Battlefield of the Mind

"Complain and Remain or Praise and Raise"

- Joyce Meyer

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So, I been hanging out with Joyce for the past few days as she has been assisting me with the battlefield in my mind.  Whether you have ever taken the time to acknowledge it or not, there is a serious war going on in your head.  Just take a moment and think about it.  Every moment that passes creates a reaction, whether it is physical or mental, you're always reacting to something.  For example, right now, you received an e-mail, you're reading it... reaction.  When your stomach growls, you get something to eat... reaction.  Similarly, if someone makes a comment you don't like, you decide to ignore it or respond to it... reaction.

The battlefield of the mind is no different.  However, Joyce is teaching me to be proactive as oppose to reactive.  In other words, if I wake up (like most mornings) with one of the twins speaking to me about something a mile a minute before I even open my eyes, instead of snapping at them or setting myself up for a bad day, I'm learning to thank God for His grace to get me through the day.  I'm learning to thank Him for peace and joy as I enjoy the day.  Another example, if I start thinking negative thoughts about myself or my circumstances I stop them before they start getting me down and combat the thought with the Word and His promises - God hasn't given me the spirit of fear, my God is the God of more than enough, He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that I may ask or think.

At first, it was really hard and felt a bit crazy because it felt like a million voices in my head - mine and the negative ones.  But as I continued to practice this combat style I found myself getting stronger and quicker with the comebacks.  That doesn't mean that stupid thoughts don't still sneak in here and there trying to discourage me or upset me, but I have made up in my mind that I'm going to drive the devil crazy by being happy and at peace regardless of what is going on around me instead of being miserable, ungrateful and allowing him to drive me crazy.  And it feels good.

This is a 'short' inspirational thought but a powerful one if you're ready to grasp the concept.  The basics of what I (and Joyce) are saying is this... you can choose to be happy or sad, miserable or joyful, cantankerous or peaceful, loving or hateful... but it starts with your mind.  Put yourself in check when those negative and misleading thoughts arise.  Even if you don't know the Word or His promises that well, I'm sure you know how to speak positively.  If your mind tells you that you will always be alone, tell it "I don't receive that, God has someone out there looking for me."  If your mind tells you that you're unlovable, tell it "That's a lie because I know a GREAT man that died just for me."  If your mind tells you that you will never reach your goals, tell it "I'm here for a purpose and I will reach that purpose in due time."  

Take control of your mind.  Take control of your thoughts.  The bible says "For as a (wo)man thinks, so is (s)he..." Proverbs 23:7a.  So, the question is... what are you thinking?  Positive thoughts?  Negative thoughts?  Destructive thoughts?  Miserable thoughts?  Angry thoughts?  Bitter thoughts?  Loving thoughts?  Hateful thoughts?  Joyful thoughts?  Ambitious thoughts?  Hindering thoughts?  Fearful thoughts?  I think you get the point...

I STRONGLY suggest that you either invest in Joyce Meyer's DVD series or book entitled "Battlefield of the Mind".  It'll change your life.

Be Blessed in CONTROLLING YOUR THOUGHTS  

God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Try a NEW thing

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

Romans 12:2 AMP

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If there is one thing I know how to be everyday of the week, it is honest.  And though that sounds good, it usually poses a problem for me because I haven't quite mastered HOW to be honest without being offensive.  It is a common known fact that honesty is usually a hard pill for people to swallow, for me included.  Rarely do I encounter people that see the truth, hear the truth, receive the truth and choose to live the truth.   Based on personal experience and observation, I think this is because 'the truth' forces people to look at themselves 'inside' of themselves to see who they truly are when they are not 'putting on face', trying to impress others and/or trying to hide from themselves.  It can be scary, especially is you've been running from it for so long.  But it's so hard to keep up an act.  I think that's why so many of us are unhappy, frustrated and confused with 'how did I get here?' and 'is it ever going to get better?'  I say start with honesty.  Being honest with yourself and God.  And it will set you free to be who you want to be which is ultimately who you are meant to be.  So here's my honesty and truth.  Brace yourself, you may think that I have lost my mind this time.  But it's all good.  Because if I need to lose it to find it, then consider it lost.

I sometimes believe that God intended to make me a man.  I feel like He HAD to have made a mistake when He created me because all this woman/mother/wife stuff can get on my NERVES like nothing else.  Do I love my Husband?  Surely I do.  Do I love my kids? Of course.  Do I love the life God has blessed me with? I thank Him everyday.  So what's my problem?  God made me a woman who cares about people who only tend to care for themselves.  I wish I was a man (typical to most men I know) who live in their own world, in their own mind, in their own stuff, in their own logic and sense.  In other words, if it doesn't pertain to them, it doesn't occur to them. LOL.  I have to laugh because I know everything I am not saying is not completely true, but my truth today tells me it is because, to me, God is a comedian.  And He is the truth.

I grew up with three boys, my mom and dad.  So, predominately males - 4 to be exact.  And though I am not writing this e-mail to 'bash' males because I believe that they have a lot of qualities that create a balance, humour me for a few minutes to get this 'honesty' off of my chest.  For the majority of my life I have seen boys/men live their life in a way that presents as selfish, self-centered, ignorant and careless.  Oddly enough, I find those same characteristics in children.  So what am I saying?  Because of the fact that I feel, on most days, that I have NO PATIENCE for such behaviour's WHY would God make me a woman?  Why not a man so I could 'enjoy' the lackadaisical attributes of life in the same way they do?  Like children, lol.  Am I far gone on this one?  I just feel like as women we are asked for SOOOOO much and expected to do SOOOOO much that it would have to be some sort of punishment.  Then I thought about Eve (I told you that I may have lost it on this one).  Is it Eve's fault for CHOOSING a hard life when she had it so easy?  I mean, come on, she had it better than ANY woman for a few... days.  I don't know.  But what I do know is that when I was younger, my mom and I read a book about Ollie Mae the Octopus who was a mother and literally used all eight of her arms to get work done around the house and for the children.  Just thinking about it now, I don't believe there was a Mr. Ollie Mae... just overworked Mrs. Ollie Mae.

Sometimes me and my husband joke about Ollie Mae because I told him about her as I'm cooking, holding my youngest child, changing the show on television and trying to wash dishes.  My husband thinks it's funny.  I think it's insanity.  So what's my truth?  Do I embrace being Ollie Mae, the woman/mother/wife or do I curse my importance and dwell in the misery of my very existence?  My truth and honesty is to turn this all around IN MY MIND... BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES.  My frustrations have been birthed to teach me something.  My new agenda in life is to learn to trade my peace for His Peace.  God didn't intend for life to be miserable or mediocre or suffered through from day to day.  We are supposed to 'have life and have it more abundantly' whether we are male, female, single, married, rich, poor, healthy, ill, educated or illiterate.  Our existence and happiness should not be predicated on outside stimuli but rather our internal stimuli, who is Jesus Christ.  This and ONLY THIS is why it is SOOOO important to embrace and KNOW who we are in Christ.  Because then nothing else would matter.  We would be able to have joy, peace, be content, loving, forgiving and GENUINELY selfless, regardless of our circumstances.

It all starts in the mind.  The renewing of the mind.  Relearning EVERYTHING that goes against 'having life more abundantly'.  It doesn't matter how your mother mishandled/misrepresented motherhood, do a NEW thing.  Impress yourself.  Its hard, trust me.  I wouldn't be rambling on about this if it were easy because I know EXACTLY what I have to do to find my peace and joy.  But the devil isn't letting me go that easy.  He wants me frustrated, tired and irritable because he knows that messes with the WHOLE atmosphere of my home.  And I feel it, i know when its happening.  It's definitely a fight, but I'm in it to win it.  If for nothing else, simply because I don't want my kids to grow up saying 'you never smiled, or laughed or had fun when we were growing up'.  That would just be such a waste of all my beautiful teeth lol. 

So there's honesty for you.  That's my truth.  And I feel better now.  Back on track.  Whether you found it inspiring or not is for you to decide.  But I strongly advise you to try it sometime.  Be honest with yourself.  What are your truths?  Mind-dump all your harboured fears, anxieties, frustrations, angers, disappointments, confusions... and let them go.  Write them down, then burn them.  Whatever it takes,  Try a NEW thing.  It feels good :)

Be Blessed in MIND-DUMPING... AND LETTING GO

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). - John 10:10 AMP

For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not [a]adjusted and [b]adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to [c]a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently. - 1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP

God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Follow the Leader

BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

Psalms 1:1 AMP

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We, as people, are often referred to as the 'human race'.  I know there must a number of different reasons and concepts surrounding that terminology but I personally believe we're called the human race because we are always running after something - striving towards and/or aiming for something.  In and of itself, that is not a bad thing.  It can be seen as ambition.  However, I believe issues arise when we are unable to differentiate what (or who) we should be running after.  

In a race, let's say the 400m, there is always a leader, some people in the middle and someone in last place.  As a participant in the race, the objective is to win the race.  However, if you have fallen behind due to fatigue, pain and/or lack of skill, there is a tendency to only see the person in front of you, who consequently may only be in 4th place.  What am I saying? There is nothing wrong with trying to catch up to the person in front of you to try and get ahead.  It becomes a problem when you become satisfied with being just 'one up' as oppose to striving for first place.

We are surrounded by many, many, many people in this 'human race' who are represented by our family members, friends, colleagues and neighbours.  And if we take a look around, or an inventory, or their individual 'age and stage of development' we'll notice that we may be ahead of some of them and we may be behind some of them.  Either way, it is not for us to judge.  What we should be doing is striving to do our best always, regardless of what those around us are doing.  In a real race, everyone is out to do better than the next therefore we should start adopting that mentality in life.  Not to be selfish or callous, but to reach our full potential regardless of what's going on around us.

So here's the revelation I have reached over the past couple years that has brought me to this 'Inspirational Thought for the Day'...  In life we have desires in our hearts - desires for a mate, desires for wealth, desires for purpose, desires for joy etc.  Whether we share these desires with others or not is irrelevant.  If they seem impossible or not is not the point.  The fact remains that we have desires in our hearts.  But we have a tendency to get frustrated and feel like failures when they are not fulfilled.  Then we get fatigued, hurt and stop striving towards our goal.  We settle and get complacent.  We mingle and rest with those who are at the same point as we are or behind because then we don't have to muster up the energy to "keep up with the Jones'" in fear of disappointment.  

What I am endorsing is not to be envy, jealousy or covetousness.  I'm actually suggesting wisdom.  Wisdom in the company you keep, wisdom in who you take advice from, wisdom in where you hang out and wisdom in how you spend your time and energy.  Let me break it down further... if you are single/dating/engaged and you want to get married, why are you taking advice regarding your relationship from someone who is also single/dating/engaged?  Reach towards your goal.  Talk to someone who is HAPPILY married, someone who has the ability to be objective, unbiased and honest with you.  Here's another example, if you are trying to better yourself (ie. lose weight, further your education, save your money etc.), why are you talking to some who has either tried to do those things and given up or, worse yet, is discouraging you from reaching your goal?

My point is this... anything you want out of life is attainable as long as you are following the RIGHT leader.  Marriage can be great, as long as you are following the right leader.  Being a mother can be great, as long as you're following the right leader.  Being single can be great, as long as you're following the right leader.  LIFE can be great, as long as you're following the right leader.  Use wisdom.  Just because it looks like a sheep and acts like a sheep doesn't mean it's a sheep... it could be a wolf in sheep's clothing.  In other words, if you are seeking advice from someone and what they are saying doesn't seem to line up with the Word of God and EVERYTHING POSITIVE He has waiting for you... RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN TOWARD YOUR GOAL.  Don't let that 'wolf' or person behind you drag you down or back into last place.  STAY FOCUSED. STAND ON HIS WORD. KEEP MOVING FORWARD. You'll get tired, you'll get confused sometimes but rest assured, when you cross the finish line and stand on that podium with a gold metal in your hand, you'll know you've made it... tried, tested and true.

Be Blessed in FINISHING FIRST

God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Prosper, just as your soul prospers

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

3 John 1:2 NASB

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I think I have found one of the main flaws in the church.  I've never been able to out my finger on it until recently it came to me in the middle of the night, in the way God likes to talk to me.  The church in and of itself is not the issue, it's the misguidance of the people within the church.  Dating back to the Pharisees and the Sadducee during Jesus' time with us on the earth.  They hated and crucified Him for living (and dying) for what I'm about to tell you.  

Being a follower of God's Word is NOT based on spirituality and Religion but rather the restoration of our soul - mind, emotions and will - that was stolen and corrupted (in the Garden of Eden) prior to our birth into the world.  Jesus taught grace and mercy and no condemnation because He knew that until one restores their soul IN the Spirit, they are predestined to lies, adultery, pride, fornication etc.  Where the church failed and continues to fail is their consistent need to beat religion, scripture and judgement down the throats of people who are in need of soul-healing.  People will not be able to digest the Word as they should with a diseased soul.  Anyone who comes into the church is consciously or subconsciously looking for healing, like a baby looking for a nurturer.  The mentality of the majority in church, unfortunately, is to read the Word and judge and/or condemn based on scripture or read the Word and expect results and compliance.  However, that method is equivalent to trying to feed a steak to a baby... you can just imagine how potentially fatal that could be.  The same holds true in the church in regards to people seeking soul-healing.

The members of the church are like the Pharisees in the story of the adulterous woman in John 8:2-11 - quick to judge, quick to condemn, quick to compare and quick to criticize.  When, in fact, ALL of us deserve to be stoned for our inner thoughts and outer actions from time to time. What makes matters worse is that only a few leaders will preach restoration PRIOR to or as part of a message/sermon encouraging their church/group to do better, just as Jesus did.  In this story with the adulterous woman, all Jesus left her with were these words... "Go now and leave your life of sin."(v. 11) He didn't ask her why, how come, how could you or tell her to get out of sight.  His mercy and grace was enough.  Funny enough, whether you realize it or not, He gave us (you and me) the same message before he died on the cross... "It is finished" = "Go now and leave your life of sin".  Leave it at the cross and leave your life of sin.   

Please understand that I am not convicting the church but rather hoping that those who are in a position of influence within the church can appreciate the cycle that we have sustained.  I'm also hoping that those who have experienced this type of reproach will understand that anyone who treated them as 'less then worthy' while they were seeking healing needs soul-healing themselves.  We, as Christians can ONLY prosper (in health, peace, joy, wealth etc.) as our soul prospers.  In other words, if our soul is still in need of restoration then we can teach as many purpose, destiny, prosperity and condemnation messages as we want BUT until we get to the root issues - the Garden of Eden, Generational curses, unresolved issues, addictions etc. - we will continue to have lack, fornication, divorce, crime, unforgiveness, merciless, bitterness and backsliding in the church... by the congregation and the Leaders.  We need to understand that our souls have been redeemed therefore the restoration of our souls is what WE are responsible for.  Sometimes we cause the damage, sometimes the damage is done to us.  My point is this... we can not expect ANYTHING we long for in it's complete capacity PLUS overflow if our soul needs restoration - YOU WILL NOT PROSPER.  You'll do alright with some favour and blessings.  But for God to truly bless you, prosper you and poor out abundance into your life... he needs a vessel without holes.  

Don't get me wrong.  We are human and we will continue to have our issues and flaws, it's natural.  The holes that i'm talking about is the disobedience, unforgiveness, bitterness, fornication, lies, greed, pride, selfishness, merciless, abusive, hurt, anger, self-pity, guilt etc. etc. etc that we are carrying around and allowing people to exploit.  WE WILL PROSPER ONLY AS OUR SOUL PROSPERS.  Therefore, whatever junk/baggage is holding you back in the physical GET RID OF IT.  Look at your health, your finances, your relationships, your assets, your character... whatever is operating in dysfunction... really take a look at it and figure out where and WHY your soul is damaged and/or lacking THEN LET IT GO.  Fill the holes with CHRIST so you WILL PROSPER as your soul prospers!

Be Blessed in PROSPERITY!

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

 ¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

 “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (Excerpt from John 8:2-11)

P.S. Join us TONIGHT (March 9/12) from 7-8pm on FACEBOOK for GRIEF TALK - When Loss is a blessing in disguise... SEE YOU THERE!

God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Confront Yourself

Trying to be someone you are not is exhausting.  Be 'sick and tired' or being 'sick and tired'. Change.

- M. Thompson

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I believe that God allows us to go through every life situation - good and bad - to get us to the point that we have no other choice but to submit to Him, His plans and Will for our lives.  He created us and He wants us to come back to Him.  Trusting Him for everything.  Leaning on Him for everything.  Loving Him MORE than anything.  But the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden is still in us poisoning our soul.

We think we know everything.  We think we have it all figured out.  We think our ways, plans and thoughts exceed those of the One who knew us before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV, Jeremiah 1:5 NIV).  We have allowed ourselves to be fooled and deceived into thinking 'this is just who I am'  or ' this is just the way life is' or 'this is my cross to bear'.  I've said it once and I'll say it again... to believe that Jesus was beaten, tortured, diseased, mocked, rejected and slain for us to have a mediocre, average and/or complacent life is ridiculous.  Then, we add insult to injury by saying we believe in His ressurection only to settle for what the devil has planned for our lives as if it is better than what God has planned for us.  The peace, joy and gifts in the Garden of Eden has always and will always be God's plan for our life.  He gave us free will and the opportunity to make our own choices in hope that all He has for us would be worth being obedient and submissive to His Word and Will for our life.  He gives us chance after chance after chance and continues to give us chances.

It's time for us to confront ourselves.  Life is about choices.  But human nature has a tendency to pick the 'easy way out' of things - blaming others, settling for less, lying (to ourselves and others), wallowing in self-pity and building 'walls'.  It's time to start tearing those walls down and asking ourselves the hard questions that usually make us defensive:

1. What's wrong with me?
2. Why did I choose to go left instead of right?
3. Why do I say/think/feel/do the things I do?
4. What do I allow him/her to treat me this way?
5. Why do I treat him/her that way?
6. Why is my life the way it is?

Then, once you have answered yourself HONESTLY (in the privacy of your head) with no one to confront you but you, compare your answers to God's Words.  Do they line up?  What lies have you accepted as truth for your life? What poison have you allowed to consume your life?

After that, once you have figured all of that out (as time consuming and intimidating as it may be)... KILL IT.  Kill EVERYTHING about you that doesn't line up with God's Word.  Kill your 'bitchy' attitude.  Kill your negative thoughts.  Kill your stubborness.  Kill your paranoia.  Kill your poor choices.  Kill your need to control everything.  Kill your manipulative spirit.  Kill your accpetance of mediocrity.  Kill you low self-esteem.  Kill your self-pity.  Kill your acceptance of lack.  Kill your addictions.  Kill your bitterness.  Kill your unforgiveness.  Kill your voids.  KILL IT ALL AND LET IT GO.  Dead weight will always hinder your buoyancy - your ability to bounce back. 

Confront yourself and BE FREE.  Live on Purpose!  Live for Purpose!  Be Blessed on Purpose!
 
God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Picture: 'Freedom' by Kvikken