When I was growing up, I had this sense that everyone was out to get me. As I’ve reflected on this over the years, I still haven’t discovered exactly why I felt that way. But I did feel that way. And when you’re carrying that belief with you everywhere you go, you assume everyone is an enemy – even the people who love you most.

I’m grateful that God has given me breakthrough in this area, mostly by showing me how much He is for me. And by so many other people in my life me displaying to me that they are also in my corner. I no longer believe God is against me and thankfully, I no longer see most people as my enemy.

And yet, there is someone who is always against me, who is on a mission to destroy me. And he’s not just coming after me; he’s coming for you too. This is what I want us to explore today. There’s something you need to know and it’s also the title of my message:

Your mind has an enemy.

And though Jesus himself told us to love our enemies, this is not an enemy he wants us to love. This is an enemy he wants us to be looking for and know how we can defeat him.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

“Be alert and sober-minded.” This means we’re supposed to be watchful and vigilant. Why? Because we have an enemy who wants to destroy us. I’m not telling us this so that we will be afraid, but I do want us to be on alert.

It’s like what we tell our kids when they’re walking or taking transit around the city. I will often say to them, “Remember, I don’t want you to be afraid – but you do need to be aware. Stay vigilant.” If your mind has an enemy, it won’t be helpful to pretend that it doesn’t.

The devil wants to destroy the work of God in your life.

“The Enemy wants to kill your dreams. He wants to bury the purpose God has placed inside of you. He wants to steal your sense of self-worth and confidence and hope. He wants to destroy your marriage and erode your relationship with your kids. He wants to ruin your good reputation and slander the name of Christ in the process. He’s got all kinds of time and no mercy.” Louie Giglio, Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table

How Your Enemy Tries to Destroy Your Mind: Your enemy tries to destroy our mind by lying to you.

John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

He has desires. He’s a murderer. He has NO truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native tongue. The name “devil” = slanderer.

What “truth” have you been living out of that is actually a lie?

I see people do the opposite of what Jesus has specifically said and then claim that they’re following Jesus. About everything from money to sexuality to how they see themselves and others. Think about how the first temptation happens in the history of humanity. Satan comes to Eve and asks, “Did God really say?”

“The thing is, I have always believed lies. And not just believed them but built entire chapters of my life around them.” Jennie Allen, Get Out of Your Head

Your enemy tries to destroy your mind by blinding you from seeing the truth and light of God.

2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Where has the devil blinded unbelievers??? In their MINDS. The devil knows how glorious Jesus is and he will do everything he can to keep us from beholding Jesus as He is. One of the main ways he’ll do this is by making everything else as attractive as it can possibly be.

Your enemy creates plans and schemes to destroy your mind.

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

We’ll get to the first part in just a moment, but it’s important for us to take note that the devil has schemes. He’s seeking an opportune time to come in and destroy you. How can we overcome the enemy of our mind? We must resist the enemy who is seeking to destroy our mind.

Back to the verses in 1 Peter that we started with. Peter writes, “Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

resist – active engagement against a foe

“To win the battle for our minds, we must engage, because there is no other way for us to defeat evil. The days of being neutral must be over.” Craig Groeschel, Winning the War in Your Mind

If we have an enemy who is seeking to destroy us, we cannot be passive if we’re going to overcome him. There is a spiritual battle for our minds, so we need to engage in the fight with the right weapons.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

What weapon are you fighting with?

What strongholds in your mind need to be demolished?

How do we take every thought captive and make it obedient to Jesus?

We must know the truth, believe the truth, and live out the truth.

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

When our Epic staff meetings begin, I want to ask a question to our team that gives me a pulse on how they’re doing and what they might need in a given season. On February 13th, I began our meeting by asking this question:

As you think about your current situation in life, what is a truth you need to believe and keep before you?

Maybe: God is with me. Everything will work out for my good. I don’t have to be afraid. Doing relationships and sexuality God’s way will lead me to flourishing. Being generous is good for me and good for others.

Shauna and I came home one night and saw that one of our kids had written out numerous truths on stick notes and stuck them all over the wall in their bedroom. They knew what we’re learning today – we must actively resist by knowing and believing the truth. Let’s go back to the Ephesians 6 passage: Be strong IN THE LORD and in HIS MIGHTY POWER. Put on the full armor of God, not just your own armor…this is how you can take your active stand against the enemy in your mind.

1 John 3:8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

Jesus came to destroy the devil’s work – yes on the cross. But He also wants to destroy the devil’s work in your mind. The devil seeks to tempt you, deceive you, accuse you, and destroy you.

Aren’t you grateful that Jesus came to destroy the devil who wants to destroy you?‍