Whether you are a believer or not, the enemy will attack. There is no question that this is the case. We are in a fallen world, where all authority in this earth was given over to Satan. We are targets. Even now, some of you who are reading this may be going through depression, anxiety, or doubt; maybe you are being reminded of your past or even worried because you are not sure of what the next step is. You may be overthinking a situation that you thought you gave to Christ. You may be worried and living in constant fear.
(Which really isn't living.)
The enemy actually has you on a hamster wheel. Running the same cycle endlessly.
As well as mentally and spiritually, which will then affect you physically.
Its an attack and these attacks mentioned initially all manifest in the mind once you allow them to negatively affect your way of thinking,
What is the mind?
In Greek, it is dianoia. The outline of biblical usage :
the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring, understanding, mind, i.e., spirit, way of thinking and feeling, thoughts, either good or bad.
But for us to have understanding, desires or feelings, we must have a heart, which is the root of how we think and how we react to certain attacks that come our way.
Well, what is the heart?
In Greek, it is kardiá .The outline of biblical usage :
Inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding, mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory, inclination, resolution, determination (of will), conscience, as seat of appetites, as seat of emotions and passions, as seat of courage.
As you can see, the definitions for mind and heart are very similar.
The heart and mind are, in summary, the epitome or representation of a man. It is the man. We may be in physical bodies, but it passes away. Our hearts and minds carry our identity. For example, if God was looking for someone to please Him, would He look for someone who has the best physical features, the perfect body weight, and the best hairdo? No. That has nothing to do with who you are. You are not your physical appearance. So when we say the enemy is after you he is really after your heart. The Bible backs this up. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."
The heart shows who we really are.
So when Christ looks at you, this is what Christ looks at when you are tested. This is what is amplified when you are walking through that furnace of affliction. Not the fake smile you put on when people ask you how life is and you say "fine" When in reality its not. (We've all done it).
So with that being said, if the enemy knows that this is what Christ is looking at, then this is exactly what he's coming for. What do you think he wants to come out as filthy when The Most High holds a magnifying glass up to us? He may attack you through your family, your job, your finances, or your emotions because he knows that attacking those things can cause you to go into a rabbit hole of endless thoughts. You then start doubting God. This makes your heart filthy. The enemy is waiting to accuse you. He wants to bring your name up before God in the heavenly courtroom and say, "See, look how your child does not trust you. Just as he wanted to do with Job. Job 1:6-12.The enemy does not care what he takes from you. He just wants your heart to be found filthy as a result of doubting Christ. So yes, He targets those material things because that is what most of our hearts are set on. We have to be willing to say, "If I have nothing else, I have Christ." Our souls can't afford to get too attached to that which will pass away. Matthew 6:21 states that where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be. So what happens? He will try to redirect your focus to pay attention more to your physical circumstances rather than spiritual. He understands your heart is precious, so why don't you? Did he not try to make Christ bow to him in exchange for material possessions? He is indeed after you (heart), and he wants you to forfeit your confidence in Christ that has great reward.
When tested or under tribulation some thoughts that may derive from the mind/heart:
"Is God even with me?"
"Does He see me?"
"Do I mean anything to Him if He would allow me to go through this?"
This is what the Israelites did when they were to go into the promised land and subdue it, but they questioned if God was with them. This indeed made God wroth.
Numbers 14:1-11
These thoughts cant be coming from God so who are they coming from?
Exactly.
Satan attacks the mind
I will finish with this. The enemy usually attacks the heart with doubt, unjust thoughts, or desires, which will then soon defile the mind. That's interesting because the heart and brain, which can represent the mind, are two of three organs that we can't live without. If those two organs are removed, what use is the body? It basically shuts down. In the same way, if the enemy attacks you through your thoughts, which then lead to your mind and heart, and you yield, then how are you then walking on the will of Christ? Who have you made the Lord of your life once you've done that? It sounds like a stretch, but remember that your enemy is cunning. He is not going to come through with what seems obvious. Doubt seems harmless, right? We think its just a mere thought. Its not.
Doubt is lack of trust in the One who is the Author and Finisher of your faith.
For instance, let's take a young man who knows Christ is Lord. He accepted Him as his Savior, but now the enemy is attacking him even harder. The enemy knows he can't come directly to him, saying, "I am Satan; look at your physical circumstances and how nothing is working out for you. I thought God was with you." That's too easy, and the enemy knows better. So he can come through the young mans thoughts. The young man thought they were harmless. These "harmless thoughts" are so detrimental to our spiritual walk. That's where your walk began. In your thoughts. You made a choice that was derived from your heart which then went to your mind, to follow Christ. Paul says we are transformed by the renewing of our mind (heart/mind). Romans 12:1. He doesn't want you to grow. So that is what he will target. You may think they are harmless thoughts, but do you realize how much a lack of faith is displeasing to God?
Very
Restoration can't take place in our lives or something we are believing God for, without faith. Plain and simple. Matthew 13:58
When you think about it, it makes sense as to why The Word says to guard our hearts with all diligence because everything we do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23) Once Satan taints your mind, it soon affects your behavior. The full armor plays its part in this as well. We have the breastplate of righteousness, which protects our hearts from sin. Then we have the helmet of salvation that is covering our minds. Salvation means to deliver from harm, ruin or loss. It makes sense as to why we always have to continuously put it on.
Saints,
It can be easy to give in to your thoughts. It can be easier to listen to the attacks coming through your mind and to bow to them rather than speak The Word. I encourage you to do the hard thing, which will then become easier as you implement it. We were enlisted as warriors. If only we acted like it. Don't allow the enemy to bring you before your Savior, accuse you to then allow him to be right.
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