We must discipline our minds and bodies!
We must train our mind and body to be vigilant.
Wisdom spoke in Proverbs 1:
1 Here are Kingdom revelations, Words to live by, and Words of Wisdom given to empower you to reign in life, written as proverbs by Israel’s King Solomon, David’s son.
2 Within these sayings will be found the revelation of Wisdom and the impartation of Spiritual understanding. Use them as keys to unlock the treasures of true knowledge.
3 Those who cling to these words will receive discipline to demonstrate Wisdom in every relationship and to choose what is right and just and fair.
Will you find True Wisdom on social media? By and large, we only find opinions and focus on the nonessential aspects of life. They draw your attention away from The Word and entertain your soul.
Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st Peter chapter 5:
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
You will either walk in obedience to GOD’S Word or that of the adversary, there is no neutral ground. We must train our mind to submit to GOD’S Word in all areas. Before we were born again, we submitted to the devil and his dominion.
Jesus spoke and explained the parable of man’s heart in Mark chapter 4:
14 The sower sows the Word.
15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the Word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts.
16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the Word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the Word’s sake, immediately they stumble.
18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.
The devil wants to defend his worldly kingdom and prevent The Kingdom of GOD to come forth in the earth. He knows that when we truly receive the Word and act on It, we take ground for The Kingdom of GOD. The adversary wants believers to remain inactive and do nothing to bring forth the Kingdom of God on the earth.
If you are inactive on behalf of The Kingdom of GOD, in essence, you are being moved by the adversary who has convinced your mind to remain complacent. One way to do this is to flood your mind with social media and TV that promotes his agenda of lust, greed, and desire for other things.
James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 4:
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
To reemphasize, you will either submit to GOD or you will submit to the devil. There is no neutral ground else there would no necessity for salvation.
Jesus provided us with an example of unbelief in Mark chapter 9:
17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”
19 He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.”
20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
Notice that the demon immediately expressed himself before Jesus, challenging His authority.
21 So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
22 And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.“
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
The father expressed the reality that he was double minded concerning his son.
[25] When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!”
26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.”
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
Did Jesus pray some lengthy prayer to FATHER? No, He commanded the deaf and dumb spirit to come out. You and I have the power and authority to do the same if we fully submit to THE WORD! This comes through our daily discipline in focusing on The Word and not the world’s alternatives for our attention.