I’ve mentioned before that there’s a battle raging for control of your mind. In Romans 12:1-2, Paul explains that we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds. As we think more like God, we act more like God and experience more of what He wants us to experience.

Satan’s strategy is to keep you focused on your circumstances, your sins, your weaknesses and your lack of resources. He will work to distract you, deceive you and discourage you.

We must remember the battle is being fought in our minds.

So take a survey of the battlefield today.

How do you talk to yourself?

Do you beat yourself up? Berate yourself?

Do you ever tell yourself things will never change? That you don’t deserve to have things change?

How would you feel if you heard a parent in the grocery store talking to a child the way you talk to yourself?

Okay, so your circumstances don’t look so good. Neither did Abraham’s, Daniel’s, Moses’, David’s, Paul’s, Peter’s or Jesus’. God is in control of your circumstances today. All of them. All the time. And He loves you.

And you keep struggling with the same sins. I know. Me, too. But you do know your sins have been removed from you as far as the east is from the west, right? The blood of Christ covers them. They’re forgiven…and forgotten.

Here’s the thing–you can’t just let any old thought run wild in your mind. If it’s not a good, helpful, positive, encouraging thought, then it has no business being entertained.

You’d never allow a foul-mouthed, negative, discouraging man to come into your living room and talk at you for hours on end. Don’t allow it to happen in your mind either.

When a thought approaches your mind, take it captive. If it’s a good thought or idea, let it in. Meditate on it. Consider it. Talk it over with God. Of course, we only know which thoughts are good for us as we hold them up against the light of God’s word.

If it’s a bad, discouraging, unhelpful thought–reject it. Don’t give it your mental energy. Ask God to replace it with His truth. Again, it’s so important to be in His word daily.

So how does your self-talk sound today? Is it based on the truth? Or have you allowed a loud-mouthed, obnoxious jerk to plop down on your living room sofa and fill your mind with lies and deceptions straight from hell?