Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind

One of the main practical counsels that Meyer offers is to develop the habit of meditating on Scripture. She encourages readers not simply to read over a Bible passage in their daily devotions, but to consider the words slowly and prayerfully, reflecting on them deeply and even, at times, committing them to memory. For example, someone reading Ephesians 2: 3 (one of several verses Meyer cites) might observe that the sentence structure implies a parallel between the “impulses of the flesh” and the “thoughts of the mind” and meditate on why that might be. In Meyer’s view, such meditation is one of the main ways that the Holy Spirit reveals new truths to the believer, delivering words that they need to hear and conforming the pattern of their mind to the will of God. Meditating on Scripture also builds up an arsenal of faithful thoughts in one’s mind, helping them to stand up to Satan’s attacks.

Meyer sees many issues in one’s mental life not as strictly psychological but as representative of demonic spiritual attacks. Using biblical references, Meyer builds the case that Satan is active in tempting, distracting, deceiving, and generally trying anything he can to lead Christians astray into unhealthy patterns of thinking. The Christian, then, cannot give in to viewing their thoughts and distractions as mere natural occurrences, but must remain vigilant for the possibility that the devil is using those things to try to keep them from following God’s call in their lives. In practice, this might mean interrogating whether an apparently “normal” mental state is somehow facilitating wrong behavior or an unchristian mindset; for example, whether guilt over a mistake is so all-consuming that it makes one doubt God’s forgiveness.

Too many people, Meyer thinks, have a hands-off attitude toward their mental lives, assuming that the thoughts and patterns of their minds are simply out of their control. Meyer does not accept this view, pointing out that the Bible includes many commands as to the sorts of things Christians are supposed to think about and the mental attitudes they are called to have. As such, Christians need to consider the nature of their thought life and discern whether the current pattern of their thoughts aligns with God’s commands. If not, it may represent a wilderness mentality or an attack of Satan (or both). A first step in this respect might be to journal about the kinds of thoughts and feelings one had over the course of the day and consider their utility, from a Christian perspective. Ultimately, one might seek to integrate this kind of awareness into the present moment through techniques like mindfulness.