WE’VE GOT TO DIE
The Apostle Peter warned: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9).
The moment you feel you are becoming fearful, worried, tempted, discouraged, or depressed, recognize it as an attack of Satan against your mind. When Satan attacks, you don’t have ten minutes or even ten seconds. The instant you recognize Satan’s attack on your mind, you must act. You must go deep into the spirit realm and resist the thoughts he is using against you, in the Name of Jesus. WE’VE GOT TO DIE
There will be times when Satan’s attack on your mind will be so strong it will be necessary for you to press the battle in the Spirit through seasons of prayer over a period of days, drawing upon His strength to resist and defeat Satan. WE’VE GOT TO DIE
As you are resisting Satan steadfast in the faith, there will be times when you think you have won victory over worry, depression, or other attacks on your mind. Whatever you do, don’t let your guard down for one moment! The moment you relax in your mind, thinking the battle is over, he will try to bring it back upon you or come against you using some other strategy. You must not let up. You must continue to press the battle in the Spirit, until you are walking in victory every day. WE’VE GOT TO DIE
Like a soldier picking up his weapons before going out into battle, you must arm yourself with the “mind of Christ” — His will, His thoughts, His desires, His purposes. Peter told the believers in the Early Church:
So, since Christ suffered in the flesh (for us, for you), arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose (patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God). For whoever has suffered in the flesh (having the mind of Christ) has done with (intentional) sin — has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God. So that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living by (his) human appetites and desires, but (he lives) for what God wills. (1 Peter 4:1-2, TAB)
We must take deliberate action to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ. It is not ours automatically. We must draw the line and settle forever that we will not allow sin to have any place in our lives whatsoever. To do this, we must be willing to put to death the lusts of our flesh including our own selfish desires, ambitions, and goals. We must strip ourselves — get rid of our carnal desires, thoughts, intentions — and put on the mind of Christ with His thoughts, desires, purposes, and intentions. Our wills must be totally surrendered to God and our lives totally consumed in fulfilling His will. We’ve got to die!
Make this declaration:
I am dead to sin, the world, and the flesh. I am alive to the thoughts, desires, purposes, and intentions of God.
