Winning the Battle for Your Mind
Journey Into The Promised Land
Strengthening The Loins Of Your Mind
Christians who have a passive mind are easy targets for Satan and are positioned for defeat. When their minds are in a state of passivity, their spiritual senses are dulled and inactive. They are vulnerable to every attack — deception, fear, temptation, oppression, depression — and eventually will lose control over their thoughts and their will.
It is time for God’s people to rise up, to march forward in new strength with a one-hundred percent victorious mind! We must not be intimidated by the power of the enemy. We must not be fearful or cowardly. We must go out to face the enemy with new spiritual aggressiveness and determination to defeat him in every area of our lives.
The Apostle Peter, in writing to believers who were distressed because of the tremendous trials they were going through, said, “Gird up the loins of your mind…” (1 Peter 1:13). In essence, he was telling them to prepare their minds for aggressive action, to strengthen and brace their minds for the battles they were facing.
The first piece of armor the Roman soldier put on as he prepared for battle was his belt. The belt was a very significant part of the armor, tied around the soldier’s waist, gathering in the short tunic he wore. It helped keep the breastplate in place and held the sword. The soldier’s belt strengthened his loins and enabled him to fasten his armor close to him, whereby he was strengthened and better able to fight.
To tighten or gird up the belt indicated the soldier was ready for action. To loosen or slacken the belt was to go off duty. It is time for us to prepare for the battle by “girding up” and strengthening the loins of our minds. If we fail to do this, we’re not going to be able to walk in the victory God has planned for us.
The loins refers to the chief seat of bodily strength. The body is knit to the loins. If the loins fail, the whole body fails. The loins we are to gird up and strengthen for battle are our hearts and minds. Our hearts and minds — our inner man — is the acting, ruling part of us. It is the center of our existence where all the issues of life flow forth. It is where our thoughts, emotions, wills, desires, understanding, reasoning powers, and intentions reside.
If our hearts and minds are strong and disciplined, if we know God’s Word, if we have a clear understanding of His will, if our minds and wills are set to obey and do His will, if our thoughts are constantly being brought into obedience to Christ, then we will be strong and immovable even during times of great trial, temptation, or attack by the enemy!
Make this declaration:
I am girding up the loins of my heart and mind. I will be strong and immovable during times of trial, temptation, and attack by the enemy.
*Adapted from MCWE email – Journey Into The Promised Land by Morris Cerullo
