Are you fighting a battle right now? I believe we all have battles to fight at different times in life. But I want to encourage you. Whatever you may be facing today know that, in Christ, you are more than a conqueror! Romans 8:37 (AMPC) says, “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.” Think about it. Meditate on it. Let this truth of God’s Word settle in your heart.
As I said before, we each have battles to fight at different times in our lives. Sometimes it’s a financial battle; it can be a family or relationship struggle; or we might be in a personal emotional conflict in our soul. Whatever it is, the truth is this war is spiritual—and we must learn to use spiritual weapons in the fight.
What do I mean by that? Well, 2 Corinthians 10:4 tells us that “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.”
That word “strongholds” refers to areas where the enemy entrenches himself and takes control. It’s very important to realize that the greatest part of the fight is often in our minds. The enemy’s tactic is to gain ground and build strongholds by influencing our thoughts. Even a lie will become truth to us if we believe it. And Satan is determined to try and make us believe his lies and gradually build these strongholds in our mind.
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Pay attention to the things you think about most of the time. Are they thoughts that encourage and motivate you? Or do you more often think of things that actually hinder your progress, things that don’t agree with God’s Word? If so, it may be that the enemy has gained a stronghold.
For example, I’ve often talked about when Dave and I were first married. It wasn’t very long before he wanted to know what was wrong with me—why I was so negative all the time. I was still very hurt and angry about things that had happened to me in my past. I told him that I’d come to believe if I didn’t expect much good to happen, then I wouldn’t be disappointed when it didn’t! That attitude was a stronghold in my mind.
These kinds of attacks are spiritual warfare, but remember, as followers of Christ, we are not fighting alone. We have a mighty warrior and His host of angels on our side. That makes it a totally different fight. The Holy Spirit is in each of us. He is our helper, and that makes us more than conquerors (John 14:26; Rom. 8:37).
The Holy Spirit wants to lead us through each battle we face. But there are some things we can do to prepare ourselves as well.
Guard your heart. Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to “keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” This includes paying attention to the types of things we listen to, read and watch. The enemy will try to stop you from moving forward in the things of God, so we need to be careful what we allow into our hearts if we want to live in freedom.
The Scripture makes it clear that it’s our responsibility to guard our heart. For instance, if we continually watch movies that are full of fear, we may find ourselves battling fear in our own lives. I’m not saying we should never watch TV or entertain ourselves. But we do need to be careful what we allow into our hearts if we want to live in freedom.
Pay attention. Sometimes you may just have a “feeling” about something you’re doing or thinking or saying. Many times it is the Holy Spirit trying to guide you in a certain way. I remember one morning when I had been studying in my office at home. It was early, and I still had on a long nightgown. I was planning to go to the ministry office that day to do some work, and I needed to carry some things downstairs. I had gathered some Bibles and a coffee mug in my hands, and just as I got to the top step, I had a “feeling” that I should probably hold up the nightgown so I wouldn’t trip over it. But I just dismissed the thought. Then just as I started down the stairs, I almost took a tumble!
Now, I know that is a very simple example, but the thing I’m trying to point out here is, that “feeling” I had was probably the Holy Spirit trying to warn me that I should do something about that gown. But I ignored it and almost paid a high price for it had it not been for God’s grace. Needless to say, I won’t do that again!
Beware of thoughts such as “I know I shouldn’t, but—” or “Maybe I should, but—.” Learn to listen to that simple unction, that nudge or knowing. It’s most likely the Holy Spirit trying to lead you in the midst of whatever your battle is. Don’t ignore Him. He wants to equip you for your battles and help you become more than a conqueror!{eoa}
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For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-part teaching resource “Winning Life’s Battles.” You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, “Enjoying Everyday Life,” by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org.
Joyce Meyer is a New York Times bestselling author and founder of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Inc. She has authored more than 140 books, including “Battlefield of the Mind” and “Overcoming Every Problem” (FaithWords). She hosts the “Enjoying Everyday Life” radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org.
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
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