Your Mind Is A Battlefield
Bringing Every Thought Into
Captivity to the Obedience of
Christ 2 Corinthians 10:1-6
A Battle For The Minds of Men
We Are At War:A Spiritual war – A battle that is waged in the minds of men!
Winners1 Cor 15:54-57
Rev 21:7
Losers2 Cor 4:3,4Rev 21:8
A Battle For The Minds of Men
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing
that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
1Timothy 1:18
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the
prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you
may wage the good warfare, 2Timothy 2:3,4
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with
the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a
soldier.
2 Timothy 4:2 (NKJV)
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.
Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering and teaching.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Ephesians 6:10-12 (NKJV) 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong
in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in
the heavenly places.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
James 1:13-16 (NKJV) 13 Let no one say when he is
tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by
evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is
tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved
brethren.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Internally Externally My response to
temptation & sin, Pride & selfishness, Self deception,
seeking the truth, open to change -
Requires knowledge & wisdom . . .
Resisting & exposing false doctrine, false religion,
Resisting & exposing ungodliness & immorality –
Requires knowledge & wisdom . . .
We Are At War:A Spiritual war – A battle that is waged in the minds of men!
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding Our Enemies
Satan & his servants - Eph 6:11, 12; 2 Cor 2:11; 11:3False information - 2 Pet
2:1,2; Mat 15:13; 2 Cor 11:13-15 Tempters - Prov 1:10-19;
1 Cor 15:33; 1 John 2:15-17
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV) But I fear, lest
somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding The Battlefield
We walk in the flesh – we are mortal humans, living in a temporal
world - but we are MUCH MORE - Eccl 12:7; Heb 11:13-16; Gal 5:16
But we do not war according to the flesh – This battle is fought
in the minds of men - (Arguments; Knowledge; Thoughts - vs. 5)
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:3 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war according to the flesh.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding The Battlefield
Words & actions come from the heart / mind -
Gen. 6:5; Mat 15:18,19; Rom 16:17; Eph 6:6
We are what we think - Prov. 23:7
Both God & Satan desires control of our
thought life - Mark 12:29-31; 2 Cor 11:3
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:3 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war according to the flesh.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding The Battlefield
We determine what we allow to occupy & control our mind -
Rom 8:5 “set their minds . . .” Rom 12:1-3 - “be transformed by the
renewing of your mind” Col. 3:2 - “set your mind on things above”Phili 3:19 - the end of “those who set their
mind on earthly things”
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:3 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war according to the flesh.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as
the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being
past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with
greediness.
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:3 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war according to the flesh.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Ephesians 4:17-24 (NKJV)
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning
your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the
new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and
holiness.
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:3 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war according to the flesh.
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding Our Weapons
Weapons NOT carnalGuns, bombs, swords –
NOT Psychology –
NOT Secular Education –
NOT Human Wisdom –
NOT Positive Thinking -
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:4 (NKJV) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding Our Weapons
Weapons NOT carnalCompulsion (1 Peter 5:2)
Deceit (1 Pet 2:1, Eph 4:25; Rom 3:8)
Flattery - (1 Thes. 2:5)
Compromise (Gal 1:8-9; 2:5)
Bribery - (2 Pet 2:3)
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:4 (NKJV) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Understanding Our Weaponswaist girded with Truth
Breastplate of Righteousness
Feet shod w/ Gospel of peace
Shield of faith to quench all fiery darts
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the Spirit – (The word of GOD)
Praying always - watchful w/ perseverance.
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:4 (NKJV) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds,
Ephesians 6:10-
18
A Battle For The Minds of Men
God’s WordGod’s power to save men - Rom
1:16Living & Powerful – Heb 4:12Produces Faith – Rom 10:17Saves Souls – James 1:21
Regenerates – 1 Peter 1:22,23To be spoken in love – Eph 4:15
To be taught w/ patience & humility – 2 Tim 2:24-26
Will accomplish God’s purpose – Isa 55:11
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:4 (NKJV) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Pulling Down Strongholds
The Lord is a stronghold for the faithful and
upright (Psa. 9:9; 18:2; 31:2-3).
Satan and sin also have their strongholds, but they
are doomed to certain defeat (Heb 2:14; 1 John
3:8-10).
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:4 (NKJV) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down
strongholds,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Pulling Down Strongholds
The truth exposes & destroys the lies of Satan -
(atheism; paganism; humanism; Islam; Catholicism; denominationalism; & every
other “ism”)
Every time we try to teach someone the truth or we defend the truth – we are
engaged in battle for Christ – Not to destroy – but to save!
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:5 (NKJV) 5 casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of
Christ,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
Pulling Down StrongholdsThe truth can
expose & destroy the errors & sin
that may exist in our own lives - James 1:21-25
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:5 (NKJV) 5 casting down
arguments and every high thing that exalts
itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of
Christ,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
The Battle For Your Mind
2 Cor. 10:5 bringing
every thought into captivity to
the obedience of
Christ,
A Battle For The Minds of Men
✦ Receive the truth – (John 8:32; James 1:21)
✦ Obey the truth – (1 Peter 1:22,23)
✦ Transforming ourselves -“by the renewing of” our minds – (Rom 12:1,2)
✦ Become spiritually minded – “Setting our minds on things above . . .“– (Col 3:1,2; Mat 6:33; Gal 5:22,23; 2 Pet 1:5-10)
The Battle For Your Mind
A Battle For The Minds of Men
The Battle For Your Mind
Isaiah 26:3“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed
on You, Because he trusts in
You.”
A Battle For The Minds of Men
The Battle For Your MindWe Are At War:
A Spiritual war – A battle that is waged in the minds of men!
Internally – the war with sin, self deception, pride, selfishness, etc., is
won or lost in ones mind.Externally – we are at war with
false doctrine, false religion, ungodliness and immorality – the minds of men must be changed -
A Battle For The Minds of Men
We Are At War:A Spiritual war – A battle that is waged in the minds of men!
WinnersMark 16:16He who believes and is baptized will be saved
LosersMark 16:16
but he who does not believe shall be
condemned
A Battle For The Minds of Men
The Battle For Your Mind
Charts by Don McClainPrepared February 27- March 2,
2013Preached March 3, 2013West 65th Street church of ChristP.O. Box
190062Little Rock AR 72219501-568-1062Prepared using KeynoteEmail –
[email protected] More Keynote, PPT & Audio Sermons:http://w65stchurchofchri
st.org/coc/sermons/
Note – Many of the transition effects used in this presentation will be lost using PPT 2007 Viewerhttp://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=cb9bf144-1076-4615-9951-294eeb832823&displaylang=en
Psalm 119:97-104 (NKJV) 97 Oh, how I love Your law! It is my
meditation all the day. 98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever
with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep
Your precepts.
Psalm 119:97-104 (NKJV) 101 I have restrained my feet from
every evil way, That I may keep Your word. 102 I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself
have taught me. 103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through Your
precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
Top Related