The Battle For The Mind

There’s a battle raging and it’s a battle for the mind.  The world is having a strong influence on the minds of church-attending Christians. Far too many set their minds on earthly things rather than things above. The mind of the world is more evident than the mind of Christ.

Conversations, interests, desires, commitments, affections, etc., are noticeably more earthbound. In contrast, that which builds up, challenges, corrects, rebukes, stimulates one another to love and good deeds, which “transforms” the mind, is seriously lacking.

“Operational conclusions” are also being influenced by minds not prepared to think or discern biblically, as is evidenced by the growing trend toward churches in making unholy alliances with other churches despite clear doctrinal differences.

There is a zeal for activities and programs that entertain, and for worship services that satisfy the individual, aligning us ever so closely with the world and its endless pursuit of self-gratification.   There is a socializing which patterns the world more than a fellowship that is deeply rooted in the things of God.     

Our religious practice, motivated by a biblical mind “(to) prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God”, is in jeopardy of being lost.    

The Battle Ground of the Mind

We need, as the Holy Spirit points out, that our minds to be trans-formed!

Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

MIND – (Grk = nous) the organ of mental perception and apprehension; of conscious life; of the consciousness preceding actions or recognizing and judging them. (Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study New Testament)

Dr. Joseph Stowell makes this excellent observation in his book, The Dawn’s Early Light: “We need to understand that during the past decades North America has changed its mind dramatically . . . Secularism leaves dark footprints . . . a firm standard of righteousness no longer sets the pace. . we have not realized how insidiously the poison of secularism has contaminated our way of thinking.

“The real battleground is the mind! We can’t appropriately talk about right moral codes and right laws until we have first disciplined our minds to think sacredly instead of secularly. This will be the Christian battleground into the next century. If we are to claim great victories for Jesus Christ, we must first reclaim the Christian mind. We need to think rightly in a world gone wrong.”

God does not want to supplant or mortify our rational minds. He does not desire that we commit intellectual suicide. He does desire that we CHANGE our minds: (Eph.3:18; 4:23; Phil.2:5-8; 4:8; Col.3:1-2,10; I Cor.14:19;)

Regarding Romans 12:2, Dr. John MacArthur writes, “A Christian renovates his mind by knowing the Word of God and applying it to his life. The renewed mind is a mind saturated and controlled by the Word.”

Psychology Today

In today’s world, psychology looms large as probably the primary means by which minds are influenced.  The Christian must know that psychology comes from the mind of man, and in particular, from non-Christians, most of whom were, or are, anti-Christian.

The Christian needs counseling that comes from the Word of God. This is known as Nouthetic Counseling. The word noutheteo is a Greek word meaning: “to put into the mind; instruct; warn; counsel.” (Used in Rom.15:14; Col.3:16; I Thess.5:12,14; II Thess.3:15; A like word, nouthesia is used in: I Cor.10:11; Eph.6:4; Titus 3:10;)  This is the counseling God desires for His people that their minds may be “transformed.”

Conclusion 

We make daily choices about the food we put into our mouths to nourish our bodies.  We must also make choices of what we allow our ears to hear and our eyes to see for some input will nourish our souls (ie. good and godly things), but there is much in our world today that will harm the health of our souls.  Be diligent to guard your mind (Prov 4:23) and view and hear those things that will nourish you and transform you to the person God created and desires you to be.  

Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Read more: Is the Monkey at Your Eye and Ear Gates? The Importance of Protecting Our Gates