Lent Day Twenty Two
“The Life of Our Thoughts”
Ephesians 6:10-18 The Passion Translation
10 Now finally, my beloved ones, be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you.
11 Put on the full suit of armor that God wears when he goes into battle, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser!
12 Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.
13 Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious.
14 Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart.
15 Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace as you subdue your enemies.
16 In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the evil one!
17–18 Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God.
One of the biggest battles I’ve faced was the battle for my mind. A number of years ago, I found myself in a deep, dark pit of anxiety. At the time, I had no idea how important my thought life was, and I had unknowingly given anxious thoughts free range to roam unchecked.
The weight of them was crushing, all-consuming. I withdrew from people, struggled to cope with everyday life.
The enemy, Satan, wants to shake us, diminish us, hold us back, and prevent us from living the life God has called us to. One of his strategies is to attack our thought lives. He knows our weaknesses and he will do all he can to exploit them. He does this because he knows, if we are distracted by fear and all its deceitful friends, we just won’t be walking in the freedom that’s our inheritance as Children of God.
But here’s the beautiful, gorgeous, awe-inspiring news: we are not powerless. We’ve got a weapon of mass destruction at our disposal. The Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It cuts through bone and marrow (Hebrews 4:12). It doesn’t return to God empty but achieves all it sets out to do (Isaiah 55:11). And that is to win the battle for our minds.
I’m thankful to have learnt what it really means to take my thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), by literally smothering them with God’s truth, and the freedom I’ve experienced as a result.
Let’s recognise when the enemy is trying to take ground in our minds and push back, liberally applying God’s Word to our thought processes. Let’s put on the armour God has given us and refuse to let anxiety, fear, or comparison and any other lies dictate our lives. Because in him, we have power, protection, and peace.
You are not alone in this battle. And with Jesus, you are already an overcomer.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for your Word that it is living and active and can silence the lies of the enemy. May we remember to use it and declare it over our lives and in doing so live in the freedom that is ours to have. Amen
Jane Kirby
Jane Kirby is editor and founder of truth magazine for women and is behind @rebelheartsrebelgirls on instagram. She speaks at various Christian events and in her local church. Living in Hastings she is married to James and has two grown up sons, Ethan and Noah. She is passionate about people walking in freedom.