Winning the War in Your Mind

Craig Groeschel
Oct 9, 2021
4 min read

Updated: Jan 14

WINNING THE WAR IN YOUR MIND—1 WINNING THE WAR IN YOUR MIND

My thought battles…

Anyone else—Ongoing war—Mind?

Battle between—Faith—Fear!

Want trust God—Want be control

Confidence in calling—Crippling insecurity paralyzes

Most of life’s battles are won or lost in your mind. (Battlefield)

Good news—God’s Word power—Not just help…

Transform—Renew Mind Truth! (Keys start)

Stand honor GW—Mind Apostle Paul—Ultimate Thought Warrior

Remember Paul Rom 7? (Battled—Wrestled—Warred—Won)

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Cor 10:3-4

Dunamis—Explosive power of God!

Show Stronghold back screen here

Ochuroma—Military Stronghold—Fortress built highest peak city. Reinforced w/wall up to 20 feet thick.

What does our spiritual enemy do?

Shapes your thinking—One thought at time—Prison of lies.

U can’t trust. Won’t succeed. Always broke. Never good marriage. God doesn’t hear prayers. Doesn’t care. Never make diff. Amount.

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:5

Title—Winning the War in Your Mind—Pray, Get Mind Right

Message series—New book WTWIYM!

• Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts.

Science/Bible agree—Cognitive Behavior Psychology shows Relational challenges, eating disorders, addictions, Some forms of anxiety—Direct result of toxic thinking.

7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. Prov 23:7 NKJV

The life we have is a reflection of the thoughts we think.

What we think determines who we become.

Think you can’t—Probably won’t. Think can—Probably will.

Dwell problems—Overwhelm you. Look solutions—See some.

Feel like victim—Become one. Believe overcome X—Can.

The life you have is a reflection of the thoughts you think.

THOUGHT AUDIT

Worried 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Peaceful

Negative 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Positive

Worldly 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Eternal

Worried: People think—Kids—Future—$—Job—Health.
Secure God’s promises: Do what u can—Trust—Full peace.
Negative: Critical people, Find fault, Discontent. Hard. Busy.
Positive: Believe best people, Life good. Optimistic future.
Mind consumed this life: Material possession. Liked people.
Eternal difference: Given gifts—Reach people—Job/Calling.

What comes into your mind—Comes out in your life.

No matter: What you do—What have—Who know—What buy

Where you live—Where you travel

You cannot have a positive life when you have a negative mind.

Your life always moving direction strongest thoughts.

Are excited about the direction your thoughts are taking you?

I wasn’t—Change thinking.

My #1 Spiritual Goal—Change think—Renew mind—How? (2)

1)Identify the biggest stronghold holding you back.

Not good enough—My past is too bad—Can’t trust.

Always battle weight—Not good w/money.

Can’t close God—Never job love—All relationships break down.

Negative Thoughts—Changing chemical makeup brain. (Back screen)

Every thought creates a neurochemical change in our body.

Positive—Surge rewarding neurotransmitters: Dopamine Legal reward—

Positive hit—Chemical buzz.

Comments post (Dope)

Like your hair (Dope)

Amy, “thinking bout you, come home” (Dope)

Neural Pathways—Billions pathways/roads in your brain.

More often you think a thought—Easier think again—Default.

Stronghold—Wrong Thought Patterns—Stuck in rut.

Negative, Critical: Creating unhealthy, unhelpful neuropathways.

Capture—Create new path in brain.

Frustrating day work—Chaos—Yell! --> Pause. Pray. Hug.
Feel bad self—Cake, Chips, Ice cream --> Walk, workout.
Bored—Scroll thru IG, Jealous, Loser --> YouVersion.

To think in a different way—Forge a new path in your brain.

More you walk the path—Easier becomes travel.

More you stay off old path—Weakens—Harder it is to think again.

Identify biggest stronghold holding you back. Just one.

Not loveable—Never good enough—Don’t deserve anything good.

Always be broke—Haves—Have nots. I’m the not.

Helplessness—Hopelessness—Worthlessness—Pointlessness

Identify stronghold. Name it.

You cannot defeat what you cannot define.

1.Identify biggest stronghold.

2)Name the truth that demolishes that stronghold.

Truth—Kevin Penry—Door is Unlocked! (KP)

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:5

Greek—Take captive—War term: Capture w/Spear, Sword.

Only one offensive weapon—Sword—Word of God!

I am not enough.

Truth in it… I’m not enough

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. 2 Pet 1:3

Time—Patience—Energy—Wisdom—People—Resources.

John 8:32—Know the truth

Embrace truth—Open the door—Be free.

Can’t get all done—Can do all things thru X—Weak/Strong.
Not attractive—Don’t like look—Fearfully wonderfully made.
Miserable—Joy of the Lord is my strength.
Feel all alone—My God is with me. Never leave me.
Victim—Overcomer—Not who enemy says.

Life moving direction—What comes into mind—Comes out life.

Cannot have positive life—Negative mind.

Capture the lies—Replace truth.

Don’t stay locked in a prison

When Jesus holds the keys—Set free