Battlefield of The Mind

“You will not change your behavior until you change your thoughts.” Joyce Meyer

While in the hospital I have been reading Joyce Meyer’s book “Battlefield Of The Mind”. I resisted reading this book for a long, almost a year. When I am resistant to something that usually means I need to do it. Perfect timing, I started reading it two weeks ago. Right now, my mind is being bombarded with negative monsters due to the fact that I have another obstacle to walk through.

Joyce says that the greatest battle for us Christians is in our minds. Negative thoughts such as judgment, ridicule, control, and feeling sorry for you are all beasts that come from Satan himself. That is how he gets inside to steer us away from Jesus. I believe that. I know that negative thoughts are one of the biggest challenges that I deal with and I also know that I am not alone. We all have them.

The best part of “Battlefield Of The Mind” is the section titled “Wilderness Mentality”. I have read the Old Testament a few times in my life and I know I have been taught from it. I just never realized that the Jews took forty years to make an eleven day journey. The Jews complained, because jealous, were faultfinders, gave up so easy because the journey was too hard, and they judged everyone, and even made false idols when they felt God let them down. And then when Joshua had a few men go to the Promised Land, the men only told about the negative things. They didn’t focus on the wonderful food and other blessings that were there.

I know I have found myself in the “Wilderness Mentality” more than once on this journey I have been on. I know I have been jealous and envious of those who are able to breathe and don’t have to go have surgeries done on their throats. I have also put myself down because of my illness. I have also become a control freak in regards to my life. I do not let go and follow God so easily. I am scared, especially now that I am facing another challenge.
I am going to follow and do whatever God is showing me to do on this journey call being ill. Right now, that means being in the hospital and getting IV’s put into my arms. Ouch! That means going through another surgery. Getting IV treatments of Solumedrol and then Ritaxmab, and of course, that means facing the challenge head on and not crawling under the rock until it goes away.

What “Wilderness Mentality” is your biggest challenge? Have you let go of the strongholds that keep you in that mentality?