The Battle is in Our Mind
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. [1 Peter 5:8]
QUOTE: Self-limiting beliefs are negative thoughts, beliefs, or mental blocks that are embedded deep in your subconscious mind and can greatly limit your ability to reach your goals and achieve success (unknown).
When I had lost everything, it was a minute-by-minute battle. I had worked so hard to build my life and business to the point where I was serving women in business, traveling the world, and spending time with my family and friends, I was financially stable, and living the life I dreamed about and loved and was doing what God called me to do at that time.
When all the biscuits went flying, I could barely breathe, let alone fight. So when I was able to start picking up some pieces, the enemy was right there telling me: what a looser I was, no one would listen to me anymore, what does a broke person know about business, who am I to be a business coach, look at you trying to build a business living in a tent.. blah, blah, blah and on and on.
I was being viciously attacked because the enemy knew through everything, that I never lost the vison the Lord showed me for my life and business. I started right back rebuilding that vision, even when I could hardly breathe. Unfortunately, those lies haunted me and actually became a stumbling block for more time than I care to admit. I’d start to move forward, and I’d fall down, I’d get back up, start to move forward and I’d fall down again.
The greatest obstacles we face do not come from the world, from the people around us, or from things that are happening in our lives. The greatest obstacle or stumbling block comes from within us. This is going to be a straightforward talk, girlfriends, without any fluff, because I believe it’s important to understand where these negative thoughts come from, and how to manage them. Be forewarned when it comes to this subject, I will not hold back on anything or be politically correct.
I’m sure you have heard that our mind is a battlefield, but let’s explore what that means. We are in a battle every single day with our minds; a battle that you might not even be aware is going on. It’s a battle between the powerful thoughts and dreams that God has given us versus those negative and self-limiting thoughts that come from the enemy: the devil, the thief, the evil one; whatever name you want to give it.
We are not in a physical battle with physical weapons, but a spiritual battle with spiritual weapons; this is also known as spiritual warfare, which is serious business. There is an enemy that is alive and well and his sole purpose and mission is to destroy YOUR life. This snake-like enemy will sneak into your relationships, your finances, your family, your health, your dreams, and into your thoughts and wreak havoc in your life; if you allow it to do so.
My goal here is to not give the enemy credit or any honor; trust me, because if there is anything I despise, it’s this evil one. The purpose is to bring you awareness and clarity that whenever there is confusion, heartache, negativity, depression, or limiting beliefs it is not from God, but from the devil.
The enemy works through deception, strategy, and well-laid out plans, good-looking and dressed in his finest suit. This is not the red-tailed figure you see with a pitchfork, oh no girlfriends, be forewarned, because he is the one that looks good, smells good, and sounds good. Think about it, Eve wasn’t seduced by an ugly, scary thing; would you be? No, you would run away. But this is where we get into trouble because the outer appearance of the enemy looks good. The enemy is a total liar and everything that the devil tells you ABOUT YOU is a lie. Starting with doubts, nagging thoughts, fears, insecurities, weaknesses, and feelings of being unworthy. Lies, lies, lies…
Once something is in our mind through the enemy’s deceitful strategies, these thoughts can become strongholds or self-limiting beliefs. A stronghold or self-limiting belief is anything that holds us back from becoming ALL that God has destined us to be. What’s even worse is that most of the time we have no idea we even have these strongholds or self-limiting beliefs.
The amazing world where there is no stinking thinking or self-limiting beliefs and when the enemy will no longer pester us is called heaven. But right now, while we are on earth, we need to be aware and be on guard because the enemy is freely roaming, waiting, watching, and ready to kill, steal and destroy YOU (your mind, your finances, your home, your family, your relationships, your faith, your confidence EVERYTHING).
Please note, that as our walk with the Lord becomes deeper, there will be more trials, and the enemy will work even harder on you. As you build your business or ministry or start walking out your God-given vision and divine purpose, look out, because the clearer you see your vision, the harder the spiritual forces of evil are going to come at you – in full force. There is no way the devil and his cronies want us to even think about our vision, let alone make it a reality.
THE BATTLE STARTS IN OUR MIND: Bottom line, my friend, is this enemy is real (like it or not), and your mind is where the battleground is. Our mind can automatically and unconsciously put-up roadblocks (limiting beliefs) and obstacles contrary to the will of God if we are not paying attention. This is exactly why we need to think about what we are thinking about, learn how to take control of our thoughts and learn to believe that we are who God says we are.
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DAILY ACTION STEP
Say to yourself out loud
I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM
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FRIENDLY REMINDER: Take out your journal and write down your thoughts, takeaways, and progress for this week!
TAKEAWAY GEMS
- The greatest obstacles we face don’t come from the world, but from within each of us.
- There is an enemy that is alive and well and its sole job is to destroy your life in every way possible.
- Our mind is a daily battlefield of good versus evil.
- Choose what we think about.
QUESTIONS TO “THINK ON”
- What are your thoughts about there being an enemy?
- What are some lies the enemy has been telling you about you?
- If you believe there isn’t an enemy, what is your explanation on evil thoughts and evil in the world?
ACTION STEP
LIES LIST: Write down EVERY single negative thought you have about yourself. As you think or say something to yourself during the week add it to the list! Here are some examples to get you started: oh I couldn’t do that, I’m too old, I’m past my useful years, I’m retired, I’m fat, I’m slow.. I’m … blah blah blah… start writing – get those things OUT. Please write this on a piece of paper because later we are going to do something with it.
WEEKLY SCRIPTURES
DAY 1: But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. [1 John 3:8]
DAY 2: Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. [1 Peter 5:8]
DAY 3: Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. [1 Timothy 4:7-8]
DAY 4: We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. [2 Corinthians 10:3-4]
DAY 5: But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. [2 Corinthians 11:3-4]
DAY 6: The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life [John 10:10]
DAY 7: Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. [Proverbs 4:14-15]