Battlefield of the Mind

After the year I've had, now is a good time to review a book I read a long time ago.

Before I read this book, I was sceptical about helpful it would be.  I thought it looked a bit too much like 'Christian pop psychology'.  A friend of mine told me she gets annoyed seeing Joyce Meyer's face on the cover of all her books.  It's true most authors don't have their mugshot on their book covers, but it really didn't bother me that much.

To be honest, this book really surprised me.  It explores the way Satan attacks the minds of Christians and how we need to use God's Word as a weapon to fight his lies.  Attacks on the mind include worry, doubt, confusion, anger and feelings of condemnation.  Meyer states that while God is on our side and working in us, we also have a role to play in controlling our thoughts.  I felt that some of the Bible verses were used a little out of context, but overall she does a good job of pointing distressed and discouraged Christians back to God's promises in His Word and the importance of meditating on Scripture. 

The chapters on unhelpful 'minds' are good to read through slowly.  They include the judgemental/critical/suspicious mind, the passive mind, the wandering/wondering mind and more.  Then she explores different 'wilderness mentalities' - unhelpful, negative statements we often say to ourselves or to others.

I found the phrase 'victorious life' quite annoying, probably because I hear it used among Christians who believe in 'name it and claim it' theology.  While I in no way want to be imprisoned by worry and doubt, we still need to keep in mind that healing and change is God's work and if He chooses not to heal someone, it doesn't necessarily mean they don't have faith.  Having said that, we do have a part to play in being proactive about wanting to change.

I feel I can relate a lot to Chapter 5 at the moment, which goes into dealing with a negative attitude.  Like Meyer, I have struggled with my life motto in recent months being, If you don't expect anything good to happen, then you won't be disappointed when it doesn't.  It was good be reminded of the hope I have in Christ.