The Battle for the Mind – the Problem – Christian Training Online

THE BATTLE OF THE MIND – THE PROBLEM

(Thirty plus years ago God put Don Rogers in my life. He trained and mentored me in spiritual ministry. When he was no longer able to minister, I had the privilege of taking over his “Spiritual Warfare Ministries”. He had written many articles about spiritual warfare. I have edited and added to his work for this blog.)

Satan’s most frequent and consistent attack is directed against our minds. He sends his hosts out with an arsenal of weapons: lies, deceptions, threats and intimidation, questions, accusations, lust and other enticements. The attack often starts very early in life. If a child is abused at home, lies from the enemy appear in the thoughts saying the child deserves it or is not worth anything to anyone. Accusations surface in the thoughts that it is the child’s fault anyway.

As many children are developing, questions from the enemy often appear in their thoughts regarding their sexual identity. Over and over these thoughts emerge causing confusion, shame and fear. Once a child begins to receive any lie as truth, more lies will appear to reinforce the central lie. After a while, the child will begin to focus on his own shortcomings and perceive the rejection of others. Sometimes people are directed, by the enemy, into their lives to prey on them to add more reinforcement to the lies.

If parents do not reflect the character of God to their children, the children will project all their shortcomings onto God. For instance, if one or more parents are cold, lacking in emotion, rigid and constantly preoccupied with other things, the child will see God as lacking compassion, unloving and not there for them. The enemy will encourage these perceptions.

Many children bring a lot of bad baggage along with them into adulthood from their childhood. Some grow up in homes where there has been considerable control, manipulation and emotional or physical abuse. As grown women, they are often “led” to find a man of similar qualities to continue the destructive negative reinforcements in their lives. We cannot underestimate the enemy’s influence in these situations.

In many cases, the enemy already has claims upon parents and even grandparents. Now the enemy focuses on the children, because he knows that the consequences of family sins can make the children vulnerable to similar attacks.

We minister to many adults who have been believing the enemy’s lies about themselves for years. Often there are strongholds of low self-esteem and self hatred. Needless to say, it is very difficult for them, as believers, to live by faith. The enemy continues to pummel them will lies and accusations, causing much doubt and hopelessness.

We see many adults who are full of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. Sometime in their life, often in childhood, they have been hurt deeply by someone. The enemy will constantly give them “flashback memories” of that situation in the past. The memories are so painful, that they constantly stir up the anger, bitterness and resentment, so strongly that it is very difficult for that person to forgive, even though they know the need to.

We could continue indefinitely with these scenarios, but it is my hope you have gotten the point concerning the enemy’s activity directed toward your thoughts. Be more alert to the random thoughts and mental attitudes you have throughout the day. Ask God to convict you by His Spirit. In the next blog I will talk about what to do if your mind and thoughts have been under assault.