Mind Games: Are You Winning It?

Your mind has a powerful potential to influence your actions. Often you will judge yourself, others, and even God based on what your mind is telling you. The enemy is using your mind to get to you. He knows if he can make you think what he wants you to think, he can make you do what he wants you to do. You respond positively to temptation in your mind before you act on it. The enemy is a great manipulator and a liar. He did not force Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, but he put a thought in their mind. The result was the fall of the whole human race. Mind games are the primary weapon the enemy uses. Whether you like it or not, you will be a major player in those games. And the question will be: Are You Winning It? There are so many Christians that love the Lord but yet remain defeated in their daily life because they never learned how to win when the mind game is played. You may have great resources, abilities and promises on your side, but if you do not learn how to apply them, the enemy may gain an upper hand. Recently I have started teaching on several things that are necessary for winning when the enemy tries to play a mind game with us. One of those things that I would like to mention here is the discernment between what we need and what is necessary in our situation. Matthew 4:1-11 contains an account of how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Jesus gives us the perfect example of how to win in the mind game. After fasting Jesus was hungry. The enemy came to him at the point of his need. He will always attack you at the point of your weakness. Food was a legitimate need, but it was not necessary in that situation. What was necessary was a direction from God. That’s why Jesus said: “A man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4; Deut.8:3). The question was “shall Jesus exercise His power for His own personal needs or accept the season of hardship as His Father’s will?”. Your season may be so different from your potential future. And at the time of crisis a question: “If you are a child of God, why do you have all these needs?” – may seem like a natural question to ask. But if you constantly equate God’s will with satisfying your personal needs and do not understand God’s leadership, your mind will be nothing but a prey to the enemy. He will play on your feelings, emotions, and weaknesses. Today’s culture is so self-oriented and consumer driven, that it is not hard for this mentality of self-satisfaction as the first priority to penetrate the church. But if people cannot distinguish between their needs and what is necessary for their life during a particular season, they will lose every time when the mind game is played. Jesus showed us exactly how to win. It was not about Him but about His Father. His mind was totally submitted to His Father’s will. The mind game is real. It is played daily and you are one of the players. So, protect your mind. Commit yourself to God’s leadership. And be a winner.