“The Battle for the Mind” 6/22/25 a.m. 2 Cor. 10:1-5
I don’t think we realize the BATTLE that is being waged today.
I’m NOT talking about the war in the Middle East. Iran vs. Israel. That’s definitely something that we all need to be praying about.
I’m NOT talking about the war on ILLEGAL DRUGS. That’s definitely a war worth fighting. Meth, Cocaine, Heroin and so on, are destroying the lives of THOUSANDS of people.
And I’m not talking about the POLITICAL WAR that’s raging today. The DEMOCRATS vs. REPUBLICANS. LIBS vs. CONSERVATIVES. Most of you know my political views. I’m a RABID CONSERVATIVE but it’s not my calling to preach politics. But it is my calling to preach against SIN and to preach how God expects us to live MORALLY and according to HIS WORD. But I won’t be preaching on those things today.
No, today I want to preach to you about a BATTLE each one of us will FIGHT. I FIGHT IT on a DAILY BASIS. And to GIVE IN while we’re fighting this BATTLE is SURRENDERING to the ENEMY.
Rachel and I were laying in bed on Thursday evening and we were talking about things going on in people’s lives and the BATTLE that RAGES for our MINDS. It’s a BATTLE that our young people face. It’s a BATTLE that middle aged people face and it’s a BATTLE that even us older people face. ALL OF US!!!
And listen, if we don’t FIGHT this battle we’re gonna lose. Do you hear me this morning? We have to fight or we’re gonna LOSE. I know too many people who gave up fighting and just LAID DOWN. And the ENEMY CAPTURED THEM.
So I want to read from 2 Corinthians, Chapter 10 this morning. We’ll begin reading at Verse 1 and we’ll read down through Verse 5.
“Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
Looking at Verses 1 and 2, it’s interesting that Paul feels the need to clarify some things. Yes, he was BOLD in what he wrote in his letters to the people in Corinth. Yes, he had to say some HARD things in his letters. This church was MESSED UP.
That’s pretty clear when you read through 1st and 2nd Corinthians. But he spoke these things in these letters with the LOVE and GENTLENESS of Jesus. I kind of think he was hoping that his letters would STRAIGHTEN them UP so he wouldn’t have to be SO BOLD when he saw them in person.
Things really haven’t changed too much in the last 2000 years when it comes to human psychology. Paul didn’t want to be the BAD GUY. He didn’t always want to be the BEARER of bad news. Always having to GET ON TO the people of Corinth. But boy what a mess they had there. Like I said, there was a lot of problems in that church.
And I kind of feel the same way at times. Not that I feel we have a lot of problems in our church. WE DON’T. But I like to preach uplifting messages that encourage us. I like to preach about Heaven and what it’s gonna be like. And there are times that God allows that. He likes for us to be encouraged.
But sometimes, like today, I have to bring a message that God has given me that’s not fun to preach. A couple of things happened this week in our community that BLEW my mind. And BOTH of them came down to a BATTLE that was FOUGHT in the MIND and eventually LOST.
And so this morning I want to bring a message on this subject. “The Battle for the Mind” But before we do let’s pray.
Brother ___, would you lead us?
I. The BATTLE for the MIND is just as REAL as a FLESHLY BATTLE. Let’s read Verse 3 again.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:”
You know, sometimes I think that a FLESHLY BATTLE might be easier to fight. I don’t like to FIGHT. It HURTS to get HIT. I’ve known people who like to fight. They enjoy the challenge. But I don’t like it!!! Now I like to watch a good fight.
And yet sometimes it seems like it would be easier to WAGE a BATTLE, to FIGHT a FIGHT, against an OPPONENT that you can see.
ILLUS: When I was a young DUMB kid, now I’m an old DUMB adult, anyway, we would go outside after dark and SLAP BOX. You could kind of see but not very well and then all of the sudden SMACK. You’d get smacked across your face and you never even saw it coming. Boy that sure was FUN!!! Of course the FUN PART was SMACKING THEM BACK!!!
Now here’s what I want you to get. The BATTLES for the MIND, that we fight EVERYDAY, are NOT a Game. And they are just as REAL as the BATTLES of the FLESH.
The BATTLES that are fought in the MIND are against a REAL ENEMY. His name is SATAN. And he will TEMPT YOU in all sorts of ways. Too many times we make a JOKE out of the Devil. We put him in a red suit and hang a tail on him. He gets a Pitch Fork and boy he looks funny. HE’S NOT FUNNY!!!
Let me tell you something. DON’T EVER DOUBT THAT THE DEVIL IS REAL!!!
ILLUS: I was reading this last week. 81% of Americans believe in a REAL GOD. That’s down from 87% in 2017 but higher than most nations. But here’s what I want you to get. Only 58% of Americans believe in a REAL DEVIL. That’s how he gets into our heads. If you don’t believe that he’s REAL then you’ll do things to open yourself up to him. You’ll ignore warning signs. Play around with stuff you have no business messing around with.
The BATTLE for the mind is just as real as the battle for the flesh because the DEVIL is just as REAL as GOD.
Paul told the church at Ephesus the same thing. Eph. 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Listen, the DEVIL wants nothing more than to fight a BATTLE in your HEAD. He wants to destroy you. The BATTLE for your MIND is just as REAL as the BATTLE for your FLESH.
II. Secondly, the BATTLE of the MIND is just the FIRST STEP. The Book of James talks about this.
Chapter 1 Verses 12-15 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
Every SIN and every fleshly BATTLE starts in the MIND.
The Devil wants to give you things to LUST AFTER. I say all of this because there are LIVES RIGHT NOW that are being destroyed after LOSING a BATTLE of the MIND. Maybe someone here this morning is BATTLING some of these things we’re gonna talk about.
A. There’s that TEMPTATION to take a quick little look and the BATTLE begins. Here’s some GOOD NEWS. The BATTLE can be won right here. JUST SAY NO. King David told us in Psalms 101:3, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”
Listen, we have to be careful because too many times that little look turns into a longer look. And then a little deeper look. And all the while there’s a BATTLE BEING FOUGHT and the DEVIL is WINNING. It’s NOT a FLESHLY BATTLE. It’s a BATTLE for the mind but the FLESH IS BEING FED!!!
B. Pride, Anger, Bitterness, Resentment and Self Pity are battles that are fought in our minds.
1. You KNOW that you should hold your tongue but you just can’t stop yourself from saying that CATTY LITTLE REMARK. The BATTLE was FOUGHT in your mind and you LOST!!!
Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
2. You hold a GRUDGE and REFUSE to speak to someone. So who’s the LOSER. YOU ARE!!! The DEVIL WON.
ILLUS: I’m gonna be open and honest with you. We ALL fight these battles. ALL OF US. Silas and I were at the cafe this week and I saw a fellow that I don’t like. I won’t go into details but I don’t want to talk to him and I have a good reason. I feel like I have RIGHTEOUS indignation. And to be honest MY FLESH would like to take him out back and whoop him. I’m younger than him and I’m bigger than him. I could do it.
He was setting by the cash register so I had to walk past him. And when I did he stuck his hand out and he said “Hi Mitch.” And the BATTLE in my mind began. I walked on by and didn’t say a word. The BATTLE was RAGING. The DEVIL was saying, “Tell him exactly what you think of him.” And the Holy Spirit was saying, “Let it go.” I turned back to him and said, _____, how’s it going?” I didn’t want to but I’m glad that I did.
3. And then you have self pity. Times when you think everyone’s out to get you. Nobody likes you.
The world is against you. POOR YOU! The battle for your mind is RAGING. You walk around singing the song,
“Nobody likes me, everybody hates me.
I’m gonna eat some worms.
Big fat juicy ones.
Little bitty slimy ones.
Look at how they wiggle and squirm.”
The song goes on but I’ll stop there. But I’ve known people like that. SELF PITY never helped anyone. But yet, the Devil puts it into our minds.
4. And then you have Pride. You think you’re SMARTER, WISER, MORE TALENTED and BETTER LOOKING than everyone else. Too many times PRIDE WILL WIN and you will LOSE the BATTLE.
Proverbs 16:18. “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Listen, I could go on but just about every SIN that you can name starts with a BATTLE in the MIND.
Going back to the Book of James again, it’s a Progression.
TEMPTATION, LUST, ENTICEMENT, SIN and when it’s all said and done. DEATH.
The BATTLE of the MIND is just as REAL as a FLESHLY BATTLE.
The BATTLE of the MIND is always the FIRST STEP.
III. And so how do we deal with this BATTLE? How do we STOP THIS before it becomes a FLESHLY BATTLE? Before it leads to DESTRUCTION? Let’s look again at Verses 4 and 5 of 2 Corinthians 10.
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
And so first of all, this BATTLE that rages in all of our minds cannot be fought with the same weapons you would fight a FLESHLY WAR WITH. I mean, that makes sense right? A GUN, KNIFE or a SWORD won’t do you any good when it’s a battle of the mind. No, we need WEAPONS that will do us GOOD when we’re fighting the BATTLE of the MIND. Looking again to Ephesians 6, Paul gives us a list of weapons.
The BELT of TRUTH. The BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS. SHOES of the GOSPEL of PEACE. The SHIELD of FAITH. The HELMET of SALVATION and the SWORD of the SPIRIT.
A. In this day and age we need TRUTH. Not LIES and MANIPULATION. The DEVIL will LIE to us in our MINDS and we’ll believe it. STOP BELIEVING the DEVIL.
B. And the THINGS that we let our mind dwell on need to be RIGHTEOUS.
Not EVIL and WICKED. Not what the DEVIL wants us to think on but what GOD wants us to think on.
Paul gave the people at Philippi a list of things to think on.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
C. And listen, there are NO MORE POWERFUL words than the MESSAGE of the GOSPEL. The GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:16 tells us that “it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”
Can I tell you something? The OLD DEVIL is a SMOOTH TALKER. He is a DECEIVER and a LIAR. Listen, we have the MESSAGE of the GOSPEL. When the BATTLE begins in your MIND don’t listen to him.
D. And we have the SHIELD of FAITH. Not FAITH in ourselves. Not FAITH in our own ABILITIES. Faith in HIM.
Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Listen, we can have PERFECT PEACE in our MINDS if we’ll keep our MIND on Jesus. I didn’t say it … GOD DID!!!
How does this work? When the BATTLE begins to RAGE in our minds over TEMPTATIONS and THINGS that are of the DEVIL then we need to begin to think on the THINGS of GOD.
E. We have all of these WEAPONS AVAILABLE to us because we have SALVATION through Jesus. We are NOT in this BATTLE ALONE. We have HIM to call upon.
F. And finally we have our only OFFENSIVE WEAPON. The SWORD of the SPIRIT which Ephesians 6:17 tells us that it is the WORD of GOD. We have the BIBLE. We have the SCRIPTURES to FIGHT this BATTLE of the MIND.
I said that a couple of things happened this last week in our COMMUNITY. It breaks my heart. And if the people involved would have simply fought this BATTLE of their minds with these WEAPONS that God has provided for us, it wouldn’t have come out in the FLESH.
So many lives destroyed and it ALL STARTED in the MIND.
I feel such a BURDEN this morning that you really understand what I’m saying today. I feel a HEAVINESS that you understand that it can be STOPPED in the MIND.
YOUNG PEOPLE … PLEASE LISTEN TO ME. 1 Peter 5:8,
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Oh how the DEVIL wants to EAT YOU ALIVE!!! And the BATTLE begins in your MIND.
Listen, the BATTLE RAGES for ALL of us but here’s the GOOD NEWS … the BATTLE CAN BE WON!!! It’s NOT HOPELESS. We’re not in this alone. We have the DEVIL TEMPTING US on one side and the Holy Spirit of God fighting for us on the other. The choice is up to us.
ILLUS: I read a story about an Eskimo fisherman. I don’t know if it’s true but it makes a good point. He would go to town every Saturday afternoon and he always brought his two dogs with him. One was white and the other was black. He had taught them to fight on command. Every Saturday afternoon in the town square the people would gather and these two dogs would fight and the fisherman would take bets. On one Saturday the black dog would win; another Saturday, the white dog would win – but the fisherman always won!!! His friends began to ask him how he did it. He said, “I starve the one and I feed the other. The one I feed always wins.”
That’s kind of cruel story but here’s what we need to learn from it. This battle comes into the life of a person who is born again. Who will you listen to and who will you fed?
This BATTLE for the MIND is REAL.
This BATTLE is the FIRST STEP. It can be WON RIGHT HERE or it can go on to destroy our lives.
And God has given us a WAY for us to WIN. The choice is up to you today. WHO ARE YOU GONNA LISTEN TO?
Let’s Pray
