Do you know that you have two minds: a soul mind and a spirit mind? During our counseling sessions with clients, I am frequently amazed at how confused people are about the nature and progress of their “born again” experience. In this article, I want to clarify the issue and hopefully give hope to many who are struggling to understand why they cannot get victory!
Some portion of our center’s activities focus on deliverance ministry: setting the captives free from demonic strongholds that keep them in bondage. We are quick to point out that we cannot blame demons for everything wrong in our life and after, and even apart from, deliverance that it becomes vitally important to win the battle of the mind.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone; the new has come”. (2 Cor. 5:17 NIV). This both a present reality and a future promise. When we receive Jesus as our savior, our spirit man is reborn (John 3:6-7). Our spirit has a mind and so does our soul! We do not get a new body or soul, although some receive instant healing and deliverance during the salvation experience. Our spirit man now has the mind of Christ and wants to follow and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
The future promise is that through deliverance ministry (as applicable) and the transformation of our soul that we will grow in Christlikeness.
How do we use this principle with clients?
Battlefield of the Mind
I had a client recently who had a history of being abused spiritually by several church leaders. Prior to the deliverance ministry session, I asked him an important question: “Have you forgiven them?” His response was, “I have, but when I see them or hear their name, I feel turmoil inside of me so I don’t know if I have.”
We teach that forgiveness is a choice, a decision of your will, and when you do it, it is done. Therefore, the spirit mind, which has the mind of Christ, must continually remind the physical (soul) mind of this truth going forward or else the merry go round may not stop!
After deliverance, we tell people they must be prepared for past memories and abuses to be stirred up. That is the time to step up and let the spirit man lead by having the spirit mind tell the soul mind to take all ungodly thoughts captive (2 Cor 10:5)! The physical mind in the soul is bombarded by thoughts which then impacts the emotions.
We live in a world that wants us to be led by our carnal mind and emotions. If we subject our physical mind to the spirit mind, and are willing to be led by it, then good fruit will result! It is a lifelong process, this battle in the mind, of allowing our spirit mind to win in every situation.
When we are free from demonic strongholds and purposed to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh then we will see greater victories and blessings in our lives.
What tactics do you use to win these spiritual mind battles?
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