Winning The War Within Part 3
Romans 8:5-6 (NLT)
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
6 So letting your sinful nature (flesh) control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
Whoever wins the battle for your mind wins the war for your daily life. You are rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, joyful or depressed, relationally fulfilled or dysfunctional, victorious or defeated, spiritual or carnal based on your thoughts.
Your thoughts literally change the shape of your brain and determine how your DNA is expressed; this is called epigenetic modification.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Your spirit, soul (mind, will, emotions) and body (brain) are
Genesis 1:27-28 (NKJV)
27 So God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)
20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
God made your
3 John 1:2 (NKJV)
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (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.
It takes
Jesus describes this battle for your
Mark 4:3-9 (NLT)
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.
4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.
5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.
7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Mark 4:13-20 (NLT)
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?
14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.
16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,
19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”