Winning the Mind Games

In his book Among the Heroes, author Jere Longman describes in horrifying detail the extensive preparations made by the terrorists who seized control of United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, and crashed it into a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The hijackers believed they were involved in a holy war against the forces of evil and prepared accordingly.

By now, the morning of September 11, the four Islamic men in the first-class section were to have made an oath to die, showered, shaved the excess hair on their bodies, and splashed themselves with cologne. They had been given detailed handwritten instructions on how to prepare for their final hours on earth. The letter was to have been read the previous night. It was a spiritual and practical guide on how the terrorists should fortify against self-doubt and infighting, how they should prepare to enter paradise by killing their victims and themselves.

They blessed their bodies by reading the Koran. By rubbing their hands, they also blessed their luggage, clothes, knives, IDs, passports, and papers. Check your weapons before you leave, and long before you leave. You must make your knife sharp and must not cause discomfort to your animal during the slaughter. They tightened their clothes before the battle. They secured their shoes and wore socks to make sure their feet would stay in their shoes. They said a morning prayer as a group … “Oh Lord, take your anger out on [the enemy] and we ask you to protect us from their evils.” And “Oh Lord, protect me from them as you wish.” And “Oh Lord, block their vision from in front of them so that they may not see.”  

When the confrontation began, they were to clench their teeth and “strike like champions who do not want to go back into this world.” They were to shout, “Allahu Akbar,” (God is Great), because this strikes fear in the hearts of the infidels.

Prayer, mental focus, sharpening knives, the tightening of clothes, and securing shoes and socks. These well-trained hijackers knew that such preparation was essential for going into battle if they had any hope of defeating their adversary. 

Contrast that kind of serious preparation with the lackadaisical, hit-and-miss approach of most Christians in our battle against our enemy. Even those of us who give intellectual assent to the reality of Satan and are aware of his very intentional plan to destroy us still … 

• Find time to read our Bible only if there is nothing interesting on television. 
• Pray only when we feel our backs are up against the wall. 
• Possess little knowledge of our opponent or his methods.
• Allow our enemy to distract us so that he can deliver a fatal blow when we least expect it. 
• Refuse to utilize the supernatural power God has given us. 
• Believe the enemy’s lie that we are effectually powerless against his attacks.

No wonder so many Christians fall into the trap of immorality, experience the destruction of their marriages, lose their war against depression, compromise their integrity, and even abandon their faith. With such a passive attitude toward the aggressive assaults Satan has launched against them, they are destined to defeat. 

Contrast the passivity of most Christians with the intense and intentional preparation the apostle Paul suggests in our spiritual war against Satan in Ephesians 6:10-13. 

Be strong … put on … stand firm … take up. These phrases describe a soldier who is alert and armed for an enemy attack, rather than snoring soundly while the bombs burst and bullets buzz overhead. The reason you and I must take such a proactive approach against the enemy is that we are in a “struggle,” Paul describes it. 

The word translated “struggle” originally referred to a Greek wrestling match. A few years ago, our church invited World Wrestling Federation champion Ted DiBiase, “The Million Dollar Man,” to share his testimony with our congregation. 

To enhance the crowd, our staff suggested that before the service, we stage an event between DiBiase and yours truly in a wrestling ring set up in our parking lot. Several thousand of the curious faithful showed up to witness their pastor, donned in a long blond wig (my performing name was “Gorgeous George”) and DiBiase wrestle with one another. Of course, it was all make-believe. Before the match, Ted and I had carefully choreographed our moves to ensure that the contest appeared genuine. 

But in Paul’s day, wrestling events were actual life and death struggles in which the loser of the event would have his eyes gouged out before he was killed. Paul says it is that kind of death struggle in which you are engaged with your spiritual adversary, the devil. 

Obviously, such a serious threat demands intensive preparation. When Paul penned these words to the Christians at Ephesus, he was under arrest in Rome. If you are planning to win your struggle against Satan, you must understand that the primary battlefield on which this war will be waged is your mind.

1. The Centrality of the Mind (Proverbs 23:7; Philippians 4:8-9)

We know from anatomy that the brain is “command central” for our entire body. Every action, every response, every impulse originates from that vital organ. But our mind is more than a mass of tissue and blood cradled in our cranium. Our thoughts have a spiritual component to them as well. It is a tremendous mistake to attempt to separate the “spiritual” from the “psychological” and “physical” components of life.  

God created us as body, soul (our mind, will, and emotion), and spirit (our God-consciousness).  There is no conflict in our lives that is strictly a “spiritual” issue because there is never a time when our spirit is divorced from our body.

Likewise, there is no turmoil in our life that is solely psychological or physical, because our spirit—along with God’s Spirit within us and demonic spirits around us—is always present as well. Someone has well said that our body, soul, and spirit are so closely connected that if one catches a cold, the other one sneezes! 

2. Satan’s Four Channels of Communication 

Precisely, how do Satan and his demonic forces attempt to seize our thoughts and consequently control our actions and destiny?  

• Through Our Desires (James 1:14)
• Through Other Mediums (Genesis 3:1)
• Through Other People (Matthew 16:23)
• Through Direct Means (1 Chronicles 21:1-3)

How can I recognize the voice of Satan channeling through my thoughts? By asking these three questions: 

• Are these thoughts true?
• Do these thoughts motivate me toward faith or fear?
• Do these thoughts contradict the teaching of Scripture?

Precisely what ideas do Satan and his demons attempt to plant in your mind? The list is endless, yet there are some lies that seem to be his favorites because of their resulting consequences.

Full Passage: Ephesians 6:10-13 & Proverbs 23:7