Since the beginning of mankind, there has been an intense battle waged for the control of the thoughts in our mind.

This battle in the mind originally began as a temptation, in the Garden of Eden. It continues raging on today with all of humanity. It’s a vicious fight, and a spiritual battleground of life and death. As with every battle, there is an enemy, and the same is true about this battle in our mind. So, who is this enemy that wages an unrelenting pursuit for our thoughts? To help answer this question we must start by going back in time, to the very beginning of creation, in the Bible. It is here we discover who our true enemy is, and who is at the center of this ferocious battleground in our mind.

In Genesis chapters one and two, we are told God created Adam and Eve, and He gave Adam instructions on how to care for their home in the Garden paradise He had created for them. Then, “The LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die’” (Genesis 2:16-17). God gave Adam this one command, and told him what the consequence would be if he disobeyed.

In Genesis chapter three, we are introduced to the serpent. The Bible tells us he, “was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made” (Gen. 3:1). Naturally, the serpent being a subtle creature, would have made him the perfect choice for Satan to use in deceiving Eve. Revelation, speaks of Satan as that “serpent of old” in two different accounts. “So the great dragon was cast out, that “serpent of old,” called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Rev. 12:9). “He laid hold of the dragon, that “serpent of old,” who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:2). Satan, seduces Eve with his lies. We know from scripture that Satan is a liar and the “father of lies”. “When he lies he speaks his native language. There is no truth in him” (John 8:44). When we look at scripture as a whole, we know that it was Satan who tempted, deceived, and was able to get Eve to do what he wanted her to do by appealing to her desires.

Imagine Eve, totally innocent, without any sin, and living in paradise. She had never been deceived, or lied to before. Boy, did Satan know what he was doing! He draws near to her, and begins speaking his twisted native language of deception and lies. He entices her with her own desires. He begins by trying to get Eve to doubt what God has told them. He continues twisting the words of God as he speaks to her, creating a crafty deception. He creates doubt in her mind by belittling God’s Soveriegn authority. He tells Eve, what God has told them is not really the truth. He tempts her with pride, and tells her that she could, “be like God” if she will only eat the fruit God commanded them not to eat. Finally, Eve gives into the temptation, “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too” (Gen 3:6). Satan always temps us with something we desire, so that we will have what he wants us to have, instead of God’s goodness.

Thinking of our own lives, how many times has Satan used these same tactics on us? His first goal is to discredit God by causing us to doubt what God has told us. He twists the truth in our minds, and deceives us with reasoning, trying to turn us away from God completely. His devices have not changed since that day in the garden. He is a brutal enemy and fights to the death, our eternal spiritual death. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Think about that for a moment, envision a wild lion who has not eaten for days. He roars with great ferocity because he is hungry for the kill. He is a beast with no feelings and only one goal, to kill and devour. Be wise to Satan’s schemes!

We know these things from scripture about our enemy Satan:

• He is a liar, and deceives us with lies.
• He twists the Word of God.
• He tries to cause us to doubt God.
• He always temps us with something we desire, so that we will have what he wants us to have, instead of God’s goodness.
• He is in opposition to God.
• His intentions are never good, they are always meant for our destruction.
• He is like a roaring lion looking for someone to kill and devour.
• He uses pride to deceive us into thinking we know better than God does, and that we don’t need God.

Be wise to Satan’s schemes, and know the enemy’s tactics. Knowing who our enemy is, helps us to better understand what the cause of this “Battle in our Mind” is.

How can we win this fierce battle in our mind? God provides the answer to that question in His Word, the Bible. We will be continuing to seek out that truth in part two of this message. If you have a question or comment, please feel free to do so below. You may also email me at: malinda@truthforreallife.com

Blessings to you always!