Keep the Devil from Sabotaging Your Mind

Keep the Devil from Sabotaging Your Mind by Selenia Vera

Most of us can relate to this example: You're doing just fine, heart content, emotions at peace; all in life is seemingly going well. When suddenly, someone says something, an experience or event takes place and in a moment, you feel your peace and joyful resolve leave you.

Before you know it, the warmth of God's love and goodness seems to be blocked. It happens faster than you can blink. It's a mystery—your thought life swept up in the seduction of self-talk, your body now paralyzed. You sigh, breathe deeply and welcome regret into your conversation. He whispers, You wish things had been different in your life, your relationships, experiences. You wish you had known better, done differently, everyone around you seems to have what you would like to have—in their relationships, life circumstances—emotionally, materially, spiritually, physically, intellectually, professionally. They've won, and you have lost.

You immediately muster up smiles. You cover up so no one suspects. You are silent. Locked away in loneliness, your heart aches. The happiness of others only seems to make your pain feel worse. Social media taunts you. Envy, jealousy, grief, anger—you feel hopeless. You coast along, muttering through emotions now flooded by thoughts of failure. Self-pity, your familiar friend, wraps her arms around you.

You sincerely believe that nothing will ever change. There isn't anything you can do about it. You are powerless." Before you know it, you swallow a spoonful of the devil's lies. I know, because I have had more than one occasion when this has happened to me.

A Dark Cloud Descends
I'd be coasting along, everything just fine. Feeling like I am winning at this thing called life; sun shining, each new morning greeting me with its scent of fresh-cut grass when, suddenly, it's as though a dark cloud descends upon me.

Why-Has-This-Happened-to-Me?

What-Have-I-Done-Wrong-to-Deserve-This?

I am beckoned to rummage through the past and the if onlys, what if's, and God, what are You doings?

My once unwavering, steadfast and fixed heart and mind are now trapped by those thoughts that have hotly pursued and captured me, and now I falter in my footsteps.

Any rejoicing I had experienced from recent spiritual victories are now suddenly replaced. The trophies of God's goodness and grace are buried deep in my mind and I can no longer move in faith.

What does one do when this happens?

We begin by learning to take charge over the ravenous beast of self-destruction as Psalm 57 describes. Only these are not "sons of men" with teeth like spears and arrows whose tongues are sharp swords. No, these are far worse—an unseen enemy ushering in unwanted guests to our mental turmoil, into our thinking patterns and our thought processes.

We must be quick to replace every vain fleeting, racing thought. We must not be paralyzed. Passivity is not so passive after all, for if left to itself, it will most assuredly act.

We must take the step, perform the act of casting out that vain imagination exalting itself against what we know as truth, against the beautiful knowledge of God. And as the friends did in the book of Luke, we must be that kind of friend to ourselves and let ourselves down right in front of the Master's feet (Luke 5:17-26). Our victory over the onslaught of the enemy's attempt to sabotage our minds with his lies is in the determination of our will to challenge him when he attacks us.

We must choose with intention—whatever is true, noble, right, pure, whatever is lovely, admirable, the excellent, and praiseworthy, Philippians 4:8.

There in His excellence I am made strong, I am empowered in steadfast, unmovable, and unshakable faith, hope, and love. I am victorious. I cling to Him, I hold fast to His word, I sing His glorious songs of deliverance over my life.

The kingdom of God suffers violence, the violent take it by force. We are His kingdom of priests, His holy nation (Exodus 19:6 and 1 Peter 2:9). Beloved, we have been chosen to live and dwell in the secret place of the Most High God (Psalm 91. Be relentlessly violent to protect your inheritance as a child of God.

There is an invitation for you to look at and pray the blueprint Jesus gave us. He says:

Finally, (insert your name), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report; if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you, Philippians 4:8–9.

The Lord has given us a way to keep the enemy from sabotaging our thoughts and drawing us into despair. The one who has given us access to a better way of being and thinking is worthy of all praise.


Selenia Vera resides in Kansas City.