Book discussion: Joyce Meyer, "Battlefield of the Mind"

[Ariel]

I would like to discuss this book with others, as I believe it will help anyone who is trying to improve their life.

Please post here if you are interested.

 

[Ariel]

Synpopsis, Chapter One--to avoid copyright infringement I will quote Myer as little as possible.

Quoting Eph. 6:12 Joyce says that we are in a war, that Satan tries to defeat us and that he is a liar, John 8:44.

She believes that Satan can bombard our minds with negative thoughts, that he does this strategically over a period of time by deceit.

She quotes 2 Cor. 10:4-5 to show that Satan tries to set up "strongholds" in our mind. She defines strongholds:

A stronghold is an area in which we are held in bondage (in prison) due to a certain way of thinking.

She also says, "If you have a negative mind, you will have a negative life."

Quoting John 8:31-32, Joyce says that the way out is to know the truth, because Jesus promises that we will know the truth and the truth will make us free. To know the truth, she says that we must abide in the Word of God so that our minds can be renewed.

Joyce also says that although the past may have put us in bondage, we must not use the past as an excuse and continue in bondage. Jesus has promised to set the captives free.

Another interesting line is this:

Satan knows well that if he can control our thoughts, he can control our actions.

Joyce gives an example, a married couple where the wife believed that all men are like her domineering abusive father. Her husband, John, has also been abused and continues to feel rejected. As a result, he retreats, and the underlying strife in their home continues. Joyce posits that both have strongholds in their minds, which can be torn down. Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19 that he has come to set the captives free.

 

[Ariel]

You tube presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGYPfkHtT7A

 

[Ariel]

Questions for thought and discussion. (And of course feel free to make up your own.)

1. Have you ever noticed strongholds in your own mind?

2. What do you think of Meyer's statement, "If you have a negative mind, you will have a negative life" ?

3. Do you believe that if you can control your thoughts you will also be able to control your actions?

4. Have you ever tried to take authority over your thoughts? That is, to force yourself to think on positive things, or to steer yourself away from negative thoughts?

 

[thunderbyrd]

Ariel: i have read this book and several others by joyce, i consider her to be one of the best Bible teachers in the world today. here's some thoughts on your querys:

1. yes, i've had, and still do have, strongholds in my mind. some i've tore down and defeated over the years, some i still struggle with.

2. yes, i agree with this statement.

3. i know that controlling your thoughts will help you control your actions.

4. i have made some progress over the years in learning to take authority over my thought life. the "battle" will not end in this life, most likely. wheni was first learning years ago, that a Christian must work toward/cultivate a Godly thought life, it was very discouraging. i didn't think it would be possible to change the way you think. but i found that it could be done - it takes a constant vigilance.

 

[thunderbyrd]

to step away from you specific questions abit, i think it ought to be said that the things that joyce talks about in this book are not things you will totally change in a month or even a year or two. for some of us, just believing that it's possible to change your thoughtlife is a major change!

but change will come if a person keeps after it. in my own case, i think i started having some victories in this area when i started fasting sometimes.

probably the best thing one can do to change their mindset is to read the Bible alot. if you watch alot of tv, the tv is controlling your mind with it's constant negativity. turn it off and read the Word. the more i "soak my head" in Godly things, Bible, Godly music, Christian books, and avoid the world's entertainment output, the happier i am.

 

[Ariel]

Thank you for your input, thunderbyrd! Like you I thought that it was not possible to change my thought life when I first started. But God commands us to think on good things, Phil. 4:8, and He means for us to be more than conquerors, Romans 8:37. We can do this. God is for us, not against us, and He will help us.

I also believe that you are right, that the more you steep your mind in God's Word and godly things, the better chance you have of changing your thought life.

 

[tyield1102]

I have this book and have skimmed over it briefly. To answer your questions...
1. Yes I have strongholds over my mind and I agree with Joyce when she says the devil can put thoughts in your head and can control you with those thoughts; he has and is doing this to me now.
2. Yes I agree with this.
3. I believe that if you control your thoughts that you will be more able to control your actions.
4. I have tried this and failed several times and in the process of trying it again.

Thank you thunder and ariel for showing me that I'm not alone in thinking it's impossible to change your thoughts, you have given me hope that I can do it.

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

I would like to discuss this book with others, as I believe it will help anyone who is trying to improve their life.

Please post here if you are interested.

I read this book as part of a book club I belong to, through my church. But, it was not IMO edifying.

I greatly enjoyed and got a lot of useable advise out of her book "Approval Addiction" however. If you ever think to discuss it, I'd like to participate.

 

[thunderbyrd]

" Thank you thunder and ariel for showing me that I'm not alone in thinking it's impossible to change your thoughts, you have given me hope that I can do it. "

tyield: i think it would be good to reiterate that it's kind of a slow process. one thing the enemy wants is for your to get discouraged. when you go a day or two, or even longer, and find that your thinking hasn't changed like you would like for it to, satan will try to convince you that it can't be done. that is a lie, it CAN be done, and the mere fact that you are trying is a powerful thing. keep at it as the months and years go by and the Lord will transform your mind as you go along. stay in the Word.

 

[Ariel]

tyield, when I was very ill with PTSD and clinical depression, I discovered that if I could control my thoughts I could control my emotions. So I did two extreme things to come against the intrusive thoughts of PTSD, and the negative thoughts of depression. First, I began forgiving every time I thought about the trauma I had been through. Second, I became aware that some of the "tapes" in my head were not coming from me. These were the thoughts that tore me down, and I learned I could say something to this effect, "You demon that just told me such-and-such, I resist you in Jesus' name. The Bible says 'Resist the devil and he will flee from you.' I resist you now in Jesus' name and I command you to flee!" Between the two--forgiving continually and giving to the Lord--and resisting--I was much more able to control my thoughts.

So I was delighted to find this book, which teaches some of the same things.

Wisdom Seeker, that's fine. If you don't like this book then you don't have to participate.

thunderbyrd, thank you for your help. You are so right, this is a learned process, but one which we can use and win. We belong to Christ, we should always remember that we have authority in Him.

 

[JoyInMySoul]

Oh i love this book, i have read it numerous times.

Answers to the questions.

1. Yes, i've noticed many strongholds in my life and until i read this book i didn't know i had any defense or "weapons" to fight back with.

2. I completely agree with this statement, because just as joyce stated from the Bible

as a man thinks in his heart so does he become.

I find that if i continually think negative thoughts all day long i become irritable, hard to get along with and depressed but if i simply change whatever i am thinking to something positive then my day begins to brighten, i find myself genuinely smiling and being much more friendlier.

3. Yes, if you change those negative thoughts to positive ones, your emotions will follow, we only act out because of our feelings and our feelings are manifested through our thoughts.

4. Oh yes, everyday.

I can't wait for more disscussion on this book.

 

[Ariel]

Welcome Joy! Thank you for your participation!

 

[~Wisdom Seeker~]

Wisdom Seeker, that's fine. If you don't like this book then you don't have to participate.

As you wish.

 

[JoyInMySoul]

Thank you Ariel for the warm welcome!

 

[Savedsis]

I will pick this book up tomorrow at the library...Sounds good...

 

[Ariel]

I was so ill 20 years ago that I was not expected to ever be well again. I had severe post traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression. May I remind you that many Vietnam beterans are still not well today. My counselor, who had helped veterans, said I had the worst case he had ever seen. He could hold out no hope to my husband that I would ever be well again.

But I got well. I did this by using every tool I could: counseling, meds, prayer, journaling. But there was a tool no one told me about, I had to discover it myself. And that was to realize that not every thought I thought necessarily came from me, that I had authority to resist the thoughts, and resist the demons behind them.

I fought a long battle, not just physical, but also spiritual. It took two years to become stable, five years beyond that to be completely well. And one of the tools I used was to control my thoughts.

In attempting to start a book discussion, I am not saying that this is the only tool. But I believe with all my heart that knowing how to take authority over my thoughts has helped me become well, and not only that, it has dramatically increased the quality of my life.

Therefore I am endorsing this book as a helpful tool for increasing the quality of life.

If there is anyone who can talk about the positive benefits of controlling one's own thoughts, surely I can.


For those who wish to discuss this book, you are welcome.

Please do not attempt to start a debate here. Thank you.

 

[Savedsis]

I was so ill 20 years ago that I was not expected to ever be well again. I had severe post traumatic stress disorder and clinical depression. May I remind you that many Vietnam beterans are still not well today. My counselor, who had helped veterans, said I had the worst case he had ever seen. He could hold out no hope to my husband that I would ever be well again.

But I got well. I did this by using every tool I could: counseling, meds, prayer, journaling. But there was a tool no one told me about, I had to discover it myself. And that was to realize that not every thought I thought necessarily came from me, that I had authority to resist the thoughts, and resist the demons behind them.

I fought a long battle, not just physical, but also spiritual. It took two years to become stable, five years beyond that to be completely well. And one of the tools I used was to control my thoughts.

In attempting to start a book discussion, I am not saying that this is the only tool. But I believe with all my heart that knowing how to take authority over my thoughts has helped me become well, and not only that, it has dramatically increased the quality of my life.

Therefore I am endorsing this book as a helpful tool for increasing the quality of life.


For those who wish to discuss this book, you are welcome. If you do not wish to join the discussion in a positive way, please refrain from posting on this thread.

SOunds good to me...I will try and get the book tomorrow...

 

[Savedsis]

Just went to pick up my book and we do not have the book...so I will order it...
We have a dvd but it has been stolen...We do have a Battlefield of the Mind for teens....I will review it until the other one comes....

 

[Ariel]

Here is the second part of Battlefield of the Mind. The book is read by another woman, but it is all there.

[c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xV5aNJAfv8[/c]