Bill Basansky - Battle in the mind : a study on the renewing of your mind

BATTLE IN THE MIND

by

Bill Basansky

BEST SELLER A STUDY ON THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND BOOK II OF A THREE-PART SERIES (over 70,000 in print)

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

The Fruitful Christian Life

"For though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" II Corinthians 10:3-5.

In this scripture we definitely see two distinct and opposite battles that are constantly going on in the mind of every Christian. The Spirit wrestles against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit. Here, in order to be victorious, God requires of you to confess His Word regardless of your feelings; yield to the Spirit of God, who is the lover of your soul and resist the temptation of your flesh and then the devil will flee from you (James 4:7-8).

In this battle between the flesh and the spirit it is important to know what God expects of us. But it is equally as important to know what God does not expect of us. Philippians 2:12 says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." This then, speaks of something we have to do. But the next verse says, "For God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." That says what we are not able to do, God will do.

Christian growth is a cooperative work between believer and God which produces a ripe and fruitful Christian life. Trying to do what is not our part, or what is not promised for us by God, is as great a mistake as neglecting to do what is our part. Indeed, one of the enemy's cleverest tools is to entice many believers into doing that which is not expected of themand thereby discouraging them so that they end up not even doing that which is expected and possible.

What is our part and what is God's part in this cooperative undertaking?

Two passages of Scripture will provide further clarification on this subject.

Psalm 51:6-12,

"Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom."

The Psalmist is saying: please teach me wisdom in my inward being and in my secret heart.

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill me with joy and gladness ... create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (willing) spirit."

In these verses you can see who is acted upon by whom, and who it is that brings truth in the inward part of the heart of man. It is God who teaches, washes us with His blood, purges, restores, fills, creates and upholds us with His hand of righteousness.

Whatever change takes place deep within an individual's heart is the work of God.

In Colossians 3:10-16 we read:

"And have put on a new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator ...

put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forebearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds together in perfect harmony... let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts ... and the Word of Christ dwell in you richly ..." (RSV)

It is obvious in these verses that God's chosen people, the believers, must change their attitudes, discipline themselves in their minds and will, to put on love, compassion, kindness, meekness, etc. The outward visible work of "putting on" is the work of the believer and all of this is done in the mind, by being willing to think like God (Philippians 4:8). While the believer puts on the outward form of Christ, God being the Potter, works the inner change of the heart of man.

In Galatians 5:16 (RSV) Paul says: "... do not fulfill the lust (desires) of the flesh." Paul does not say, do not have the desires, but he is saying do not fulfill (gratify) them. In other words, Paul is telling the believer do not allow them outward expression.

Our old nature stirs up a desire in the soul to strike back and hurt those who have done us wrong. Our soulish part only loves when it's being loved, and wants to strike back when it's being hurt.

An example of soulish love is found in the well-known song: "Frankie (who loved her man) shot him because he done her wrong." But God's kind of love, loves even when the one you love hurts you."

A further example of God's love is when Jesus said: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

Now verse 16 does not indicate that you shouldn't feel that way. It simply states: "Don't fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Don't carry out your fleshly cravings, do not gratify the desires of the flesh.) Do not let gossip come out of your mouth. Do not say anything that will cause another person to be hurt. That which is still-born is not alive and cannot grow (Proverbs 18:21; Matthew 12:34).

As you build this outward form of self-control, in faith that God will fill it, God takes the responsibility of replacing that desire of the flesh with the fruits of the Spirit. II Corinthians 4:16, "... but though our outward man perish , (the desires of the flesh diminish) yet the inward man is renewed day by day."

Sanctification is truly the work of grace. Yet we have had a part in it. Our God gives faith (Romans 12:3) and has constructed a vessel which could receive His gracious work, for God does not pour out His grace where there is no faith to receive it.

This then is the mystery of sanctification. We need to construct the outward vessels of holiness with expectant faith; that God will fill them, and Christ Jesus the hope of glory will enter in and set up His kingdom within you (Luke 17:21), which is not meat or drink but righteousness, right relationships and standing with God. It is peace, perfect peace within us, that passes all understanding with the natural mind, and joyjoy unspeakable and full of glory, the Shekinah glory of God, which will radiate through your being.

"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it"

(I Thessalonians 5:24).

In John 12:24 Jesus said:

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die , it bringeth forth much fruit."

The secret of a fruitful Christian life is not in doing but in dying- dying to self, (fleshly desires) so that the indwelling life of Christ can be released and in making Christian living not a duty, but an exciting adventure with Christ.

Battle In The Mind

It says in II Corinthians 5:17, "... if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." That means that all things, those which were done in your life before, are no longer in your life. They are forgotten.

In Galatians 2:20 Paul is speaking and says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live ..." Old things are passed away, behold all things have become new. The old things that we have done before are gone, washed away with the blood of Christ and Paul says, "Behold, I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." He says this temple (body) of mine is for the Holy Spirit. I don't do the things I used to do. He says, "I am crucified with Christ."

When you are crucified, you are dead. You are dead to the old things. You are dead to the old man, to the old flesh, and now, you live for Jesus.