My Thought Are A Battlefield!

2 Corinthians 10:1–6 NKJV

1 Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2 But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Play “Love is Battlefield” By Pat Benatar.

Introduction:

My assignment tonight was to preach on the thought life.

Pastor Deadra was talking with me about this message she wanted preached tonight, and she told me that when she heard the song we just played, she heard in her spirit:

“My thoughts are a battlefield.”

And the truth is—they are.

What we find in this text is that while we walk in the flesh, we are not called to war according to the flesh.

The battle is deeper than behavior. The battle begins in the mind.

The things that play over and over in our minds become arguments.

Those arguments continue in our thoughts. Those thoughts create strongholds. Those strongholds begin to shape our behavior.

Some strongholds reinforce healthy behavior. Others reinforce destructive behavior.

Our thoughts eventually become beliefs— and our beliefs eventually become actions.

So when we have negative strongholds, we eventually produce negative actions.

I. We are in a spiritual war.

2 Corinthians 10:3 NKJV

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

We live in bodies.

But the battle is deeper than physical. Recovery people understand:

internal struggle.

cravings.

compulsions.

destructive thinking.

“The greatest battles in life are often invisible.”

II. THE ENEMY BUILDS STRONGHOLDS.

2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,

A stronghold is: 👉 a way of thinking that opposes God and becomes deeply rooted.

fear

shame

bitterness

addiction thinking

hopelessness

self-hatred

“Strongholds are lies we have believed long enough to treat as truth.”

III. THE BATTLE IS IN OUR THINKING.

2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

The warfare is:

arguments.

thoughts.

reasoning.

Perception before behavior:

“Before the enemy conquers your actions, he attacks your thinking.”

IV. WE MUST BRING OUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE.

2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

agreement.

attention.

obedience.

“You don’t have to obey every thought that enters your mind.”

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

1. Confront the thought.

“Is this from God?”

2. Compare it to Scripture.

“What does God say?”

3. Replace the lie with truth.

V. OBEDIENCE BREAKS STRONGHOLDS.

2 Corinthians 10:6 NKJV

6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Freedom is not just:

emotional

intellectual

Freedom comes through: 👉 obedience.

Line:

“Truth changes nothing until it is obeyed.”

CONCLUSION

The battle is real.

The enemy wants:

your mind

your thoughts

your focus But God has given us:

spiritual weapons

truth

the Holy Spirit And if we will:

confront the lies

renew our minds

and obey the Word

Strongholds can come down.