Dr. Avery Jackson, in quoting Joyce, added: "Satan is carrying out a strategy to deceive us and fill our minds with worry, doubt, confusion depression, anger, and feeling of self-condemnation. These negative emotions and thoughts cause us to doubt the promises God has made so clearly in His Word. That in turn, can cause us to accomplish less than we are capable of and even to make poor life choices, it often takes a conscious effort to stop worrying and instead start believing God's promises." (102)

Meyers again addressed the issue: "Satan wants you to think that you are mentally deficient — that something is wrong with you. But the truth is, you just need to begin disciplining your mind. Don't let it run all over town, doing whatever it pleases. Begin today to 'keep your foot,' to keep your mind on what you're doing. You need to practice for a while. Breaking old habits and forming new ones always takes time, but it is worth it in the end." (103)

(These quotes and page numbers, used throughout this newsletter, are from a book entitled, The God Prescription, by Dr. Avery Jackson, MD. He has written one of the most cogent texts available on how wrong thinking directly affects the human body.)

Indeed, there has never been a day in history where the controlling forces of the world seek to capture the mind than now! Daily onslaughts from media, programmed agendas and calculated error attempt to invade the mind continually. Mind control is the primary goal of a myriad of sources including governments, businesses and aspiring religionists.

Paul, the apostle, recognized these affronts and knew they had to be addressed and dealt with; otherwise, these agencies of the devil would form strongholds in the believer's mind.

Acknowledging the necessity of God's strong presence in the battle, Paul declared the weapons used are "mighty IN God." Paul, throughout the New Testament, addressed the believer's minds.

In my opinion, the modern believer, in the modern congregation, is unaware of the propensities described in those several verses.

For instance, take the negative "thought loops" which course the average person's brain on continuous playback (30,000 thoughts daily). Accordingly, "75 to 95 percent of the illnesses that plague us today (diabetes, cancer, asthma), are a direct result of thoughts; what we think about affects us." (Dr. Leaf, 92)

No wonder Paul said to "bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Satan uses these negative loops to discourage and separate us from God. Such strategy works.

Truly, a viable relationship with Jesus Christ is the strongest deterrent to these adverse mind patterns. Dependence on the Word of God, with emphasis on Jesus' love for us, gives us effective weaponry against the onslaught of negative triggers.

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 10:3, opens with a declaration of war against the flesh.

Even with the finest statistical data, the results of expert analysis and the compounding capabilities of computers—those tools are carnal and weigh little against prayer, speaking in tongues and the power of the Word. The weapons of our warfare are superior in the battle for the mind.

God's people must learn to use these venues in order to overcome what is seeking to capture their minds and the minds of their children.

Writing to the Philippians, Paul spells out one of the strategies that has been a blessing to me personally.

Any fear, doubt or anxiety that rears its head should hear a recitation of these memorized verses. (Some believe the recitation of any one of God's promises at least four times in a row, affords additional power.)

Dr. Jackson points out: "Whether we are praying, singing hymns of praise, reading His Word, listening to Christian music, speaking in tongues, or engaging in fellowship with other Christians, that focus on God can change our minds in a good way and break the loop of negative thoughts." (62)

These, indeed, are mighty weapons in God!

Barnes' notes describe graphically the term "Stronghold."

Whew, when viewed in such conciseness, the task seems impossible, and it would be, but for the phrase, "mighty in God." Strongholds established over a life time of wrong thinking can be pulled down by the power of God working within you. The very gates of hell cannot prevail against this weaponry.

The question is how much spiritual weaponry is being applied today? These mighty weapons must be used to confront our own thought patterns and those of our children. They must be applied to those around us who are slaves to obsession and bound by sin and the flesh as well.

Oh, that pulpit and pew would recognize the daunting task of spiritual warfare, which needs to be carried out within the gates of the church even before reaching the streets. Social services have proliferated in the absence of the warrior Body! Pulling down strongholds is the churches' domain. So is casting down imaginations!

Yes, the NKJV uses the word "argument" which implies contradictory statements seeking to hinder the work of the Lord in a person's life. Satan seeks to road block the pathway to freedom on every side and from multiple reasonings. (He used such "reasonings" against Jesus in His temptation.)

When we dig deeper, the word "argument" is better understood as "imaginations."

In our current environ, with the escapes of fantasy, and the broad applications of virtual and augmented reality, coupled with bombarding media, is it any wonder that spiritual warfare entails twenty-four-seven vigilance and spiritual discernment?

"Casting down" means to destroy imaginations and their influence.

Imaginations generally portray various constructs of what may be approaching us. Fear and worry propel such thinking. For instance, if a bad diagnosis is given—a person begins imagining themselves in conditions they have seen with others of the same disease or malady.
Popping up in the mind are visions of what could happen, what the odds of survival are and how poorly others look in similar circumstances.

Worry and fear generate intense feelings into this region. Such imaginations must be dealt with immediately, lest they cause doubt to arise against the knowledge of God. Thoughts of worry and fear transcend reality and follow one even to their sleep times. Your mind continues worrying while you are sleeping.

     "When you wake up, the worry continues in the background, even though you are engaging in work and all your other normal activities. The only way to shut down the negative thought process is to think about something that is more powerful than those thoughts.

     People who never address their stress and worry have these negative thoughts running in the background throughout their lives. This leads to physical manifestations, ranging from stomach ulcers to cancer and from autoimmune disorders to psychological disorders." (105)

Dr. Jackson's posits a remedy: "Never go to sleep worrying about your circumstances; this can upset your sleep cycle, digestion, and weight. Hand all your issues over to God, and fall asleep quoting a Scripture or thinking of all the good things that have happened to you or anything that makes you happy and feel at peace. Write your cares down before you sleep, and read the promises in God's Word. Give Him your fears." (105) I Peter 5:7

God alone is the only one powerful enough to transcend the negativity that bombards us every day, moment by moment.

According to Paul, one must "cast down" everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

Consider the anti-Christ education that storms through the classrooms from grade school through university. High things that exalt against what one knows of the truth of God are things which may come from the State, in the form of regulations and rules that run counter to one's belief system. Such things may come from society, like moral turpitude which runs counter to the Bible.

Paul admonishes the Corinthians to "capture" these thoughts and imaginations.

Notice Strong's definition of "capture" is in military terms.

Once a person begins to be aware of the thoughts that seek to denigrate the Scripture, he must accurate and subdue them. As a matter of fact, Webster uses a military form to express the degree of capture.

In such cases, it means not taking prisoners, but executing that thought immediately. Otherwise, that thought spawns more patterns that "take over" one's life. By capturing the thought, it is isolated and cannot extend to others.

This is important business for the believer. This is an obedience to the command of Christ not to allow such to exist. We are to bring these renegade thoughts to the obedience of Christ.

Dr. Jackson writes thusly, "All we must do is believe His promises for us, state those promises until we believe that they are true for us individually, and believe there is no truth above those truths from God. We cast the other thoughts down, and this will create the desired healing cascade that God has planned for us every time!" (51)

Again, Dr. Jackson prescribes nine activities which confront worry, doubt and fear.

In light of Paul's directive to bring our thought life under obedience to Christ, the believer must be vigilant in using I John 1:5. Sin and disobedience can be confessed and He will forgive us our sins and return us to righteousness. To have the mind of Christ requires our thought life to be submissive to His mind.

The most cursory study of God's Word reveals the need to have Jesus garrison our heart and mind.

Perhaps Dr Jackson's summary is even more insightful than simple—

     "God's aim is to heal our bodies and minds. Our job is to pray and thank God for His miracles and grace, think about His mercy, and stay in faith. Satan delights when our spirits and minds are filled with fear, so he does everything he can to keep us fearful. He wants God's peace to be ineffective in our lives." (111)

(All quotes are from The God Prescription, Avery M. Jackson III, MD, FACS, FAANS, 2018; numbers following quotes are page numbers in this book)

Dr. Cosby R. Oliver, PhD.