2 Corinthians 2:11 – ^“So that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).”

Today, my heart and mind are drawn to the Cross, the Kingdom, the Enemy, and the Conqueror!  The reality of what God has done causes my heart to swell with appreciation and out of that a depth of love that is inexpressible.

In thinking about the events of the Cross and the Resurrection, I feel compelled to consider what the devil tried to do and what he desires to do. The enemy of our souls seeks to pervert God’s purposes and prevent us from entering into the fullness of God.

The Evil One seeks to pervert and prevent, but God has provided us with a pathway to fullness through the Cross and the Resurrection! We are engaged in a Real War with a Real Enemy.  That could be and often is frightening to many, but remember, we are not left defenseless but have been made ‘more than conquerors’ through Jesus.  We have been authorized and empowered to pull down strongholds, set captives free, and enforce the victory of Calvary in this present world at this present time! That is Good News!

But there is also Bad News! What is the Bad News? It is that too many who profess faith in Jesus do not know who the enemy is, and some believe him to be mythical. Too many know very little about the enemy and are thereby deceived and defeated because they are ‘ignorant’ of the devil’s devices, schemes, and tactics.

Satan’s Target is the Mind: (2 Corinthians 11:3; Colossians 3:9-10; Ephesians 4:17-24; Romans 12:2). God is in the business of Renewing Minds and thereby releasing the Fullness of His Power and Glory on Earth.   Luke 17:20-22 is incredibly revelatory about the Kingdom of God.

Many have made the Kingdom of God an event or a system, but Jesus said it is“in us.” Christ “in us” is the hope of Glory. Christ, “through us,” is the release. Christ “with us” is the manifestation.  We need to guard our minds and filter what comes in. In essence, Paul said in Philippians 4:8 – “If it is not true, do not let it enter your mind. Don’t give it the time of day!”

Our minds can reach into the past through memory and can reach into the future through imagination. Our thinking affects how we feel and thereby affects our will. Proverbs 23:7 – “For as he thinks within himself, so is he.”

Doctors tell us that we are what we eat. Psychologists tell us that we are what we think. The devil knows the incredible power of the mind and has made our thought processes a major target. If Jesus becomes LORD of our Minds, He will become LORD of our Hearts, and as LORD, He will lead us into the fullness of His purposes. The Resurrection made that possible.

I encourage each one to determine that we will give Jesus our all and dare to believe that Everything He said is True and that we, too, can do what He did and manifest the Kingdom in this World.  We are the Body of Christ, and Christ is ‘in’ us. If He is ‘in’ us, then the Kingdom of God is present because we are present. Let’s not just theorize!

May your day overflow with Joy and your mind with awareness of God’s Presence!