Mark 13:21-27

John 8:31-47

1 Peter 5:6-11

2 Corinthians 11:1-4, Genesis 3:1-15

James 3:13-18

What do these verses tell us about the return of Christ?

In what ways do the passages describe the need to be ready?

What actions accompany those who believe in and are preparing for His coming?

What is the Spirit showing the Church or ourselves regarding our need to live alert to the ways that Satan seeks to dull us or divert us from the life and love of God?

In the song “Awake my Soul” is the line, “And when he moves, make no mistake, the powers of hell begin to shake… Awake my soul and sing and lift his Name on high!” As God’s people awaken and as He moves in them and through them, the powers of hell shake and then quickly assemble to mount their counter-move. Perhaps you are experiencing this. Fears, doubts, accusations, opposition from without or within, these and many more are Satan’s well worn tactics to resist an awakened people.

Recently a good friend, who has fought through multiple physical hardships and setbacks, yet continues to live vibrantly as a lover of Jesus and people, received news of yet another physical problem. While this in itself was difficult to absorb, the more debilitating pain came from the whispers. Whispering thoughts seeped into her mind that she was now even more of a burden to her family. Those evil thoughts gradually multiplied, suggesting that the only kind thing for her to do, if she really cared for her loved ones, was to end her life so that they would be relieved of the burden she was placing upon them. This courageous woman brought these heinous thoughts into the light, confessed them to a few trusted friends and faced these thoughts head on in prayer, renouncing them in the name of the conqueror, Jesus. She shared that after that confrontation, the thoughts were completely gone. 

Satan is vicious but he is defeated and he knows it. One of his most effective access points through which he sows his poison is the mind. 2 Corinthians 11 speaks of our minds being led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Later in chapter 12, Paul talks about the weapons of our warfare as being spiritual and part of the preparation for this spiritual warfare is to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.

 Picture if you will, our minds as a fortress. The enemy tries to send unseen infiltrators in over the walls and if they succeed, they quickly blend in with the good guys who dwell inside. But what if these infiltrating thoughts are identified as belonging to the enemy and are captured. They are then brought before the One who has conquered them through his obedience unto death, the One who is now exalted at the right hand of God with the name above all names, before whom every knee must bow. He has the authority to deal with them. 

A simpler picture of the mind than that of a walled fortress can be found in John 10. Jesus talks about a sheep fold, which is an enclosure to protect sheep at night. Consider our minds being likened to this sheep pen. He says that all who climb in another way, other than going through the gate are thieves and robbers and they come to steal, kill and destroy. There is but one gate in the enclosure. Jesus says, I am the gate, and my Father is the gatekeeper. In this picture those sneaky, subtle thoughts that separate us from God: fears, doubts, condemnations, accusations, half-truth lies, prideful judgments, jealousies, covetous ambitions, admitted consciously or slipping in subconsciously, begin their work to steal our peace, kill our trust and destroy our faith. But what if these thoughts are intercepted, captured and brought to the mind’s gate? Jesus is the gate, His Father is the gatekeeper.

 “Jesus, does this thought belong in my mind? Is this thought the truth or is it an enemy? If it is, by your authority, can you deal with this enemy?” The sooner I intercept the thieves and robbers, the less damage they have done and the easier they are to extricate. But I don’t have to eradicate them myself; I bring them to Jesus and nothing can get past Him. As many times as enemy thoughts sneak in, I can bring them to Jesus, I can tell him that I don’t want this fear, this jealousy, this lie, this judgment in my mind. I can ask Him to please take it and deal with it yet again. And He is faithful and He will do it.

As we awaken to living a life of holiness and obedience, we may also awaken to thoughts within our minds that are entirely unholy and rebellious. Rather than ignoring them, squelching them, excusing them, we can bring them to the light, like my courageous friend, and ask Jesus to exercise His victory on our behalf.