While there is an abundance of visible conflict taking place on the global stage, the most significant warfare is being waged in our minds. The floodgates of hell have been opened in a desperate attempt to stall what God has planned to advance the Gospel in the nations. Hell must first stumble the thinking of the Church in order to accomplish its dark plan.

One of the most regarded verses describing how we stay healthy in mental conflicts is found in Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  If our minds have not been renewed, we will assume the same mental posture used by the world to solve its problems. That way of thinking is a proven recipe for spiritual disaster.

A mental war will always intensify when someone is at a point of a significant breakthrough. The same is true for large segments of the Church. Paul told the Corinthians to take each thought captive. The word captive means “to lead away captive.” We must first handcuff those thoughts before we can lead them away as captives. This is not a laborious task of religious duty that will eventually come to the end of human strength and ability. It is confronting lies when they appear and demanding they submit to the truth of Scripture and to the heart and will of God. Such a defense causes a lie to scurry away in impotence.

This is one part of what Paul described as “The Good Fight” in II Timothy 4:7) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” To finish well and remain faithful to the calling of God upon our life requires that we stand guard at the gate of our thoughts. A guarded mind will not allow an offering of hell to establish residence in our minds and interfere with our ability to believe God’s truth. A guarded mind will also defeat any attempt to rob us of our God-ordained destiny. To finish well we must take our thoughts captive. This is a war worth fighting because it is the only way to experience peace when the world is embroiled in conflict.