The Battle is Typically In Between Our Ears
One of the greatest battles we fight in this life is the one that rages between our ears. The battle within our minds ultimately dictates the way we will live on this earth. On one side of that battle, our mind desperately fights to hold onto the fruitless and self seeking thought processes. Thought processes that we attain when submitted to the world system. That world system is ruled by the prince of the power of the air. The one who seeks to steal, kill and destroy. The last thing he wants is for us to truly know and believe who we are in Christ. The following verse in Ephesians explains this voice well:
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." - Ephesians 2:1-2 NKJV
On the other side we have the voice of truth.
We have Jesus, the walking example of how we were created to live. His voice is constantly beckoning us deeper into our identity as sons and daughters of the most high God. He is constantly encouraging us to trust God more, to give all of ourselves to Him, and to step into greater levels of faith. Essentially, He is renewing our minds. He is replacing all of those things we learned as prisoners of the world system with the truth of who we are as free children of God. I love what is says in the following verse:
"...just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" - Ephesians 5: 25-26 NKJV
This is why our single most important battle is to believe.
This is why when Jesus' disciples asked what they must do to do the works God requires, Jesus answered with, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:29 NKJV). The true battle rages between our ears, in the place where we decide which voice we are going to trust and believe. It is why true transformation is found only in true submission to Christ and His Lordship.The bible refers to the Word of God as a sword. It says that the sword is so sharp that it can divide between soul and spirit. The Word of God is the most powerful weapon in the most important battle in our lives. The one between our ears. While the world is constantly trying to lie to us about who we are, the Word is constantly telling us the truth. The truth about who we are. Check out a few examples:The world says, "You are only human", but God's word says, "You are not of this world (John 17:16), you were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you" (Romans 8:11).
The world says, "Don't get your hopes up," while God's word tells us to "abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13 NKJV
These are just two of examples of so many battles we deal with in our minds. The amazing thing is that as we start to use the sword that God has placed in our hands, we act differently. As we begin to speak His word over our lives and apply it, we will begin to notice outward transformation.
We will begin to see peace we never thought possible.
We will see joy even in some of the most difficult situations and we will have hope when it doesn't make sense to have hope. I don't know what battle you are fighting through right now.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. - 2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV
I am not sure what lie the enemy has been trying to get you to believe about yourself. Let me remind you that a lie is indeed all that it is. It is not truth, and it stands no chance against the power of God's word. You are God's child, He loves you, and He is not done with you by a long shot! Let that be the truth that wins today in that battle between your ears.