Possess the Land: The Land of the Mind

Series: Possess the Land
Sermon: The Land of the Mind, “Mind Control”
6/20/10
Intro
Last week we talked about Facing the Enemy and how the Church must rise up in the power and authority of Christ and cast down the enemy
It is the churches job to challenge the hierarchy of Satan and pull down the strongholds of wickedness
The command of the Lord is to possess the land-within.
The mind is a great battlefield
Every thought must be brought under the obedience of Christ, where there is peace.
Obj
Duet 1:8 Behold Go In Possess the Land
 Spiritual growth and the renewing of the mind are definitely connected
 You are responsible to renew your mind
Eph 4:23 Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, this is a command
 Renewing comes as you let God’s truth permeate every part of your thinking
 Break up your fallow ground of your mind and
Josh 1:8 KJV 8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Mark 12:30 Love the Lord with all your…MIND.
Romans 12:2 KJV 2And 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.
Ways by which ground is given to the Enemy- area of battle: Thoughts
1. An unrenewed mind
2 Cor 4:4 the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who believe not
Ephesians 2:3 (King James Version)
3Among 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.
Colossians 1:21 (King James Version)
21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Romans 8:6 (King James Version)
6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
 Lies and deception admitted to the mind
 Music-breaks down your mind/will to bring you to a place of passivity-the demonic enters
 Emotions- hurts, bruises, pain
 Veil over your mind thru witchcraft
 Sexuality- totally opens you up to demonic
 Transferrance of Spirits-Sexual intercourse
 Evil spirits enter from the outside through the mind, coercing man to take action immediately
 Their thoughts confuse and paralyze man’s mind so that it can no longer think clearly, Watchman Nee
Temptation: thought of evil
 Jesus was tempted, had thoughts of evil, yet without sin
 What makes temptation sin is when you act on a temptation or begin to rehearse its party and act it out
 Mat 26:41- Pray so that you don’t enter into temptation
Strategy of Satan: deception & passivity
Signs of Deception
1. A fanatical Spirit
James 3:15-17 (King James Version)
15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 Comes from the enemy, wrapped in enthusiasm and energy but unwilling to listen to reason or others and say they are hearing from God. (deceived)
2. Revelation or direction coming through a passive mind is subject to deception
Revelation 19:10
for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Prophecy
a. spirit of prophecy
b. gift of prophecy 1 Cor 12
c. office of the Prophet Eph 4
3. Misconceptions of truth
 Truth: I have the mind of Christ- 1 Cor 2:16
 Deception: I do not use my own brain
 Truth: the mind of Christ is not automatic, you must first renew your mind, be led of the HS, And His Word must dwell in you.

 Truth: God speaks to me…
 Deception: I am led by the Spirit, so I don’t need my mind
 Truth: God speaks through my spirit by the Word of God, and my mind must be in tune with my spirit to understand what God is saying.
4. truth not in proper balance with other truths becomes error
2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 A system of teaching built around one facet of truth can lead into error
5. a closed mind to light and truth is a sure sign of Deception
 Attitude- I have it all, Ignorance brings deception about God, and yourself
Ex: Homosexuals- I love God, gay church in Dallas, 3000 members, john the Baptist preaching on sidewalk of gay church, called cops, cops got saved.
Symptoms of Passivity
 Sudden flashes of thought, thoughts captivated by certain pattern of rejection worry fear
Demonic notions…
 You are more spiritual than the rest, your work will shake the whole world, you should step out and live by faith
Uncontrolled imagination, inability to reason
Free Mind
Thoughts under subjection to JC
Mind in-tune to your spirit Rom 8:6
Mind is free to make decisions
 To have a renewed mind is to arrive at the highest possibility which God has ordained for one’s mind.
Principle of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit Reveals God’s will in one’s Spirit that he may know what it is, Rom 8:16
Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The Laws of the Mind
 What ever the mind sets itself on is what the man walks after
 The leadings of God are transmitted through the spirit, and offer us an opportunity to make a choice
 A disturbed mind is harmful to spiritual life
 Mind is not to be ruled by emotions 2 Tim 1:7
2 Timothy 1:7 (King James Version)
7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
 The head needs to be kept in a humble state acts 20:19 humility of mind
 The Word of God is to be put into the mind Heb 8:10, 10:16
 The mind must not operate independently of the spirit’s rule
God’s Solution
1. Repentance
Acts 3:19 (King James Version)
19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
2. Put on the Armor of God Eph 6, specifically the helmet of salvation
3. expel the deception by truth: the truth will set you free
Discern source of suffering and trouble, wait for illumination HS, resist lies, James 4:7, let truth penetrate every area of life
4. Renew the Mind
1. Examine source of your thoughts
2. Bring every thought into obedience of Christ 2 Cor 10:5
3. Mind set free from the flesh Rom 8:7
4. Believer is responsible to renew his mind Rom 12:2
5. Let repentance have its perfect work Jam 1:4
5. Passivity is overturned by activating the Mind
 Make a decision and not permit outside force to employ or control your mind
 Exercise your mind by taking the initiative, and break the procrastination, do not depend on anyone else
 Exercise your mind by thinking, reasoning, remembering, and understanding