I think the hardest battle is the one fought in the mind. It is there that most problems originate, most fears are realized, and most insecurities are born. If you stop and look back at all of the things you worried about in life, you'll see that 99% of them didn't come true at all. At least that's true for me.
Even when circumstances are unfavorable, the mind is the place where reactions are born. I like to say that you can't choose your circumstances, but you can choose how you respond to them. This is true, but the mind is the place where those choices are influenced most. Since those choices then affect and alter our circumstances, I would posit that even circumstances outside of us are influenced by what happens in the mind.
I spent 10 years under a mental illness, and though Yahweh healed me of that five years ago (as of February 15!), I still find that some scars remain. For mental illness is frequently blamed upon the sufferer, unlike illnesses found in the body. Nobody goes, "Your leg is broken. Just get over it! If you would get up and walk, you could just be better!" They basically say that all the time to those who suffer from mental illnesses.
Not that I am saying anyone is a victim here. Yahweh is able to heal all, and the idea that a sufferer of mental illness should be pitied as a poor, unfortunate victim who will just have to deal with that for the rest of their lives makes me want to spit. How dare the enemy try to tell someone that they can't be healed! He is only capable of lies and please, please don't believe him!
Because while someone with a mental illness is not to blame, neither are they powerless. But then, none of us are powerless when we have the power of Yahweh God residing within us. He healed me of depression, obesity, and many other things over the past five years. And now, He is healing me again... of guilt.
The point of this blog post is this: the battlefield of the mind is a real thing! It is a true battle, and it is not something people can just "get over" and "grow up and put their big girl panties on." Instead, it is a battle to the death. The death of a person's identity, freedom, purpose, and even--sometimes--of the person him or herself. But the battle is winnable. In fact, Yahshua said that the battle is already won.
So the next time you see someone battling something in their mind, whether it be a true mental illness, or stupid thoughts or fears that try to limit them and keep them from all Yahweh has for them, realize that it is a real battle. Cut them some slack! And cut yourself some slack when you battle, too, because it's something we all go through. The battle is just as real and powerful as a person's body battling cancer, a missionary battling ignorance, a charity battling poverty. Who knows how many generations in the future are being affected by this battle going on right now?
But again, we fight with hope, because our victory is already assured so long as we don't give up.
Every victory against the enemy--whether it be over fears in the mind, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, or a myriad of other evils--is a win for the Kingdom. Every time Yahweh's truth prevails against a lie of the enemy, Yahweh has established another foothold in this natural realm, and if that is in my mind, HalleluYah!
And this is how the war is won: one battle at a time. But even as we fight, we rest, for we remember that Yahshua won the battle for us, and all we have to do is receive it.
