Our mind is a battlefield and many
thoughts go through it. What kinds of thoughts have been in your mind lately? As warriors of Christ, are we fighting against the fiery darts of the wicked? The
enemy is warring against us and he uses all of the arsenal that he has to try
to defeat us. Brother Branham says:
59 “And Satan, if he can interrupt your
mind, that's all he has to do.” -- Sermon: God Has A Provided Way
God chose our hearts, but the devil chose
our mind. Our minds do not belong to Satan and we have to keep
surrendering to God and giving our thoughts to Him.
Since the greatest battle ever fought is in
our mind, Satan will try to do everything to reach our minds and influence our
thoughts. One of the ways he does this, is through music. Yes, Christian
hymns are wonderful, they encourage and bless our spirits. Though godly
music will uplift us, worldly music destroys the peace God tries to give us.
Have you noticed how much music influences
children and young people? How these worldly songs have been a great and
evil influences on their minds? It hinders a relationship with God.
Music is not the only thing the devil uses. Television has always
been one of the enemy's weapons that he tries to use against us as well.
52. “And today we're getting so slothful,
the church is getting so worldly, and so indifferent, and so their minds so
muddled up with television, and "We Love Sucy" and some of these old
things, and staying home. That shows where the people's hearts are.”
-- Sermon: "The Presence of God Unrecognized"
51. (…) We, as Christians, gaum our
mind full of such tommyrot, when we ought to be in prayer somewhere and study
the Bible to know the signs of the time we're living in. -- Sermon: "Hebrews
Chapter Two #2"
The devil tries to induce us with evil
thoughts, wrong thoughts, contrary to the Word of God. In the sermon "Questions
& Answers #4", Brother Branham answers some questions related
to these types of thoughts:
387. Brother Branham,
please explain how a person knows if he is thinking his own thoughts, or if the
devil is placing thoughts in his mind to make him think wrong, especially, if
you know you do not want to think them.
Then, if it's
contrary to the Word, it's the devil's thinking. If it's with the Word, it's
God thinking. If it's the wrong thoughts, it's the devil. If it's good thoughts
of the Word and of God, it's God's thinking.
388. If the case may be
that the devil is placing thoughts in your mind about a certain thing, how may
it be overcome or got rid of?
Take the very vice
versa from it. If the devil makes you think that--that--that you are... If you
know you're a Christian, and he tries to make you think you're not a Christian,
just take the versa, say, "I am a Christian." As long as your
experience matches in God's Word say, "I'm a Christian." Anything
else, the same way.
When you answer this,
please pray for me to overcome this, as I am not by myself.
God grant your overcoming, ever who you are. May your thoughts just go
right back the other side and say, "I am a Christian; I am a believer.
Satan, you have no hold on me."
Brother Branham
also says:
34- Let no evil come in your mind
in your thinking; just--just dismiss it. If it knocks on the door, take it
away, just say--just show your Token. Just keep walking. "I'm under the
Blood." Sermon: “Token”
When Jesus went to
the house of Martha, she was distracted, anxious, and tired. She had gotten so caught up in the “must-get-this-done-now
mode”, isn’t this similar to the attitude of our fast paced world today?
Mary had a mind
directed to the Word of God. She knew
how to prioritize what was really important, regardless if people thought her
lazy or inconsiderate of the customs of the day. Luke 10:38-41 says:
Now it came to pass,
as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named
Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister
called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving,
and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me
to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered
and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many
things:
But
one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be
taken away from her.
Certainly at one time
or another, we have felt like Martha. Problems, worries, anxiety and so many other
things try to invade our minds and thoughts, sometimes leaving us sad or
distressed. Brother Branham prays:
161 (…) “ may our
hearts and minds be stayed upon Thee. And you said You'd keep us in perfect
peace.” -- Sermon: A Man Running From The Presence Of The Lord
The more we feed our
spiritual body and raise our thoughts and mind to God and His Word, in His
promises to us, the more we will be prepared for battle against the enemy. When
we are meditating on God's Word, reading the Bible, thinking of the songs we
sing in church, listening to Christian music, meditating on Bible verses, on sermons
preached at the church services, sermons you have already read or are reading, you
draw closer to God. In reverence, we
should be asking God to direct our mind and thoughts, so that we may be used as
instruments for His Glory.
E-23 “ So they was
wondering. But while they were thinking on Him, He appeared to them, and that's
the way He usually comes to us. When you usually find your greatest blessing,
you housewives? When the children's all gone to school, and you're out by yourself
washing the dishes or something, when you're running the sweeper on the floor
or something.
When do you men? When
you're setting eating your lunch, maybe by yourself, and reading the Bible on
the side, somewhere where you're on your road going home in the car, and you're
meditating on... If we would let the thoughts of our heart, and the meditations
of my mind be upon Him, He would appear often to us.
But the trouble,
we're thinking about where we're going to make the next dollar, and what we're
going to do here, and how this is going to be. Jesus said, "All these
things will be taken care of but seek ye first the Kingdom of God." ---Sermon:
The Mighty Conqueror
The enemy knows that
we draw strength when we surround ourselves with the things of God, that is why
in this battle, he will use every weapon that he has to try to distract our
thoughts to other different subjects especially when we are reading the Word or
when we are in Church Service. But we are Christian soldiers and we know that
the weapons of God are more powerful than any weapon that the enemy has, the
Word of God is living and active , and large shield against worldly influences
and wrong thoughts. The enemy has no power over our mind when we use the weapons
that God gives us.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist
the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to
you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
54- 1 God's
army, close up your mind; don't stop for a minute to think of anything the
devil's got to offer you through your senses. But remember, God's Word can
never fail.-- Sermon: The Greatest Battle Ever Fought
58 “And the Word will defeat the
devil anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.”
Sermon: Door to the
Heart
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