It may be easy to not allow our body to go to sinful places. But what are we to do when we find our mind being bombarded by wicked things? The mental battles are often far more difficult than the physical ones. What should we do when we’re in a mental war and our mind is being attacked?
Excerpt from the full sermon, “Mind Battles: Victory Over Wrong Thoughts“.
There’s no such thing. I asked someone one time – they carry a Bible on the dash in the car. I asked them why they did that. What was the purpose of it? He said that keeps away the devil. Well, I haven’t found that to work. Of course, I keep a Bible handy. I’m just saying that all these charms and formulas and legalistic works are useless, worthless, in the battle of the mind. What are the mighty weapons of our warfare? If they are weapons and if we’re urged to use them, what are they? Listen. Ugly, silly thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God can only be answered and defeated by sound and true knowledge of the Word of God. You know what will knock down a lie? The truth. And that’s the great example our Lord gave us. Jesus Himself used this example for our benefit. When assailed by Satan, tempted at all points, He simply remedied the situation of the temptation by quoting Scripture. Keep your nose in the Bible! Store up the Word of God in your heart! The more you hide in your heart the Word of God, the less you will sin against God. The more you have of the Word of God in your mind, the less room there will be for Satan to put other things in your mind and fill your heart with foolish sinful suggestions. So the more you know God’s Word, the more you can use it to counter these contrary thoughts and suggestions that exalt the idea or the notion of something that is foolish, that is contrary to the will of God. Sinful thought says: it would be fun. It would be good to believe this. You would be more in tune with the age. You would be more up to date. That’s a lie. And you counter those things with the Word of God. But then there’s something else. We thank God for the Scriptures don’t we? All Scriptures are given by inspiration of God and are profitable. And I find that one of the greatest profits of the Word of God and of having it in your heart is the use of the Word of God against foul and obnoxious thinking. But there’s something more. Sometimes we are assailed with a particularly strong temptation in our mind, and in a moment’s time, a whole lot of time, the Bible knowledge has a way of evaporating. Have you ever been in that place? I can remember a few years ago, I was on my lawn mower and a particular temptation came upon me and it’s almost like I forgot everything that I had ever read in the Scriptures. I just went blank. It seemed like I couldn’t quote anything. Nothing. Nothing came out. Well, what do you do in such occasions? Then you must engage Jesus Christ in the battle. How do you do that? Call on Him. Pray. Call upon the Lord in the day of trouble. Pray fervently. Bring your mind into the presence of God. Show up at the throne of grace. Get that mercy and help that you need in a time of need. And when your mind is under assault, it is an hour of need. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Our God is a God of help! He’s not against us in this thing, beloved. He’s for us! He’s a help. A very present help. Call upon Him when you’re struggling. Call upon Him when the bad thoughts attack you. Call upon Him when the lies are insidious and high and lofty and clever. Call upon the Lord. Call upon Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not. There’s help for those who earnestly cry out for it. God likes us showing up at the throne of grace.
