Creflo Dollar - How To Win The Battle Of The Mind
We're going to talk about how to win the battle of the mind. We told you that the mind is the arena of faith. You're going to lose it or win it right there in the mind, and one of the most powerful weapons of the enemy is the power of suggestion. He wants to mention something to you and take advantage of maybe what you don't know and through suggestion begin to try to use influences to determine how you think, and then your thinking determines how you feel, then your decisions and all the way down to your destiny in life. And so we've got to recognize the method of operation so that we won't find ourselves on a demonic influence and not know it, you know. And I think the prayer we've been praying is, "Lord, help me not to be deceived. Help me not to deceive myself or be deceived".
Well, in light of all that we've talked about, let's zero in on this tonight; how to win the battle of the mind, how to win the battle of the mind. First step, number one, realize that Satan is a liar, realize that Satan is a liar. Now, he says in verse 44, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and he's the father of it". Verse 45, "And because I tell you the truth," he says, "you don't believe me".
Now, this is so important. You've got to believe that Satan is a liar. Okay? He's not your friend. You don't need to try to get him confused with the voice of God. He is a liar. If he is talking to you, it's a lie. Okay? If he says you're going to die, you ought to rejoice you're going to live. Amen? He is a liar. That's what he does. And so by realizing in this battle of the mind when Satan starts talking to you and convincing you that you're nothing, that you're no good, that, you know, God's mad at you and all those things, he's a liar. You have to believe that he is a liar, and that's really a huge step in not falling for the influences of the devil.
People in today's society are under a strong intensified demonic influence. They're being demonically influenced to commit suicide. They're being demonically influenced to shoot places up. They're being demonically influenced to do a lot of crazy things. Well, one of the reason is they don't know that he's a liar and he comes in, the Bible says he comes to kill, steal, and what? Destroy. But Jesus says, "I've come that you might have," what? "Life, and have it," what? More abundantly.
So number one, that's first base, you must realize that Satan is a liar. Satan is a liar. Now, let me show you something here I think could be a blessing to you because the second part of this is talking about renewing your mind. All right. So Romans 12 and verse 2, let's look at it out of the NLT. Romans 12 and verse 2. So realize that Satan is a liar. Secondly, you got to renew your mind. The most important thing for a human to do is to get born again; but like I said last week, the most important thing for a Christian to do is to renew your mind. That's exchanging your thoughts and your belief system and all that stuff.
I think last week we talked about an organized system of thought; that if you understand that, you will always be on top and not the bottom. Look what he says here. He says, "Don't copy the behavior and the customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person," how? "By changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you," you will know God's will for you, "which is good," his will is good, "and pleasing and perfect". His will is good. His will is pleasing. His will is perfect. He says this will happen when you understand the importance of changing the way you think. It's renewing your mind. Somebody says, "How long do I need to work on renewing my mind"? Until you renew the spirit of your mind.
Now, I didn't know there was a difference there. Renewing your mind is one thing, but renewing the spirit of your mind, when you renew the spirit of your mind, things, you move into it, you move into the automatic. In other words, you don't have to think whether or not you're going to love somebody that did you wrong. You have renewed your mind to such a point that it moves you, you automatically move, "I'm going to love them". You don't have to negotiate with yourself whether or not you're going to love them. You've meditated on love long enough to begin to move into the automatic.
And so I say renew your mind until you're... whatever you're renewing your mind in until you're moving in the automatic of it; that you're automatically loving, you're automatically forgiving. It's not even a question anymore because you've renewed your mind to that particular point. You automatically trust God. You automatically going to go to the Word when you get a bad report. You auto, that happens when you renew your mind and you continue to renew your mind, and the Bible says you do this and you will prove what is the good and the perfect and the acceptable will of God. That's the result of renewing your mind. You're going to experience the good and the perfect and the acceptable will of God. Also, look at this. Mark chapter 1, verse 14 through 15 in the King James Bible.
So realize Satan is a liar, and the rest of your life, renewing the mind is not a one-time event. It is a lifetime process. You don't ever get up and just decide one day, "Well, you know, I'm done". No. Renewing your mind takes place now, henceforth, until Jesus comes and does the final work on you. But renewing the mind is a lifetime process. It is not an event. Look at what he says here in verse 14 and 15. He says, "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom". Verse 15 he says, "And saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.'" Now watch this. "Repent ye, and believe the gospel".
Now, I thought about this when I read it like, "Why would I share this"? Because this word repent means to literally change the mind. So in order to believe the gospel he says you got to repent or to change the mind. Most of the time we thought repent means, we thought it meant, "I'm sorry". Okay? Or, "I apologize". No. Repent literally means to change one's mind. Okay? So if your thinking is in line with the world's way of thinking, repent, change the mind. Change the mind. Take your thinking and turn 180 degrees away from what you used to think. Change the mind and believe the gospel. You know, you're not going to believe the gospel if you don't ever get into a position of renewing your mind. It's not going to happen.
And so if you want to win the battle of the mind, you've got to understand the mindset of the devil versus the mindset of God. And so when you get born again... see, it's one thing to get born again. It's another thing to renew your mind. You can get born again and still be subject and in bondage to the same old stuff you were in bondage to before you got born again if you don't renew the mind. In fact, you can be born again and have a new creation living on you, but the old software... I think I talked to you about that. That old software still be up there and it'll continue to give you the same old outputs if you don't repent, change your thinking, literally to change the mind and believe the gospel.
And so now you know that Satan is a liar and you happen to renew your mind to the fact that Satan is a liar and then you're committed to a lifetime process of renewing your mind, you're...you thought...and it happens. It's still happening. You used to believe this particular thing 'cause that's what you thought, then you come to church or Bible study and you see something you're like, "Wow," and then you start changing your mind to line up with that. See, our job is not to change the Word, our job is to allow the Word to change the way we think. But we're living in a society today that's trying to change the Word. No, no, no, no, no. The Word will change you, you know, but you don't try to change the Word. Okay? And so that's the second step in order to win this battle of the mind.
Number three, number three, become aware of how we really think and believe. Now, you got to become aware, now, this is a huge issue because it's going to involve examination. Become aware of how we really think and how we really believe. My question tonight is, what are you really thinking about? You need to start thinking about what you're thinking about. Okay? It's an issue of locating yourself before you can go forward. You can't ignore some truths about you and expect to make progress in life. You got to locate yourself. You know, even before you can turn on your little map things, first thing it does is locate you, you know, so it can get you from where you are to where you want to be. Amen? Same thing.
All right, look at this. 2 Corinthians chapter 13:5 through 10. Look at it in the NLT because the apostle Paul is actually coming to rebuke these people, but he's not wanting to really to throw his authority around. He wants them to examine themselves. And I thought this is a great illustration to see how this works, and this, number three, become aware of how we really think and believe. 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and 5. Now listen to this. He says, "Examine yourselves". Now, that is so powerful in this path or in the thing we're trying to do as far as defeating the devil. "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine". Well, you're never going to know if your faith is genuine if you don't examine yourself. Now, as long as you just kind of play around, "Well, you know, I've got faith. I got this". Calm down, chill out, and examine yourself. Is your faith genuine? Are you genuine? Okay?
So first thing he says is examine yourself. He says test yourself. Okay? "Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith". Verse 6 he says, "As you test yourself, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority". And in verse 7 he says, "We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won't need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come, even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority". Eight, "For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth". Nine, "We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature".
Verse 10, "I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won't need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you and not to tear you down". Now, he's operating in his apostolic authority as he oversee this particular group of people at Corinth. And so one of the things that he started off with in order to really get this thing settled was, how about let's examine yourself? You need to become aware of the way you really think and you need to become aware of the way you really believe. Do you really believe it? Sometimes the question is, do you really believe it like you are telling people you believe it? Are you really thinking it like you're sounding, like you're saying to people?
And, you know, the greatest thing we can do is judge ourselves and to examine ourselves and to test ourselves. I just figured if you just do that, you ain't got no time to be... I ain't got time to be telling with nobody your, "Bro, I got enough stuff going on right now". "Why you didn't pick the phone call up? I had to tell you something about some..." "Because I was examining and testing my own self". Are you following what I'm saying? This is a pretty big key to how to win the battle of the mind because if you're sitting in self-deception 'cause you won't examine yourself, you won't test yourself, you won't locate yourself, it's going to be very difficult to move down that path to win this battle of the mind. In fact, it's a place where Satan can really deceive you the more. All right?
Okay. Number one, realize Satan is a liar. Number two, renewing your mind. Number three, become aware of how we really think, put emphasis on really. How we really think and believe. And then number four, become aware of how God wants us to think, become aware of how God wants us to think. You know, we're talking about examining yourself. "All right. So how does God want me to think? I need to know how he wants me to think". Because, you know, you're going to wake up every day and there are influences everywhere. Okay? And those influences will determine your thinking. So we got to go somewhere to find out the influences that God wants us to be influenced by so that we can begin to think in line with him.
I think we'll find it in Philippians chapter 4 and verse 8. Let's look at it in the King James and then the NLT. Philippians chapter 4 and verse 8. Becoming aware of how God wants us to think. "How does God want me to think"? And then you start looking at this in every area of your life. "How do God want me to think about this situation I just heard about? How does God want me to think about this circumstance that I'm standing in right now? How does God want me to think about the report that I got from the doctor? How does God want me to think about, you know, the checkbook that looks like it's almost at zero balance? How does God want me to think? How does God want me to think"?
And that's why the most important thing you can do when a circumstance arises is go to the Word, not to try to be deep. You're going to the Word so you can find out what does he think about this, and I'm trying to find out what I need to be thinking about this. Taffi and I are really into trying to teach Word to try to get people to live a practical life. How do you live your practical life? We're not letting to try and come to church and let's shout, scream, holler, do cartwheels, and go home and say we had church. We're more concerned about you're going home and know how to live. Here's what he said in verse 8. He says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are," what? "True, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report," he said, "if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things".
He goes on and he says, come on, verse 9 he says, "Those things, which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me," he said, "do and the God of peace shall be with you". So he's even telling you take the things you've learned. Take the things you learn here on Wednesday night Bible study, things you learn at church, things that you learn on daily confessions. Take those things. Think those things. All right? And so look at this in the NLT. Take them and think them. Take the things of God. Think the things of God. Take the Word of God. Think the things of Word of God. Take the confessions from the Word. Think those things. Okay? He says, "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true".
Wow. And I know the Word is true. Amen? Fix your thoughts on what is truth. Fix your thought on what's honorable. Fix your thoughts on what's right and pure and lovely. I know the Word has all that, and admirable. "Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise". Verse 9, "Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me, everything you heard from me," Paul said, "and saw me doing". He said, "Then the God of peace will be with you". And so, you know, the words not just there in the book so we can just kind of carry it. You know, that's our secret weapon to get our mind lined up with the Word of God so Satan won't win the battle of our mind. When he comes in our head, he's going to bump into the things that are good and true and of good reports. Amen? Praise God.
Now, number... what is this, five? Okay. Number four was become aware of how God wants us to think. Number five, focus your thoughts on God's thoughts or his Word. Let's take it a little deeper. Focus your thoughts, focus. That's a strong word. Focus. That's a strong word. Focus. It's so strong that it's going to require you doing something to get there. Look at Isaiah 55, verses 8 through 11 in the NLT; Isaiah 55, verses 8 through 11 in the NLT. Focus our thoughts on God's thoughts. Now, the only way I can focus on God's thoughts is to focus on God's Word. That's the only way, only way I'm going to be able to do that. Now, to focus on his thoughts, I got to focus on the Word. And so to win this battle of the mind, we got to focus our thoughts on God's thoughts. Isn't it amazing how people want to focus on the wrong things? And you know what's happening now. Worry is meditating on the wrong stuff. That's what it is. It's meditating on the wrong things, and that's why focus, that's a active word. Focus your thoughts on God's thoughts.
Now, let me remind you here in verse 8 he says, "'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the Lord". He says, "My ways are far beyond anything you can imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways," watch this, "and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts". Well, where does that leave us? If your thoughts are higher than my thoughts and your ways are higher than my ways, where does it leave us? Well, look at the next verse. He says, "The rain and the snow come down from the heavens and they stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow and produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry". Verse 11, "It is the same with my word. I send it out. It always produces fruit". "I send the Word out. It always produces fruit".
Boy, that's pretty awesome. You have a bag of seed that always produces fruit. All right? "I send it out. It always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it". So he says, "Even though my ways are higher than your ways, even though my thoughts are higher than your thoughts," he says, "here's what I'm going to do. I give you my Word. And when you get my Word, you get my ways. When you get my Word, you get my thoughts. And when you get my Word, it will always produce". It always produce. So whatever you're going through, the circumstances, what's happening in your mind, get that Word.
Man, you ought to be walking around like, "Devil, don't let me find a Scripture in here. I remember that... don't you let me find no Scripture in here. Oh, you done got whipped already". And then you put that in a paper and carry around in your pocket all day long. And every time he show up you say, "Listen, it's too late. I already found the Scripture that says this or it says that". These are very practical things, but this is going to be the difference between you winning or losing the battle in your mind. And a lot of times it's these intangible kind of things that I'm telling you about this morning, the practical things that's going to put you on the winning side. Amen?