The Battle Of The Mind
Most of you know that I have been battling several illnesses at the same time. I have completed several months of an intense treatment for hepatitis C in October, and yesterday I have completed a series of immuno-therapy treatments for lymphoma. Several other afflictions have also tried to illegally take ground in my body.
This is a time that many would call the “Dark night of the Soul,” but the LORD promises in His word that He will give us the victory over whatever we endure as long as we don’t quit.
The Holy Spirit is also showing me that many of us are coming out of horrendous long dark seasons, and those who have have not given up during these difficult times, are coming into an extraordinary season. You have pressed in and prayed not knowing what lies ahead but Jesus says now is your time of renewal and refreshing.
As I completed the treatment yesterday, I was reminded of a fable which I once heard about an old Cherokee Indian telling his grandson a story about a battle that goes on inside of people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. “One is Evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.” The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one that you feed.”
As I remembered this story, the Holy Spirit showed me that there are many Christians who are battling within themselves. Two natures are constantly trying to control our way of thinking, which will eventually dominate our lives. Even if we received a medical diagnosis which appears impossible in the natural to cure, we have to align our thoughts with the Lords will. When the pain is intolerable, we have to remember the Word of God.
The LORD says;
“To those of you who have been struggling and battling from within, don’t allow negative thoughts to rule and dominate your way of thinking and win the battle of your mind. That is your old nature contending with the divine nature which is created in you by the transformation of your renewed mind.
Don’t allow fear to gain ground. Allow My Spirit to lead and direct you from inside and you will be set free from this struggle. When times of temptation arise, know that you have the strength to follow the way of the Spirit. When you are tested and tried through the contention of others, don’t give in to their accusations.
Do not be controlled by your senses.
Do not be controlled by your feelings.
Do not be led by any thoughts that are contrary to My word.
Stay strong through difficult times and prayerfully seek Me to lead you and guide you in the way of righteousness.
When sickness and infirmity arise, don’t be moved by how you feel. As difficult as it may seem, stand on the word until you receive your breakthrough. Don’t dismiss the blessing that I have bestowed upon your life by submitting to voices which are contrary to My word.
As your mind and your spirit are in constant conflict and struggle against each other, hold on to the dream that I have placed in you. Don’t let go of what I have already provided for you as you learn how to master your flesh and submit to the Spirit living and dwelling on the inside of you,”
says the LORD.
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all,” Psalm 34:19.
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy,” 1 Peter 4:12-13.
“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me,” Romans 7:18-23.
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish,” Galatians 5:16-17.
Blessings in Christ Jesus,
~ Elaine
ELAINE TAVOLACCI
Staten Island, NY
www.awordinseason.info
www.TheVoiceOfBreakthrough.com
Maria:
I agree with you about water being essential to our well-being. I too, often visit with an elderly friend who is in an nursing facility. My concern is that he doesn’t get enough water to drink. Although he asks for water, very seldom will the staff give him water when he asks for it. He’s on a special diet that only allows him to have water with a powder thickner added to it, making it very thick. This is done with all of his liquids. Therefore, most times he won’t drink it. As you stated, this causes strife and contention, especially when I attempt to advocate on his behalf. Let us join together in prayer against any spiritual weapons formed against the elderly who are confined and are thirsty for water.
In Christ Jesus,
Linda
Father as your daughter walks through this valley may you continue to be with her.In Jesus mighty name
Hello Elaine,
I am happy to hear that you endure the sufferings and I am convinced that the Lord will heal you. Amen.
Perhaps what I share also will be a blessing;
The last 1-2 years at night, I have had an extreme dryness in my mouth and throat and in my eyes that have been very painful and it is also a symptom of a disease so I have prayed a lot against this.
I work with sick and elderly in different places and everywhere they are in a constant lack of water.
The ordinary staff gives them juice and such things but almost never pure water.
My own ‘dryness’ made me extremely observant on this and therefore I started to give the elderly water as much as they could manage to drink.
This caused (and still cause) great strifes and after a while I understood that there
is some spirit (the spirit of death) behind this which hinder the giving of water because the elderly became more alert and became clearer in their mind when they started to drink.
And water is vital for life.
The last months my own painful dryness in eyes and mouth have disappeared and I believe that God gave me symptoms for the reason that I should take the (spiritual)
fight about the water because every time I saw an elderly I could almost ‘feel’ their dryness and pain in their mouth and throath.
Perhaps we sometimes have sufferings that we- when we endure it while we are waiting for the Lord to heal us- are doing spiritual victory also for not only ourselves but also for other people without that we know about it.
“And we ought, we who are strong, to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves Rom15:1