Are You Prepared For the Battle?

(Below are Nicole's thoughts on Chapter 25, "I'm going to do it my way or not all" Wilderness Mentality #10, of Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. Please know that what we all get from a study is usually different. Therefore, we encourage you to write a comment/question or even scripture in the comment section below this post. Let's join together and fight this battle!)

We are all pretty stubborn people. It's hard to not want it our way especially concerning our children. For me, I think I know what my children need and how to get them there. However, I am reminded daily that my way isn't always the best. I need to listen to God and do it His way.

Below are a few thoughts of Joyce's from Chapter 25 that I want to briefly share with you. I believe these thoughts show us why our way isn't always the best way.

* The Lord demands that we learn to give up our own way and be pliable and moldable in His hands. As long as we are stubborn and rebellious, He can't use us. - p. 274

* Victorious living demands prompt, exact obedience to the Lord. - p. 274

* We must be obedient in all things-not holding back anything or keeping any doors in our lives closed to the Lord. -p. 274

* Often, we don't want to do what God asks, and then we attempt to do something to compensate for our disobedience. p. 275

* ...if the Israelites would have promptly obeyed God, how much greater their lives would have been. Many of them and their children died in the wilderness because they would not submit to God's ways. Their children were affected by their decisions, and so are ours. -p. 276

* We must choose to examine our thoughts in light of the Word of God, always being willing to submit our thoughts to His thoughts, knowing that His are best. -p. 278

* Examine what is in your mind. If it does not agree with God's thoughts (the Bible), then cast down your own thoughts and think on His.

This chapter is very simple. We must obey what God is asking us to do. We can't do it our way. We need to do it God's way. Otherwise, we too will be in the wilderness far longer than we need to be.

Now let's take a look back at this study. The most important and obvious thing that we need to remember about this study is that our minds are a battlefield. We can choose to listen to Satan's team or God's team. Listening to God will help us win this battle quicker than anything else. Don't forget about the Wilderness Mentalities. On page 185, Joyce says "The people of the nation of Israel wandered around in the wilderness for forty years making what was actually an eleven-day journey....As I was pondering this situation, God gave me a powerful revelation that has helped me personally as well as thousands of others. The Lord said to me, "The Children of Israel spent forty years in the wilderness making an eleven-day trip because they had a "wilderness mentality." The following are the 10 wilderness mentalities that Joyce teaches us to overcome. They are: not having spiritual eyes and ears, not wanting to take responsibility for what God wants you to do, having a mindset that things are too hard for you to do, being addicted to grumbling and complaining, wanting everything immediately, blaming others, feeling sorry for ourselves, feeling like we don't deserve God's blessings, being jealous and envious, and wanting to do it our way not God's way. Joyce encourages us to changes these mentalities immediately. Trust and obey God. Here's the thing, we don't know how long we will be in these different storms of life. For some of us, it could seem like a lifetime and for others not so long. What we do know is that life is so much easier when we do life with God. We trust Him. We confide in Him. We obey Him. We spend time with Him. When we do all of these things, our minds are strong for any battle that Satan may through our way. It's ok if we fall. It's just like what we say to encourage our kids after they fall off their bikes...get up, dust yourself off and get back on that bike and do it again. We can't give up. Our children need us to be the strong parents that we are. Our children need our minds to be strong in fighting this battle. I encourage you to keep this study close by. Any time you feel like you are stuck in life, lost in the wilderness. Pick up Battlefield of the Mind and re=read the Wilderness Mentalities again. I want to end this study with one more thought from Joyce and scripture.

The mind is the battlefield! It is on this ground of the mind that you will either win or lose the war htat Satan has launched. It is my most heartfelt prayer that this book will assist you in casting down imaginations, and every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity, into obedience to Jesus Christ. - Joyce Meyer p. 278 Battlefield of the Mind

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,
(In asmuch 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 Mesiah, the Anointed One.) - 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

So, I ask you again....Are you prepared for the battle?