Sermon Part 3: “Hold On To Your Peace of Mind and Never Practice Sinning!”
The writer of Hebrews 12:1 exhorts: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
God Almighty has called and made us sons of God, to continually be transformed into the image of His dear Son Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, sin no longer has “dominion” over us. (Rom.6:14) Thus, we must not practice (repeatedly/habitually) sinning, as “sin” easily entangles Christians in internal conflict between the thoughts of the human brain (carnal mind) authored by Satan, and the thoughts of God emanating from the sanctified heart of the person regenerated by God through the Holy Ghost.
Sin rehearsed (nurtured and kept secret) in the life of the believer acts as a heavy weight that disturbs the believer’s “Peace of Mind,” hampers ability to operate in the supernatural work of Peace and bring forth its fruit, and stunts and delays spiritual growth. Oh that the Saints of God would realize that through Christ’s Perfected Peace we have the “Power” to overcome the practice of sin and live in a steady-state of Peace of Mind. (I Tim.1:7)
Happy Sunday Saints of the Most-High God!
I want to start today’s Sermon with a story about a born-again Christian brother who attended our Church many years ago. I cannot reveal his name because of the sensitivity of the struggles he faced with a gambling addiction that greatly disturbed his Peace of Mind. Even today, many people in America suffer from this addiction, with approximately 25-million adults “annually” reporting having problems with gambling behaviors; and online Sports-Betting, and many other predictor-games that have exploded on social media and television, have exacerbated the disease especially among young adult men, and women too. In 2025, legal Sports gambling on National Football League season games alone was estimated to reach $30 billion.
According to Mental Health experts, people gamble for a variety of reasons, ranging from entertainment and social interaction, to financial desperation, to fantasies of hitting the big jack-pot and deciding how to enjoy and spend all the loot. Underlying factors for gambling include boredom, stress relief, the excitement of risk, and chasing losses which can create a cycle of addiction driven by neurobiological rewards.
In fact, experts say that during gambling, the brain releases endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin, which are “feel-good” hormones that play a key role in the brain’s reward system, which create feelings of excitement, pleasure, and euphoria. This chemical release, often triggered by the risk itself and "near-miss" scenarios, acts similarly to a “high” experienced in drug addiction, fostering a powerful neurological reward loop that can drive compulsive gambling behavior.
Even more insidious, gambling can be “generational,” often passed down through a combination of genetic predispositions and learned environmental behaviors. For example, children of parents with gambling problems (as well as other addictive behaviors) are significantly more likely to develop similar issues, as they view excessive gambling as a normal way to handle stress or financial issues. Saints, for many of us raised in urban America, “Playing the Numbers” was far more than a pastime—it was a deeply ingrained cultural and economic staple of the Black Community for decades during the 1900’s.
Before gambling was widely legalized, many black folks (including Christians) almost daily went looking for the “Numbers Man,” to play their favorite number. Playing the numbers offered excitement and hope, whether through tips from a reliable neighbor, wagers at the neighborhood barbershop, or placing bets using such things as residential addresses and combinations of birth dates believed to bring “good luck.” Playing the numbers was a well-liked hobby, especially in poor times, because of the attraction of making a little fortune out of a few cents. Even though it was secret, it gave many people who were shut out of conventional economic institutions access to money and a sense of empowerment.
While the Holy Bible does not explicitly mention “gambling,” it does however expressly warn against greed, covetousness, and the "love of money" (1Tim. 6:10) that often drives people to gamble and become addicted to it. The Bible teaches we cannot love and serve God, and Mammon (the spirit that seduces to prioritize money and wealth above God and His Principals). (Matt. 6:24) The Spirit of Mammon was controlling our Christian brother, just as it does many people in this world, influencing them to worship at the altar of money; placing their trust and loyalty in the accumulation of money and material wealth, instead of God as his source and security.
The Bible teaches Principles of accumulating wealth through “diligent” work (Prov.13:4, 11), practicing good stewardship through tithing and offerings to the local Church, (Mal.3:10) savings and investment (Matt.25:14-30), as well as giving to the poor and disadvantaged; rather than heaping up money for one’s self-gain and gratification of the flesh which eventually comes to naught. (Matt.19:16-22 & James 5:1-3) Praise God, the Bible teaches that “God” will increase (bless, multiply, and grow) us and our descendants more and more in material wealth and substance and in righteous living. (Ps.115:14)
The Word of God always proves “True” as gambling addiction though for a season seems pleasurable, ultimately causes severe, multi-faceted harm, including devastating financial ruin (debt, bankruptcy), broken relationships, and severe mental health crises, including high suicide risk. Gambling often leads to job loss, legal issues, and physical health problems like stress-related illnesses, impacting both the individual and their family.
Sadly, most people of the world, including some Christians, do not understand that they don’t need gambling, illicit sex, drugs or any other vices to experience emotional and physical “Highs.” God did not give to us the “feel good” hormones (endorphins, dopamine, and oxytocin) of the brain to release through vices that are detrimental to our health and well-being. These are all enticements from the Author of lies and confusion Satan whose aim is only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10)
Rather, God has given to us the gift and spiritual discipline of “Praise and Worship of Him!” (Ps.16:11) As we enter into God’s Presence, especially through individual and communal singing with music and fervent prayer and thanksgiving in the Holy Ghost, the brain releases those feel good hormones in the brain to remove stress, enhance mood, and foster a sense of joy, unity, and transcendence over the troubles of the world.
Saints, I encourage you for 30-minutes to an hour each day to freely and willingly devote yourselves to devotion; singing unto the Lord (and even continue throughout the day praising and thanking God) and fervently praying in the Holy Ghost, and you will experience the joy of the Lord; fostering a Steady-State of Peace of Mind. (Ps.133:1-3, Eph. 5:19, & Jude 20-21) Furthermore, commit your life through the Power of the Holy Ghost to study and obey God’s Word, and you will experience long-lasting joy. Psalm 119:1-2 tells us that “joyful” are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. As you delight greatly in Praise and Worship of God, the Perfected Peace of Jesus Christ will heal your body, give you Godly Wisdom, and cause money and material substance to flow into your household. (Ps.112:1-3)
Returning now to my story about the Christian Brother. To my knowledge he never shared with the Church his gambling obsession, only with me. When he came to Church on Sundays, he would always smile and be cordial with all the Saints, but inwardly he was a mental wreck; a complete ball of nerves. Privately and inwardly, he carried a heavy burden of shame and guilt about his gambling habit which was completely out of control.
I recall on several Friday mornings or evenings, he would call me on the phone and say, “Pastor I’m on my way to the casino to gamble, please pray for me.” His gambling problem was so intense that he had been barred from local gambling venues in the Washington, D.C. area, so he would drive to Pennsylvania or West Virginia over the weekends to casinos. The gambling episodes saw to it that every pay-period he had no savings from wages earned at a well-paying government job. Often he became late or delinquent with his rent, credit card debts, and child support payments as a single parent. Each day, he spent much of his time thinking of ways to work overtime, get a second job, or seek out other loan sources to meet his obligations. Often, he would talk glowingly about his daughter who was about ten-years old, and how badly he felt when she would call and ask for a toy, or money to go on a school field-trip or enjoy an outing with him. But, he had no money to make her wish come true.
I offered to help him enroll in a local Gambling Addiction Treatment Program, but he refused because he feared they would admit him into a Rehabilitation Center, and his employer would be notified and lose his job. I tried to reassure him that while his employer could be notified of the gambling addiction, they could not fire him solely for having the addiction, and that it may be considered as a “disability” requiring accommodation. I also told him that he could however be fired for work-related misconduct stemming from the addiction (e.g. poor performance, stealing, or violating company polices). Nevertheless, he only wanted to receive counseling from me.
Saints, even at one-point, His struggle with gambling became so overwhelming that he reached a breaking point. He called me and said, “Pastor, I need you to go with me to my bank to designate you as my Power of Attorney to manage my finances and save me from myself.” He said he could no longer trust himself with money to do the right things in life. He lamented greatly saying over and over, “Pastor, why do I keep on gambling? Why do I keep on sinning?” Why can I not stop sinning?
With a compassionate heart and sober “Truthfulness” I replied, “Because “you” want to keep on sinning. Gambling is a strong-hold of sin in your life, and, “you” have no ability to stop sinning. The more “you” try to stop gambling, the more you will do it!” (More on this in a moment.)
I told him I would happily continue providing Biblical guidance and support, but would not serve as custodian to manage his money. He asked why not. I told him that his “lust for money” would turn “seven-times” hotter and cause him to do even greater harm to himself and potentially others. Figuratively speaking to manage his money, would be like placing a hungry tiger in a cage for a long-period of time without food.
It would cause the tiger to experience pent-up frustration and suppressed rage. The animal would become agitated, and exhibit compulsive behaviors like bar-biting or constant pacing, while suffering from acute physical distress, loneliness, and severe psychological stress.
After that conversation, I never saw nor heard from the Brother again, and my calls were never returned. I was planning to tell my dear Brother in Christ that he had two options in life. The options were he could choose and decide to (1) Be set free from the gambling addiction by the Perfected Peace of Christ Jesus and go on and live out his days with Peace-of-Mind in divine prosperity and health, or (2) Continue to yield his life as a “slave” to gambling and hit rock bottom with a ravished existence. And, at some point in time, as a prodigal-son he would cry-out with his whole-heart, “Lord save me,” and Jesus would come most hurriedly to rescue him from peril; even at time of death.
I would have suggested that he choose option 1. But either way, Jesus Christ will never leave nor forsake him to provide support according to Abrahamic Covenant. (Heb.13:5-6) Glory be to God, no matter where he would make his bed, even in the darkest, lowest, or most painful of situations; God is and will be there to help. (Ps.139: 8) God in His Omniscience, from the foundations of the world has predestined our Christian Brother to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Thus, as an act of “Eternal Grace” before the world was created, God called, sanctified, and justified him (made righteous) in His sight. (Rom. 8:29-30) All that the Father has given into the hands of Jesus Christ, including our dear Brother, have been given “eternal life” and none shall be lost! (John 10:28 & John 17:2) For, to the utmost Jesus saves!
Now, here is a News Flash for you Saints. Every born-again Christian either presently, or will in the future struggle with a strong-hold of sin(s), to varying degrees of severity during their Christian walk. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) The intensity of strongholds can ebb and flow. At times, they can seem to have abated all together, and then come again like a raging tsunami. But we are to know that as the Apostle Paul noted at I Corinthians 10:13, there are no temptations that are unique, abnormal, or “uncontrollable!” All struggles are shared by others within the Body of Christ, meaning no temptation is “insurmountable” because God is faithful and provides a way out, keeping temptations within human limits.
As we sit here today, multi-millions of born-again Christians around the world are sitting in Church pews, including many of you here today, and are struggling with some secret weight and sin that seeks to disturb your Peace of Mind. So many Christians lack Peace of Mind, as its being stolen by the enemy Satan. So many believers are hiding secret sin that God has told them to leave behind, but they instead have chosen and decided to tolerate and bring it along on the Christian journey. Strongholds of sin that they tell themselves one day, “they” are going to stop yielding to, but just can’t seem to stop. Umm Saints, maybe you, like the Christian Brother in my story have asked: “Why do I keep on sinning?” Why can’t I stop sinning?”
How many New Year’s Resolutions have “you” made to put down this bad habit, or that bad habit, only to pick it up and carry it the next day, week, and throughout the year? Forever asking God to forgive you for the practice of sin.
When I talk about struggles with “Peace of Mind,” I’m talking about your human brain (thought-life) housed within the human skull. Many people confuse the Brain with the Mind, or consider them both one in the same. As I have preached many times before that the “Mind” is membered to the soul and housed with the spirit within born-again heart of a man. The born-again heart, including the “mind of the soul” cannot be disturbed by temptation, as in Christ it has been “Perfected,” and sealed by the Holy Ghost until the return of the Lord. (Eph. 4:30 & Heb.10:14)
Praise God, our born-again hearts are in a steady-state of tranquility and harmony with God in Christ Jesus. Moreover, the Paul stated that God has given to us the Spirit of “power, love, and a sound mind.” (I Tim.1:7) Paul also stated that we have been given the “Mind of Christ!” (I Cor. 2:16) In the example of our Christian Brother’s problem with gambling, this addiction, is no match for the Mind of Christ, if applied correctly to his way of thinking.
Let’s define a stronghold of sin:
A stronghold of sin (originating in the life of a person before they were born-again) is a deeply ingrained pattern of thought, belief, or behavior that opposes God’s Word (Truth) serving as a “fortified” and “habitual” refuge for sin in a person's life rooted in lies or deception from Satan’s temptations.
These strongholds create "thought-fortresses" that restrict spiritual freedom, hinder relationships with God, and often lead to addiction or enslavement to specific sins. Strongholds are intended by Satan to preoccupy our brains with evil thoughts and proceeding sinful actions to disturb our Peace of Mind, draw us away from God and obedience to His Word, and neutralize and nullify the work of Perfected Peace we are called to do. You see Saints how can we, in faith, speak the Words of Perfected Peace over our lives and other people in times of tribulation (as we have been Commanded by Christ to do), when our own Peace of Mind is grossly disturbed?
In Letters to the Churches, Paul identified numerous works of the flesh (carnal-mind) that can turn into strongholds of sin (both sins of inner-thoughts/desires and outward behaviors) that Christians are tempted to retain, nurture, and practice. Each of these sin practices, called iniquity, are triggered through temptations by Satan and cause great distress on our mental- states (brains/thought-life), and ultimately can cause sickness and disease in the physical body and many other negative outcomes for others and Society. These strongholds include: fornication, idolatry, adultery, covetousness, homosexuality, drunkenness, thievery, hatred, strife, gossip, murmuring, complaining, jealousy, lying, divisions, reveling, cursing, blasphemy, and filthy communication. (I Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21, & Col.3:5-9)
In naming these strongholds, Paul warned and Commanded believers to abstain from them; even to put them to “death,” as we have put off the old-man (Satan’s nature inherited through Adam) and have put on the new man (God’s nature inherited through Jesus Christ) which is renewed daily in knowledge after the image of God in Christ Jesus! Praise God Christ is all and in all of us! (Col. 3:5 & 10-11) Furthermore, Paul even asked and answered the question of the acceptability of continuing in habitual sinning, writing at Romans 6:1-2:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
At I Corinthians 6: 9, Paul also made it abundantly clear that any person who determines to practice sinning is “deceived” about their relationship with God in Christ Jesus and cannot inherit (possess with beneficial experience the Kingdom of God, wherein there is the Perfected Peace of Christ, Rom.14:17). Paul went on to remind the Christians at Corinth that they were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost and should not yield to the power of any of these to practice. (I Cor. 6:11-12)
The Apostle John also stated that the born-again person cannot continue to practice sin because his seed remains in him, as they are born of God. (I John 3:9) Therefore, the person who is a truly born-again Christian cannot remain in sin, as the Holy Ghost will reprove them of sin, guide them into righteousness and all Truth; showing them a way to escape sin and overcome it! (John 16:8-11)
Saints, I have no worry about how life will ultimately turn out for the Brother in Christ with the gambling addiction. Nor do I have any worry about any born-again Christian, including all of you here today overcoming any stronghold of sin in your lives. The reason is because I’m “boldly” banking on our whole-hearted confession of faith that we all expressed on the day we received Salvation and walk in daily, that “Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” which causes us to triumph over every stronghold of temptation and sin that is in the world. John pinned at I John 5:4-5.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The Amplified Bible says:
4 For everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world—our [continuing, persistent] faith [in Jesus the Son of God].
5 Who is the one who is victorious and overcomes the world? It is the one who believes and recognizes the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.
In these Verses we find the key to overcoming and getting the “Victory” over strongholds of sin, including gambling addiction. When we believe and recognize the Truth that “Jesus is the Son of God” and He has overcome the world (all temptation and sin for us) we get the Victory over the practice of sinning.
Watch this: In the example of our Christian Brother with the addiction to gambling, in frustration he lamented long that “he” gambled uncontrollably and wondered why “he” could not stop sinning. In dealing with the stronghold of gambling he was not thinking “soberly” and lacked proper “vigilance.” (I Pet. 5:8) He was “intoxicated” with using his own carnal mind/thinking; “human” wisdom, intellect, and strength to stop gambling, which was futile. His thinking that he could in some way resolve his gambling addiction through self-efforts/self-works was carnal thinking, which is the enemy of God. (Rom. 8:7) Jesus Christ said apart from me you can do nothing! (John15:5)
He had abandon all thought about the Truth that the greater One Jesus Christ was abiding in his heart; not believing and recognizing that “Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (I John 4:4) Jesus Christ alone is the one who has “overcome all temptation” without sinning and conquered sin and death for us! Therefore, only Christ dwelling within him has the “Power” to resist temptation and put to death the gambling addiction!
We must understand Saints, as elementary as this may sound regarding the practice of sin and how to stop, only Jesus can deliver us from sin and its habitual practice in our lives. Please note the following:
*Of our own selves we have no power to overcome “temptation,” only Jesus was tempted at all points like as we are and did not sin. (Heb. 4:15)
*Of our own selves we have no power to stop the commission and practice of sin. Jesus is the only person who has walked on the earth and not sinned, and died on the cross for the sins of the world. (Rom.3:10, I Pet. 2:24, & I John 3:5)
*We are saved by grace through faith as a gift of God to us, and not by self-works lest any person should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
*We must be convinced and confident and come to a place of “Mental-Rest” in knowing that Jesus Christ has begun a “good work” in us and will continue to perfect and complete it until the day of Christ’s return to Rapture the Church. (Php.1:6) As long as we live on earth, as His disciples, Christ will be perfecting our performance so there will always be room for spiritual and moral growth.
*So cease and desist from trying in your “own” strength to be a “good person,” to “live holy,” and to “obey God’s Word.” Stop this vain babble and nonsense of trying all you can to be the “best version” of yourself. Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost is going to change you into His glorious image, day-by-day, until He returns. As Paul said at Colossians 3:3, “For ye are dead, (dead to sin and the old-man sin nature of Satan inherited through Adam) and your life is hid with Christ.”
* Just as when you were lost in the world and yielded your members (brain/thought-life/physical body and passions) to unrighteousness/temptations by Satan, instead now yield your members (brain/thought-life/physical body and passions) unto righteousness so that the God of Perfected Peace can effectually make you perfect in every good work that is well pleasing in His sight. (Rom. 6:11-13 & Heb.13:20-21)
Do you understand me Saints, let go of the struggle and toil of trying “your best” to stop sinning, which only brings about shame and guilt and more sinning through “sin consciousness.” The more mental and physical effort you exert trying not to sin, the more conscious you become of it, and sin the more.
Instead, think soberly and be vigilant: Daily, live in the knowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and dwells in you and you in Him. Completely yield (surrender control of your life) to the knowledge that you are saved by the Amazing Grace of God, and that by God’s Grace Jesus through the Holy Ghost will teach and lead you into “thinking” and “doing” that which is right and pleasing to God. This causes you to stand firmly and walk in the liberty afforded to you by the cross of Christ that has made you free from all practice of sin. (Gal. 5:1)
By yielding your brain and thought-life to Christ, Jesus will take the taste and desire for the stronghold-sin away, and replace it with the desire and practice of doing good works for the Kingdom of God, which brings lasting Peace of Mind and healing and restoration to your body and accompanying prosperity. “It’s not by might, nor power but by my Spirit says the Lord.” (Zech. 4:6)
Isaiah 26:3 states, “Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth thee.” Praise God, we are going to make it our bold declaration that we “Trust in God!” In this moment, we are going to make a life-long commitment to place all of our trust in Christ Jesus to establish and keep us from all evil, as Promised at II Thessalonians 3:3.
As noted earlier, we have been given the Mind of Christ, the intelligence of Christ. Having the Mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) means God has given to us the perspective, humility, and Purpose of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost. The Mind of Christ is set on fulfilling God’s Will, ministering the Perfected Peace of God unconditionally to others, and replacing all selfish, worldly thinking with divine Wisdom. The Mind of Christ is not a passive state but an active, daily renewal of our thoughts to align with Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Daily, we are to allow the Holy Ghost to remove every evil thought and ungodly desire and replace it with God’s-thoughts and desires, which are Peace to give to us an expected end. (Jer. 29:11) Everybody in this meeting shout for joy saying, “I have the Mind of Christ!”
Now to break the stronghold of sin, we must attack it at its root; recognizing that every entrenched bondage begins as an internal thought or temptation in the human brain. If we kill the root of the thing, it can no longer produce fruit. James 1:13-15 outlines the anatomy of temptation, showing how internal desire (conception) matures into action (sin), ultimately resulting in spiritual death. It highlights personal responsibility of yielding to God, illustrating that sin is a “deliberate” yielding to enticement, not a failure ordained by God.
James 1:13-15 outlines this process:
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Notice that “evil desire” entices a person to sin, leading to conception (meditation on the thought), which gives birth to sinful action, and ultimately maturing into death. Also, notice that the enticement of evil without “persistent resistance” with the Word of God enables the conception of sin. No sin can be committed by a born-again Christian without first taking the evil thought and meditating on it. This is what caused the Christian Brother to enter the practice of gambling. He “willfully” meditated on evil desires to gamble: Satan introduced the temptation, he entertained the thought and envisioned himself gambling with its lust for money and chances to win, and the perceived-exhilaration of winning brought forth the sin of gambling that took him away from God and His Word. His constant thinking on gambling, greatly disturbed Mental Peace, and turned him into a compulsive gambler which resulted in the enemy stealing his money, stealing tithes and offerings from God, fracturing family relationships, and threatening the ruin of his life. (Prov.23:7)
While he could not prevent Satan from presenting the temptation to gamble, in sobriety, he could have instead determined to come to Jesus Christ the Son of God, and yield his will to Him, and the Holy Ghost would have given to him the Power to take the “thought” (and all inner-ward stress, fears, and worries in life) into captivity and make it obey God and His Word. (Heb. 4:12) “Persistent” sowing of the Holy Scriptures (The Words of God’s Perfected Peace) on the handling of money, financial stewardship, faith and trust in God, along with fervent prayer in the Holy Ghost would arrest and bind the temptation to gamble and bring it to nothing!
Furthermore, the Holy Ghost would in turn reveal to him Godly desires, ambitions, and works of Perfected Peace that would edify his brain and glorify God and cause him to prosper and be in health. Praise God, God in Christ Jesus would transform his gambling habit into a ministry of delivering others from addictions!
The Bible gives us many examples where Jesus transformed sin-drenched-souls into courageous followers of Him; giving them His Perfected Peace within as they performed the works of God. For example, Mary Magdalene was completely transformed, healed and delivered by Jesus from “total” demon possession and infirmities, to a life of loyalty and closeness with Jesus. Mary became a devoted disciple who traveled with Jesus and the disciples, financially supported His Ministry, remained at the foot of the cross during Jesus’ crucifixion (when all other disciples abandoned Him), and was the first to see Jesus after the Resurrection; earning her the title, “Apostle to the Apostles.” (Luke 8:1-2 & Mark 16:9)
Then there was the Samaritan Woman shackled by a history of five-failed marriages and current sinful living with a man who was not her husband. Jesus broke through her barriers to make her an unlikely, yet powerful, Ambassador of the Gospel to the town and through preaching Christ won many Samaritans, including many men to Christ. (John 4:7-30, 39-42) Lastly, let us never forget the radical transformation of Saul, (Apostle Paul) on the road to Damascus, who went from breathing threats and murder against Christians and jailing them everywhere he could find them, to after meeting Jesus Christ, became God’s chosen Apostle and relentless proclaimer of the Message of the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles, and writer of nearly half of the 27-books of the New Testament. (Acts 9:1-19)
Yes, there is no temptation nor stronghold of sin that the Mind of Jesus Christ is not able to transform for God’s glory. God redeems our deepest, habitual strongholds of sin by transforming the "fortresses" of negative thinking into spiritual fortitude for His Righteousness. He replaces lies with Truth, repurposing former areas of disobedience into arenas for worship, spiritual warfare, and purposeful action.
Saints, for every thought of temptation we receive from Satan that seeks to exalt itself above God’s Holy Word and become a stronghold of sin in our lives, by the grace of God, there are thoughts from the Mind of Christ expressed to us through the Holy Ghost to overcome the evil thought, keep us from its practice, and give to us the Victory and the rewards of God. Paul wrote at II Corinthians 10:4-5:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
For every sinful thought with its evil imaginations that come our way, we are not to just try and ignore, entertain, or let them continually speak to us without responding boldly and confidently with the Word of God inspired by the Might of the Spirit of the Lord. When we resist the devil with the Word of God, he will “flee” in terror! (James 4:7)
Saints, as you think about areas in your life where you struggle with habitual sin, at the door of temptation, you must trust and allow the Holy Ghost to help you “resist” the devil with the Word of God (Perfected Peace). Never in your own “wisdom” and “knowledge” will you win wrestling matches with the enemy. It’s only through the Spirit and Might of God, the Word of God, and fervent prayer that you will be able to overcome and conquer evil lusts and its sensual pleasures of the world. As Paul stated at Ephesians 6:12-13:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Remember that Jesus Christ (the Author and Finisher of our faith) used the Word of God to defeat all of the temptations (the lust of the flesh and eyes, and pride of life) Satan presented to Him in the wilderness as He fasted 40-days in preparation for His Public Ministry on earth. (Luke 4:4-13) His Peace was never disturbed as He entrusted God the Father with His Life, was filled with the Holy Ghost and Power, and committed to walk in obedience to the Father, even unto death.
This same Life and Mind of Jesus Christ dwells in you and is predestined to cause you to overcome and get the Victory over all of the whiles of the devil until Christ’s enemies are made His footstool. Let Jesus live through you and experience deliverance from all evil so that you remain in a Peaceful State of Mind.
Each day, be still and yield your members (brain and thought-life) to God as instruments of Righteousness to receive the Words of Perfected Peace inspired by the Holy Ghost to think on. Thoughts that are True, Honest, Just, Pure, Lovely, of a Good Report, Virtuous, and Praiseworthy. And, you have the Promise from Almighty God that the “God of Peace” will be with you always to experience an internal supernatural calm that floods not only your heart and mind of the soul, but transforms your brain and thought-life. (Php.4:8-9 & Rom.12:1-2)
Thereby, releasing a sense of stability, joy, and emotional security that transcends difficult external circumstances as the world can do you no harm. The God of Peace safeguards your thoughts from stress, worry, frustration, anxiety and illuminates a knowing within you of reconciliation and Oneness with Him. Such that in all situations in life, the Peace of God, rules as an “umpire” in which you learn to listen to and rely on Christ’s Words of Perfected Peace to settle disputes, make final decisions, and govern your actions as a son of God destined to walk in divine prosperity and health. (Col.3:15 & III John 2) Go now with Jesus Christ the Son of God, live in Perfected Peace, and practice sinning no more. Yes, Jesus will make everything all right!
Amen for the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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