My Identity in Christ part 3: Winning the Battle for the mind

My Identity in Christ Pt 3“Winning the Battle of the Mind” — Truth vs Lies

A few years ago, researchers studied how misinformation spreads online. They found something disturbing:
False information spreads faster and farther than truth, especially when it confirms what people already feel. and it has only gotten worse in the age of social media. Think about it. How many times have you seen some video go viral and then you have 100 influencers giving us their opinion on it. and the several days later more news becomes available that sheds some light on the original story, but does anyone want to see both sides and weigh the facts? no they just stick with what they want to believe.  but the most dangerous lies aren’t the biased news stories about what’s going on in the world at large.

its.  the quiet ones we replay in our own heads. the lies that we believe about ourselves. “Nothing’s ever going to change.” “God must be tired of me.” “ This is just who I am. “why cant I be a better Christian” and on it goes. the greatest battles you face are not happening around you. They are happening within you.

And that’s exactly where the enemy aims. And that’s why Jesus doesn’t say, “You’ll feel the truth.”
He says, “You will know the truth.”

John 8:31–32 (NLT “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Freedom doesn’t begin with a change in circumstances. Freedom begins with a change in what you believe.

1: Spiritual Warfare Is a Truth Encounter

spiritual warfare starts in the mind. there is a battle going on between light and darkness. between truth and lies.

We are living in a time were people are willing to so quickly and easily accept the most outrageuos falsehoods with little to no proof.

not only is there a lack of discerment and wisdom but there is general unwillingness to put in the effort to educate oneself. a society that wont read is and is addicted to videos is primed for deception. Christians  should be readers and they need to read the bible. how else will you know the truth that sets you free

To understand this, we need to talk about something the Bible makes very clear, but we don’t talk about very often. There are two fundamentally different ways of thinking

2: The Natural Person vs. the Spiritual Person

According to Genesis when our ancestors rebelled against God it severed our relationship with him and the light within us went out. This fall of the human race left us in a condition that the apostle Paul describes here.

(1) Once yo⁵u were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. (2) You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.  He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. (3) All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 
Ephesians 2:1-3 – NLT

(Show Graphic of the Natural Person.)

This was our condition before we placed our faith in God receiving a new nature. in this state we are led by our passion, our feelings. we follow our hearts. and were also easily led to believe the lies of the devil because there was no is opposing council.

The Natural person is the led by their flesh by their emotions and their circumstances in the pursuit to be happy.

But God has given us a New Nature and Spiritual Nature. this new spiritual nature helps us to think differently.

(14) But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. (15) Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.
1 Corinthians 2:14-15 – NLT

(Show Graphic of the Spiritual Person)

The Spiritual person is not led around by their emotions and circumstances but by the Spirit of God.

Now you might be thinking. great I have a new identity in Christ. I have a new nature. So why do  i still struggle with anger, anxiety, and the worries of this world instead of being filled every day with hope, faith and love? why am i still struggling with these unwanted thoughts and desires?

 3. salvation gives you a new identity, but the mind must be renewed.

• To live by the Spirit you need three things.
• A firm understanding of who you are in Christ Jesus
• a willingness to crucify daily the old sin trained flesh
• Living by faith in the grace of God.

the problem is that many Christians are trying to do the last 2 without understanding the first. Understanding who they are in Christ, We just bypass it and go yeah i know that but what do i need to do? and that’s the problem. If you are really locked in on who God says you are than what you do will flow naturally from that mindset.

How many of you the past two weeks used the list of I am scriptures when you experienced fear or anxiety or doubt or discouragement? How did it make you feel? How many didn’t use the list? why do you think that is? did you forget or maybe a doubt came into your mind that the scriptures aren’t going to make a difference. and of course, we know where that voice comes from.

What we renew our minds with is key. if a majority of what we renew our minds with is content that glorifies the world or immorality than we shouldn’t be surprised that we struggle to be spiritual. we are actually working against the new nature God has blessed us with.

How do we renew our minds? With the truth.  “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:32 – NLT

living in freedom comes from having a mind that is renewed in God’s truth. When we experience lies like God is disappointed in me or we feel unworthiness or struggle with guilt and shame, when anger wells up we need to go to the scriptures. this week i challenge you every morning to read this list. of i am statements outload. see if it does not change your general mood and outlook by weeks end.