Spiritual Warfare: Signs And Manifestations Of Spiritual Attacks

Spiritual Warfare: Signs and Manifestations of Spiritual Attacks

Spiritual warfare is not a theory; it is a daily reality for every believer. In the article “Spiritual Warfare Pt.: Signs and Manifestations of Spiritual Attacks,” I examine how the invisible war in the spiritual realm manifests in real life—what it looks like, how it behaves, and how it affects both individual believers and the church at large.

This article follows the same teaching.

Spiritual Warfare: Signs and Manifestations of Spiritual Attacks

In this article, we will examine how the invisible war in the spiritual realm manifests in real life—what it looks like, how it behaves, and its impact on both individual believers and the church as a whole.

A manifestation is a sign or event that shows something exists or is happening. In the previous parts (1, 2, and 3), it has been made clear that Christians are engaged in a spiritual war, where it began, and who is at the helm of this opposing force—none other than Satan. Now we turn to the results of this ongoing war.

The key thing to remember throughout this teaching is this:

What happens in the natural world happens first in the spiritual.

If you have not read parts 1, 2, or 3, I encourage you to go back and review them. This article builds on that foundation.

The Prince of the Power of the Air

Before we look at the manifestations, we need to remind ourselves who the enemy is.

Satan is a formidable foe. Before his fall, he was the most powerful angel in heaven, as described in Part 1. When he was cast out of heaven, he did not lose his power—he took it with him, along with a third of the angels (Rev. 12:4).

Paul describes him in Ephesians 2:2, speaking of the condition of Christians in Ephesus before they accepted Christ and walked in His Spirit:

“…in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2, NKJV)

“Silhouette of a demonic winged figure rising above a dark city skyline under a stormy, fiery sky — symbolizing Satan as ‘the prince of the power of the air’ from Ephesians 2:2.” — The Prince of the Power of the Air

Notice this title: “the prince of the power of the air.”

· He is called a prince – a title of authority, an exalted position.

· But a prince is still subject to the King, so he does not have all authority.

· However, he has more than enough to cause devastation, because he influences “the power of the air.”

Where is the air? Everywhere. There is no place on earth where there is no air. Air sustains life. So, if Satan is the prince of this power, he is exercising influence all over the world. Jesus Himself acknowledges this in John 16:11, referring to Satan as “the ruler of this world.”

What does this mean for us?

It means that Satan’s influence is all over this world. That is why the Scripture says in James 4:4:

“…Friendship with the world is enmity with God.”

His influence reaches into everything. He even tried to use that influence on Jesus Himself. Look at Matthew 4:8–9:

8. “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

9. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’” (Matthew 4:8–9, NKJV)

This reveals Satan’s ultimate goal: he wants worship. He wants all worship. And he uses his influence to get it.

He did not get it from Jesus (thank God), but he is getting it from others—including professing Christians. Hence, the spiritual warfare and the ongoing battle for souls.

One of Satan’s most effective tools is deception. When Jesus spoke His prophecy to the disciples regarding the end times, the very first thing He said was:

“Take heed that no one deceives you.” [Matthew 24:4]

But are we listening?

Satan’s Influence on This World

Understand this: Satan’s influence is in everything:

· The government and politicians

· The entertainment industry—Hollywood

· The music industry

· The sports industry

· Wall Street

· Big Pharma

· And yes—even the schools

Take the music industry for example. Music originated in heaven, but you would never know it listening to much of the music today. That is a manifestation of spiritual warfare.

Satan has many of these industries pretty much sewn up.

But his main target is Christians.

Fence-Sitting Christians: A Frightening Manifestation

Satan’s attack on Christians is so strong that he has many believers sitting on the fence.

For those who may not be familiar with that expression, picture someone sitting on a fence along a path between two forces. They are not on one side or the other—stagnant, suspended between two choices.

This is a figurative illustration of a Christian who is professing Christ, but at the same time is friends with the world—living and thinking like a worldly person. It is a position of compromise and a manifestation of spiritual warfare.

“Silhouette of a young woman sitting on a fence at sunset, torn between the world and Christ, facing a distant cross — a visual illustration of spiritual warfare, compromise, and the dangers of being a worldly Christian.” — The Path of Compromise!

There are professing Christians who walk—live—in that position:

· Sitting on the fence between two worlds

· The world pulling from one side.

· Christ calling from the other.

They are facing both directions, but following neither, even though they profess Christ. They are not walking with the world…they are not walking with God…they are:

· Spiritually stuck

· Spiritually stalled

· Spiritually powerless

· Ineffective

No good to God and no good to themselves.

This is exactly what Paul warned about in 2 Timothy 3:5. The context in verses 1–9 is the coming apostasy in the last days—which is now. Verse 5 says:

“…having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:5, NKJV)

These, my friends, are fence sitters. They may look toward Christ and even have an outward appearance of religious godliness, but they lack a true, transformative inner faith. They inadvertently deny God’s power.

They are paralyzed on the fence.

This is a manifestation of spiritual warfare.

Satan has injected so much false doctrine into the church, and there is so much of the world in the church these days, that the fence can hardly hold all the compromised Christians.

False Doctrine #1: “Once Saved, Always Saved”

One of the popular false doctrines is: once saved, always saved—that when an individual accepts Christ, they can never be lost, even if they later backslide into sin.

Is that true or false?

In Part 3, The Mind Is the Battlefield, I explained how we are led either by the flesh or by the Spirit of God. The choice is always ours—even after we are saved—because Satan’s tactics are always on the offensive.

If we can choose not to follow the Spirit, can we not backslide into sin?

Let us look at some Scripture.

In Ephesians 4:23–24, Paul exhorts Christians to “put on the new man”:

23. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

24. and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Then in verse thirty, he adds:

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)

The Greek word translated “grieve” is lupeō—to distress, to make sad. When we grieve the Holy Spirit, we grieve God. Christians are to live in such a way that we do not grieve God by our conduct—our attitudes, and actions.

Wrong attitudes and actions hamper the Spirit’s work, making Him of less effect in our lives.

Some will say, “But it says we’re sealed until the day of redemption.” Seal here refers to a mark or stamp, as with official documents in biblical times. It does not mean a container sealed shut that can never be opened.

And notice it says, “sealed for the day of redemption,” not “sealed until the day of redemption.”

We carry this seal of God if we do not grieve Him. The fact that we can have this seal for the day of redemption should motivate us to maintain righteousness.

Paul gives another warning in 1 Thessalonians 5:19:

19. “Do not quench the Spirit.”

Here, Paul goes further—not just “do not grieve” the Spirit, but “do not quench” Him. The Greek word translated “quench” is sbennumi—to extinguish, to put out, like water putting out a fire.

We can literally put out the Spirit’s influence on our lives by our conduct.

Quenching the Spirit involves any action that hinders the work of the Lord in our lives or in the lives of others. Many Christians are guilty of quenching the Spirit when they throw cold water on His leading.

So, what happens when we quench the Spirit? Look at Romans 8:9:

9. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” (Romans 8:9, NKJV)

Romans 8 is one of my favorite chapters. Here, Paul is informing the Christians in Rome how the Spirit delivers from the power of the flesh. He tells them straight-up: anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ.

Now let us connect the dots:

· Scripture tells us we can quench—put out—the Holy Spirit.

· Scripture also tells us that if we do not have the Spirit, we do not belong to Christ.

So, at that point, are we still saved?

I don’t think so!

There is no exception in Scripture that says, “Those who have once accepted Christ are exempt from this.” In fact, Paul is writing to Christians in Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, and Thessalonica.

In Ephesians 1:1–2 he opens:

1. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,

2. To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

He is speaking to saints—believers. The epistles are written to Christians, admonishing them not to grieve the Spirit, not to quench the Spirit, and warning that if they do, they do not belong to Christ.

Bottom line:

We are saved as long as we do not quench the Spirit.

Therefore, this business of “once saved, always saved” is, in a word…

HOGWASH!

It is a manifestation of spiritual warfare—teaching that we can sin and still be saved. That is just dreaming.

If all we had to do was accept Christ once and be perpetually saved no matter what, Satan would be out of business. But he is not. He continues to harass Christians in the hope that they will capitulate—as many do.

Excuses for Sin: Another Manifestation

The sad fact is that we make so many excuses for sin that are contrary to the Word of God.

Take fornication, for example. Some will say, “God knows I have needs. He understands.”

Well, of course, God knows you have needs—He created you. But what does His Word say?

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, KJV)

This is just one of many Scriptures that address fornication. None of them say, “according to your needs.”

The New Living Translation puts it plainly:

“God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, NLT)

That is as clear as the rising sun. Fornication is the umbrella covering all sexual sin. When individuals go against this Word, it is another manifestation of spiritual warfare.

“All sexual sin” includes homosexuality. Some professing Christians will say, “They’re still human; they were born that way,” or “God loves them too.” Homosexuals may say, “I was born this way.”

Well, you were born that way? Welcome to the club. We were all born this way—born in sin.

David said in Psalm 51:5:

“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”

Romans 3:23 says:

“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

All of us have some form of sin in us. All of us are experiencing some manifestation of sin because of spiritual warfare:

· Some of us struggle with lying.

· Some with stealing

· Some with covetousness

· Some with anger that turns into sin.

· Some with murder in the heart

The list goes on.

The point is: we are all victims of spiritual warfare. We all need a Savior.

And God has made a way for all of us to be saved through His Son, Jesus Christ. John 3:16–17 says:

16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

“The world” means everybody. We all need to be saved.

Sin is sin. Being “born this way”—whatever that way is—is no excuse. It is not a “get out of jail free” card.

False Doctrine #2: The Myth of the “Carnal Christian”

Another false doctrine circulating in Christian circles is the idea of a “carnal Christian”—that someone can be a Christian yet live carnally, led by the flesh.

To be carnal is to be:

· Worldly

· Fleshly

· Led by the flesh

Is there such a thing as a carnal Christian? Let us see what Scripture says in Romans 8:1–8:

1.“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3.For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

4. that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

5. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

6. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

8. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Scripture says:

· “To be carnally minded is death.”

· “The carnal mind is enmity against God.” (Enmity = hostility, antagonism, hatred.)

· “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Silhouettes of two men facing opposite directions, one in a fiery barren landscape and the other in a peaceful green valley, illustrating “To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” from Romans 8:6. — To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6).

Now, how can an individual have a carnal mind—a mind at enmity with God—and yet be a Christian?

It is impossible. It will never work.

It is like throwing a sugar cube into a cesspit.

This business of being a “carnal Christian” is—what is my word? —HOGWASH!

It is an oxymoron. According to Scripture, there is no such thing. We are either Christian or carnal. Period!

This, too, is a manifestation of spiritual warfare, because this kind of thinking is what keeps us on the fence:

· We want to live the way we want to live.

· We still want to be saved.

· We want to have our cake and eat it too.

Now, yes, when we first accept Christ, we are still immature and carnal in many ways. But we are required to grow. For more on that, there is a full article on this Website entitled “How to Grow in Christ.”

Lukewarm Christianity: The Laodicean Condition

What does God—what does Christ—say about this fence-sitting condition?

Jesus calls this state “lukewarm.” Individuals in this state are neither hot nor cold for God.

In Revelation 3:15–16, addressing the church of Laodicea, Jesus says:

15. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.

16. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

There is no room here for a so-called “carnal, fence-sitting Christian.” Christ has nothing for a lukewarm Christian. He says, “I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Why do we vomit? Because the body rejects what is:

· Distasteful

· Harmful

· Of no value

Lukewarm is ineffective. Lukewarm water is not hot enough to kill germs, and not cold enough to refresh. What good is it?

Personally, I like my coffee or tea either hot or ice cold. A lukewarm cup of tea is tasteless, of no value, forcing me to make several trips to the microwave to heat it up.

Some professing Christians need to make some trips to the “microwave” to heat up their spirits for the Lord.

Why does Jesus have such disdain for lukewarm, fence-sitting Christians? Consider this:

A lukewarm Christian is only half-committed:

· Half-committed to Christ

· Half-committed to proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God

· Half-committed to studying the Word

· Half-committed to evangelism and missions.

· Half-committed to holy and pure living.

· Half-committed to self-denial and sacrificial living.

Half-committed all the way down the line—lukewarm and of no value to God and His kingdom.

The present church is in the Laodicean age, full of lukewarm Christians.

Jesus sums it up in Matthew 6:24:

24. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24)

He also says in Luke 11:23:

23. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. (Luke 11:23)

There are only two masters:

· The Godhead—God and Jesus

· And Satan

We can only serve one.

If we walk through life with one eye on Christendom and one eye on the world, we are only fooling ourselves.

Manifestations in Church Leadership

Up to now, we have focused on individual manifestations, but there are also collective manifestations—especially in the church.

Satan’s attacks on the church have risen exponentially. He has been causing havoc with the church for centuries, but in the last twenty years this assault has really stepped up.

Satan knows his time is short. He knows that to wipe out a body, you strike the head. So, he targets the leadership of the church, and the damage permeates through the entire body.

I have a friend who is a Christian counselor, and some of the things shared with me have made me want to do a backward flip:

· Pastors (plural) involved in adulterous affairs.

· Pastors hooked on drugs

· Pastors addicted to pornography

· Pastors beating and mistreating their wives.

These are well-known leaders. No names are given—of course, that would be unethical. But the point is to shed light on manifestations of spiritual warfare—even on the heads of the church.

This is no game. It is a fierce, unseen spiritual war manifesting itself in the natural.

To women chasing after pastors, wanting to be “first ladies”:

Be careful what you ask for. Satan is chasing pastors like a fox chasing chickens. If the pastor is strong and will not relent, guess what? The next in line is the family.

In my growing up, some of the most rebellious children I saw were those of pastors and ministers.

Forget about status—you could end up sleeping with the enemy.

Pastors who allow themselves to become victims of this warfare had better repent before they become casualties instead of victims.

Jeremiah 23:1–2 says:

1. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

2. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people;

Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them:

behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.”

This prophecy was initially directed at Israel—at leaders tasked with guiding the people according to God’s will. But instead, they contributed to the nation’s troubles, leading God to pronounce severe judgment on them.

Prophecies like this often express principles of God that have multiple applications, causing them to have more than one fulfillment. Here, the principle is: we are answerable to God for the people we guide and influence under His authority. Leaders bear responsibility for those entrusted to their care.

When pastors fall, they scatter the sheep—the congregation. People leave, they gossip, confusion erupts, and the church becomes crippled. As God says, they “destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture.”

Yet another manifestation of spiritual warfare.

Some may say, “Well, pastors are only human.” That is true. But look at the instruction in 1 Timothy 4:12. Paul is charging Timothy, a young pastor:

12. Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Pastors are expected to serve as role models. Though they are human, they are called to exemplify a visible commitment to living in Christ.

If a pastor becomes so “human” that he can no longer be that example, he needs to step down, so the church can remain effective. Otherwise, he will be held accountable not only for himself but for the whole congregation—double jeopardy.

Cultural Movements as Manifestations of Spiritual Warfare

We have only touched on a few manifestations of spiritual warfare. They are far too numerous to cover in one teaching.

But know this: all the destruction and chaos in the country and the world are manifestations.

Consider the Postmodern era, which ushered in:

· The sexual revolution

· The Women’s Liberation movement

· The pro-choice movement

· The gay rights movement

All of these are manifestations of spiritual warfare, shaping culture to move further and further away from God’s design, against the will of God.

Conclusion

Get Off the Fence and Walk With Christ

We must get off the fence and walk the path with Christ.

If we stay on that fence, we are not only stagnant—we are lost.

We must make a choice. Since we are born with a sinful nature and, as Scripture says, “walked according to the course of this world,” it is vital to understand this:

Not to choose Christ is to make a choice against Him.

But if we choose Christ, then we must walk with Him—in Spirit and in truth.

The effects of spiritual warfare are all around us and are always knocking at our door. So, we must follow the Scripture, which reads:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8, KJV)

Be on guard—and fight when necessary.

Closing Call to Action

If you see these signs and manifestations of spiritual attacks in your own life, do not ignore them and do not stay on the fence.

Take time to:

· Examine your walk with Christ honestly.

· Repent where the Holy Spirit brings conviction.

· Ask the Lord to renew your mind, your zeal, and your love for Him.

· Pray for your pastors, leaders, and fellow believers who are also under assault 1 Tim. 2:1-2).

This article is part of a larger journey. In the earlier teachings on spiritual warfare, we looked at what the battle is and where it is fought. In the next part of this series, we will not only talk about the attack—we will talk about the fight.

Watch for the next installment on Overcoming Spiritual Warfare, and in the meantime, stay sober, stay vigilant, and keep walking with Christ—off the fence and firmly on His side.

Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.

Blessings!

For those who enjoy receiving the message in video format, the teaching is also available below.

Here is a brief Short highlighting one of the key points from this message.

All About Spiritual Warfare: The Mind is the Battlefield

I’d like to take a few moments to review the key points covered in the previous article, All About Spiritual Warfare. We looked at how we were all born with a sinful nature, contrary to God, and separated from Him. Yet because of His mercy and grace, He made a way for us to be reconciled through His Son, Jesus Christ, granting us spiritual renewal—to be born again. As a result of that rebirth, we’ve been placed in a war—a spiritual war that is ongoing and fierce. It’s essential that we understand this war, who leads the opposing force, and how to fight and win.

So, moving on into today’s segment, All About Spiritual Warfare: The Mind Is the Battlefield, we’re going to look at a specific aspect of this war—the mind. The fact of the matter is, the mind is the battlefield. The previous article was foundational to the series on All About Spiritual Warfare. This one builds on that foundation, focusing on how the battle begins and intensifies in the mind and affects our thoughts.

I just want to mention that you absolutely may leave any questions or comments at the end of this article.

To begin, what is the mind? First of all, the mind is contained in the brain, which is the portion of the central nervous system contained within the skull. The brain is the control center for movement, sleep, hunger, thirst, and virtually every other vital activity necessary to survival. Therefore, I deem it accurate to state that the brain is the most important organ in the body. All human emotions—including love, hate, fear, anger, elation, and sadness—are all controlled by the brain. It also receives and interprets the countless signals that are sent to it from other parts of the body, and from the external environment. The brain is the supervisor (if you will) of the body. Nothing gets done—nothing gets processed, without passing across the desk of the brain. The brain makes us conscious, emotional, and intelligent, and tucked away in the brain is the mind.

So what is the mind? According to the secular dictionary, the mind is that which thinks, perceives, feels, and wills; the seat or subject of

The Mind is the Battlefield — The mind is the battlefield

consciousness b) the thinking and perceiving part of consciousness; intellect or intelligence c) attention; notice d) all of an individual‘s conscious experiences e) the conscious and the unconscious together as a unit. So in other words, the mind is the part of a person that thinks and reasons.

The brain controls two types of functions: Voluntary and involuntary. For example, the brain regulates breathing and the heartbeat. These are involuntary actions—we normally don’t have to think about these functions; they occur automatically. Other actions, such as walking, talking, and thinking, are voluntary. We perform these functions as we will. Therefore, the mind for the most part falls under the voluntary category. Our thinking and our reasoning are voluntary. We basically choose what we think about, and what we reason, or rationalize. God has given us free will, and we exercise our will through our minds.

Your mind is often your greatest tool, but as anyone who has been taken over by fear, frustration, or worry knows all too well that it can also be your greatest enemy.

Now, what is the spiritual or biblical application of the mind? As for the Old Testament, although the Hebrew language had no specific word for mind, several Hebrew words are sometimes translated as “mind.” For example: The word for heart frequently means “mind”; as is true for the word for soul, which is sometimes used similarly, as is also the word for spirit. Let’s look at some usages of the mind in the Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 30:1

1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to [mind] among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,

So here Moses, bringing forth prophecy, was reminding the Israelites that when they were among the pagan nations, and when they committed apostasies which caused the curses among them, they should call to mind, or remember the blessings and the curses that were set before them.

Let’s now look at Jer 19:5

5 They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:

Here God is addressing Israel’s apostasy, and He mentions that they had committed acts that He’d never commanded, nor had it even crossed His mind to command such a thing! He would never consider such detestable actions.

Let’s look at one more Ezekiel 11:5

5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.

God was letting Israel know through His prophet Ezekiel that He knew exactly what was going on in their minds—what they were thinking.

So here in the scriptures, we see that the usage of the word mind was to indicate voluntary thinking

Moving into the New Testament, four separate Greek words account for nearly all references of “mind”. They all mean much the same thing. They are: understanding, thought, mind, reason. While today we think of a person’s mind in a morally neutral way, in the New Testament the mind was clearly thought of as either good or evil. Now in the negative sense, the mind may be “hardened.”

Let’s look at this in Heb 3:13

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

The mind can also be blinded. Let’s look at this in

2 Corinthians 3:14

14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

Moving on, the mind can be corrupt and debased 2 Timothy 3:8

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Now, on the positive side, humans may have minds that are renewed

Let’s look at the familiar scripture Romans 12:2

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In addition to having renewed minds, they can also be pure. Let’ look at this in

2 Peter 3:1

1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

And after having renewed and pure minds, they may love God with all their minds. Let’s look at Matthew 22:37

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

And in addition, they can have God’s laws implanted in their minds Hebrews 8:10

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

And lastly since Christians have “the mind of Christ,” [1 Cor 2:16] they are instructed to be united in mind. 1 Peter 3:8

8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Now just to note: No Hebrew word is translated as brain in English versions of the Bible.

So we’ve looked at the natural and the spiritual application of the mind.

Now, what we’ve covered so far is that the mind is the part of a person that thinks and reasons. It is a voluntary function of the brain, controlled by the individual, and it can operate in the positive or the negative frames.

Now, because our thinking and our reasoning is voluntary, we basically choose what we think about, and what we rationalize. One of the most important things for us as Christians to realize is the importance of our thoughts. Now as I mentioned in the beginning, the brain is the most important organ in the body, simply because it controls the whole body—all of the bodily functions. The mind is located in the brain, and therefore plays an extremely crucial role in the body as well. Since it is a voluntary function of the brain, we can voluntarily control its actions. Therefore, our thoughts are powerful. We can become imprisoned with our own thoughts. So much so that they can even control the involuntary functions of the brain, and it’s scriptural. Let’s look at this in Proverbs 23:7

7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

Now remember I mentioned previously that the word for heart in the Scriptures frequently means mind, and the word thinketh means think, which applies to the mind. So as a man thinks, so is he. Regardless of what he may say. Therefore, our actions are the result of our thoughts. So if we think positively or have a positive mind, we will have a positive life. But if we think negatively or have a negative mind, we will have a negative life. All this means is that we must control our thoughts:

Let’s look at what it reads in Matthew 12:33

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Now, here Jesus says that a tree is known by its fruit. The same is true in our lives. Thoughts bear fruit. Think good thoughts, and the fruit in your life will be good. Think bad-negative thoughts, and the fruit of your life will be bad. Bottom line: as we think, so are we. Now this is powerful, as are our thoughts.

When I say that our voluntary mind affects our involuntary functions, one example is illness. We can make ourselves sick simply by thinking sick.

If we think about a heart attack long enough, we’ll have one (I have personal knowledge of this). A large percentage of illnesses are self-inflicted. Not by stabbing ourselves, or shooting ourselves: not by taking poison, or overdosing on some drug. But simply because of our thoughts: the thoughts that we allow to enter and dwell in our minds. For example: worry. We can worry ourselves into a host of various illnesses, and that’s just one example. [Anger, grief, loneliness, jealousy] But Jesus specifically warned us against worry. [Matt. 6:25-31] But moving on, if we want to die badly enough, we’ll die. We can literally think ourselves—right off the face of the earth.

Now, as I mentioned in the previous article, we were born with a sinful nature—in the flesh, satisfying the lusts of the flesh, until we were reborn spiritually. But that’s not all.

Let’s look at Ephesians 2: 3

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

So not only were we fulfilling the lusts of the flesh, but also of the mind. So once we are born again, if we renew our minds according to the scriptures (namely Romans 12:2), we will have a positive life. Because as that scripture says: “…that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Once we find the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God for our lives, we can’t help but have a positive life.

Now, think not that Satan doesn’t know this. He knows this better than we’ll ever know. Now, as I mentioned in the previous article, Satan’s main tool is deception. Satan is crafty. He is the greatest salesman in the universe. If we aren’t sober and vigilant, he’ll convince Christians, that because we’re Christians, not following the course of the world, that we are just good for nothing individuals, forcing us into a state of self condemnation, and self pity, placing us on a downward spiral that will deem us absolutely useless to ourselves and anyone else, and worse of all to God.

Now again, I want to emphasize that the activity that we dwell on in our minds is voluntary. But Satan has Christians believing that it’s not. That we can’t control what we think about, therefore have us also believe that we can’t control our actions. But nothing could be further from the truth. Now as we know from the previous article, there is a war—a spiritual war going on. But what this article is about—is where this war takes place. Because this war is spiritual, we can’t see it with our natural eyes. Neither can we see where it takes place. It is imperative to understand that it’s not Desert Storm in the desert. It’s not in the mountains of Afghanistan, Vietnam, Ukraine, Gaza, or any other battlefield in the natural. But that place is in our very own minds. So the fact of the matter is—the mind is the battlefield.

All About Spiritual Warfare - The Mind is the Battlefield — The Mind is the Battlefield

It is in the mind where Satan unleashes his fiery darts. The mind is his playground.

Now let’s look at this in the scriptures: 2 Corinthians 11:

In this scripture, Paul expresses his concern regarding the Corinthians’ faithfulness with a warning that if another teaching—a false teaching- came along, they would be corrupted. And in verse 3 it reads:

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Paul was concerned that their minds would be corrupted by Satan as he corrupted Eve’s in the Garden. Satan’s operation functions in the mind. He invites us (which is all he can do) to think about desires, evil thoughts, and evil deeds. He takes our natural curiosity and carries it beyond God’s intentions, until we cross His line of disobedience.

He operates in our minds by injecting his thoughts into us. It’s up to us to accept or reject these thoughts. Again, I want to emphasize that Satan uses the mind as his playground. Therefore, we must keep our thoughts under control. The bible says that we are to cast evil thoughts down.

Let’s look at this in 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5:

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 [Casting down] imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Verse 5 is regarding the control of negative thoughts in our minds. We are to cast down any thought, argument, theory, reasoning, or anything contrary to God. We are simply to flush them out. Christians are to bring their thoughts into submission so that they fall under the laws of Christ. We as Christians must often take an inventory of our thoughts. In other words, we must think about what we’re thinking about.

Now, the insertion of these negative thoughts is a very subtle, but effective, trick of Satan, causing us to have strongholds. So we have to be sober and vigilant.

Let’s look at how this works in Scripture: James 1:1-15

¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

This passage makes it clear that God is not to blame for our sins. God has given us free will, and we are driven by our own desires and enticed by them. The fact of the matter is, the choice is ours, and WE ARE ON OUR OWN WHEN WE CHOOSE TO SIN!

Now, 2 Corinthians 10:4 mentions “Strongholds.” So, what is a stronghold? A strong hold properly means a fastness, a fortress, or a strong fortification.

The bible refers to David’s hiding places as strongholds [1 Sam 22:4-5; 24:22] It is used in this scripture, however, to symbolize the various obstacles resembling a fortress that exists in our minds. A stronghold is an area in which we are held in bondage due to a certain way of thinking. These are caused by mind-binding spirits. Satan establishes these to interrupt our destiny as Christians. Now we’ll get back to the weaponry later in the series.

Let’s go back to positive and negative thinking. Remember what I mentioned earlier about this? That if we think positive thoughts, we’ll have a positive life; and if we think negative thoughts, we’ll have a negative life? As true as this is, it’s a statement in the natural. But remember, we’re talking about Spiritual warfare, so let’s take this spiritually. You see, we can set our minds on one of two paths: in the natural realm, it’s either positive or negative; or in the spiritual realm, it’s either on the flesh or on the spirit. Now, in the natural, we know that we can’t have both a positive mind and a negative mind. But we must remember that the same principles that apply in the natural apply in the spiritual. Therefore, we can’t have a spiritual mind and a fleshly mind; we either have one or the other. So let’s look at a couple of passages of scripture that deal with this issue of: the mind of the flesh, versus the mind of the spirit. Let’s look at Romans 8:1

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Let’s go down to verse 5

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

So if we allow fleshly thoughts to enter and dwell
in our minds, we will have a mind of the flesh: saved or unsaved.
The scripture doesn’t differentiate. We very often feed our minds with the wrong material. Some Christians think that they can receive fleshly, negative material into their minds, and that it doesn’t affect them, because they’re saved (born again). That’s merely another form of Satan’s deception at work. We simply can’t feed our minds with negativity and expect to have a positive life. It won’t work. Again, Scripture says: “for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” So if we’re feeding on negativity, how can we think positively, and if we can’t think positively, how can we live a positive life? But we’ll get to that later on in the series. On the other hand, if we feed our minds with spiritual things, we’ll have the mind of the spirit. Let’s look at another passage regarding this: Galatians 5:16-17

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

In verse 16, Paul writes the prescription: “walk in the spirit” and we will have the mind of the spirit.

In verse 17, he addresses the warring of the two forces: the spirit and the flesh. Again—spiritual warfare.

Let’s look at another scripture regarding our minds and their thoughts. Let’s take a look at Philippians 4: 8

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

So as Paul begins to close his letter to the Philippians, he encourages them to think positively, to focus on good things. He says,” If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” In other words, think about anything: that’s good!

As the well-known advertising slogan says: “the mind is a terrible thing to waste.” To fill our minds with negativity is simply a waste. We need to think positive things. We need to visualize ourselves, obeying God and being blessed by Him.

To summarize this point, if we think fleshly thoughts, wrong and negative thoughts, we cannot walk in the spirit. It deems it safe to say, therefore, that God-like thinking is a vital necessity to a successful God-like Christian life. For the Christian believer, right thinking is a vital necessity. A vital necessity is something so important that one simply cannot live without it. It’s the same as breathing air is vital, and eating wholesome food is vital; for without these things, there is no life. So the goal is to keep our minds clear of negative and evil thoughts.

Now you may have noticed earlier that several times, I incorporated the phrase “dwell in our minds,” regarding negative-evil thoughts. The reason for that is the fact that we can’t stop negative-evil thoughts from entering our minds. That’s just Satan doing his work—his job. Nor should we feel bad or guilty when these thoughts come upon us. Again—that’s Satan doing his job. The problem is, and the damage is done, when we allow them to dwell in our minds. How do we do this? By reasoning with them.

Remember, the function of our minds is to think and reason. Once a thought enters our minds, and we begin to reason with it, ponder it, and entertain it with visualization, it will manifest itself. That’s how powerful the mind is. Remember what I just suggested: what we need to visualize is obeying God and being richly blessed by Him.

We just don’t realize what power we’re walking around with. This is to the point that we are using this power against ourselves. Our thoughts can become a cancer, which is when basically, the body turns on itself.

So we can’t stop the thoughts—just get ready, because they’re coming, and will continue. We can, however, control the volume of the thoughts—we can minimize them. But that’s all (perhaps a future article). So don’t try to stop them, just let them enter in one side, and send them out the other. You see, we can’t stop birds from flying over our heads, but we can certainly, without a doubt, keep them from nesting on our heads!

Now I’m no Paul by any means, but I encourage you today, Christians: if you haven’t done so already, watch your thoughts. Be careful what you allow yourselves to contain in your minds. Follow the scriptures: one in particular; Romans 12:2. Now I know that most of us know this by heart, but I want to close with our physically looking at this scripture again. It reads:

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

As long as we entertain the thoughts and thinking of this world, we will always be conformed, or fit the mold of the world; and we will never be renewed in our minds, but will remain carnal-minded. And if our minds aren’t renewed, neither will the rest of our bodies be. Also, we will never know the perfect will of God, because we will remain in the flesh.

We’re going to look at another passage: let’s go back to Romans 8: 6-8

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

So, therefore, we must renew our minds and our thinking to win the battle of the mind.

Now how to we renew our minds? Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians 10:4

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Now let’s look at these weapons: let’s now look at John 8:31-32

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Here Jesus tells us how we are to win the victory over the lies of Satan. We must get the knowledge of God’s truth in us and renew our minds with His Word to tear down strongholds. These weapons are the Word received through preaching, teaching, books, tapes, seminars and private Bible study. But we must abide or continue in the Word, until it becomes revelation given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now continuing is important. Remember what Jesus said in Mark 4:24: “And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.” I’m going to repeat this in another translation: “Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.

So Again I say, we must continue using the weapon of the Word.

Two other spiritual weapons available to us are praise and prayer. Praise

Christians and Prayer — Pray diligently!

defeats the devil quicker than any other battle plan, but it must be genuine heart praise, not just lip service. Also, prayer and praise both involve the Word. We praise God according to His word and His goodness.

Prayer is a relationship with the Godhead. It is coming and asking for help or talking to God about something that bothers us.

If we are to have an effective prayer life, we must develop a good personal relationship with the Father. Know that he loves us, that He is full of mercy, that He will help us—in a word: faith. Get to know Jesus. He is our friend. He died for us. Get to know the Holy Spirit. He is with us all the time to help us. So we must let Him help us.

We must learn to fill our prayers with the Word of God. God’s word and our need is the basis on which we come to Him.

One of the best aids to freedom is asking God for a lot of help, and to ask often. Prayer is not a life jacket; it’s a lifestyle. And always remember what Zechariah 4:6 says: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” It is only by the spirit of God that we can win: The Battle of the Mind. AMEN.

Please feel free to leave any questions, comments, or concerns below.

Blessings!

Watch the companion videos that go with this teaching series. Each one expands on the key truths shared in the All About Spiritual Warfare articles.

Prefer a quick message? Watch the Shorts versions below for brief highlights from the Spiritual Warfare series.

Tag: Overcoming the Enemy