

Powers= privilege, force, capacity, competency, freedom or mastery. Magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control, delegated influence.  Authority, jurisdiction, liberty, power.

World Forces= A world ruler, an epithet of Satan. He is entitled.

Darkness= shadiness, obscurity.

Wickedness= depravity, malice, plots, sins, iniquity, wickedness.

Heavenly Places= above the sky, celestial.

You see the Devil is a liar and of all that is false... (John 8:44) He is also "the accuser of the brethren", according to Rev. 12:10.

He tells us lies about ourselves and about our brothers and sisters in Christ.  He will take a situation and twist it and pervert it until it causes you to doubt or be suspicious of something the Lord wants you to do or say.
He begins by bombarding our minds with a cleverly devised pattern of little 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, and he has studied us for a long time.  He also knows our weaknesses and our strengths. He is patient and willing to take the time needed to defeat us.

Tearing down strongholds

AMP 2 Cor 10:4-5  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,

5  [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),

Stronghold= Powerful; forcible; cogent; adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; as a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example or instance. He used strong language.

Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as a custom grown strong by time.

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

We have the weapons we need to overcome and refute Satan's arguments and engage in prayerful warfare (spiritual warfare).

Where is the battlefield?

Let's look at what we have established so far:

1.  We are, in fact engaged in a war.
2.  Our enemy is Satan.
3.  Our mind is our place of battle.
4.  The devil, by cunning strategy and deception, attempts to set up strongholds in our minds.
5.  He takes the time to work out his plans to destroy us.

Everyone reading this has life experience to reference.
From the time we were children, we have experienced the enemy setting up strongholds in our minds. 
We weren't all raised in Christian homes.  Even if we were, we at some time in our life have been victims of abuse and or exposed to it in some way or another. 
Our experiences from childhood to adulthood, was programmed by words spoken to us, about us and over us, led to the thought processes and choices or decisions we still make today.

So what do we do about our wrong attitudes, choices and decisions?  How do we break out of our prisons? How do we stop being fearful, depressed, deceived, angry, hurt, victimized by ourselves, others and Satan?

This is the answer!!!

AMP Rom 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].

You see, our angry, hurtful thoughts and rebellious ways are set up in our minds and they control us.  It's through our strongholds that we make our decisions.  It should be according to the revelation of the word of God that our decisions are made.

Our Greatest Weapon

AMP John 8:31-32  So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32  And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

In order to get the victory over the lies the enemy has built up in or minds, we must renew our minds with His word.  It's not enough to just read the word but we must put it into action. Again,

AMP 2Cor 10:4-5  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,

5  [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),

We receive our weapons through the preaching and teaching of the word of God, by simply spending time in the Word of God and in His presence, and by being in church and hearing our pastor or other minister expound the Word of God, by listening to tapes, or going to a bible study etc, etc.

In Mark 4:24 Jesus says, ... The measure  [of the thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of the virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you...

We must continually use the weapon of the word.

There are two other weapons available: praise and prayer.
Praise is exalting our Lord and letting Him know how much we honor him and how worthy He is to be exalted.  That will defeat the devil quicker than most things. 
Praise and prayer both involve communication of the Word of God with God.
Prayer comes from relationship with the Lord of Glory.  It is coming and asking for help or just talking to God about something, and then listening to what He has to say to us.  If you want an effective prayer life develop a good relationship with the Father.  Know that He loves you, that He is full of grace and mercy, and that He wants to help you more than you want Him to help you.
Learn to fill your prayers with the word of God.

As we learn the word of God, we will recognize the strongholds built up in our minds.  That is when we can tear them down by the truth.  And the word says, "...you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

Now that we understand and we are free, it becomes our privilege and responsibility to preach the good news!

AMP Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity],
This was spoken by Jesus Himself!

We all have many problems, and our past may very well explain why we have suffered or are suffering, but it is sinful and ungodly to use our past as an excuse to stay in bondage or prison, or to try to hold others in prison or bondage to our unregenerate thought patterns.  It makes us critical, judgmental, and controlling.
And every one of us is without excuse, because Jesus always stands ready to fulfill His promise to set the captives free.

He Has Given A Way Out

AMP 1Cor 10:13  For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

We all have some major strongholds in our life that need to be broken.  But God!  But God is on our side. 

Make it personal!  God is on my side, He is waging war against the enemy on my behalf.  He's waging war because of His love for me.

Please take the next few minutes to go to prayer and begin to come against some of those old thought patterns.  God will meet you right where you are.  Then He will bring you closer to Himself, where you will be protected and safe in Him.

He loves you so!

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