Who Controls the Mind?

Who controls the mind? Most would say the individual. In theory this would be considered correct. When we look at this question biblically we would assert that God does own the mind. The mind as well as the body is on loan, as a gift and we are stewards. This brings us to our discussion. If God owns the mind and we have been entrusted with it as being stewards then we are responsible for what we feed the mind. The question we need to ponder is, “Who is in control, who is its master?” Is it the individual, or is it the mind? The reason I ask, what some would say is a strange question is because when we have a thought, positive or negative, do we just allow thoughts to come in uncontrolled? Do we allow the mind to do what it pleases with these thoughts? If the mind is its own master, then yes, we give it full reign to do what it pleases with its thoughts. If not, then we have to control what goes in and what comes out. We have to regulate the activity of the mind. It goes even deeper than that, we have to ask the same question in regards to our emotions. Who is the master? Who is the guardian, who regulates the activity of the mind and emotions?

This is a spiritual fight. Satan works to bring our minds under his influence. He desires to keep us thinking about our fears. He also does his best to fill our minds with what the world has to offer. He looks to keep our minds and emotions focused away from God. And if we are thinking about God, it needs to be a distorted view of Him.

When we think about the question, “Who owns the mind?”, it may seem ridiculous. We may say we do. We may say we regulate our thoughts. Take a minute to see if you really do control the mind! When temptation assaults you, do you take hold of the thought and remove it, or does the thought take hold of you? When there is something you desire, and this desire isn’t always on evil one, what do you do? Do you focus on the future, moving ahead of reality? Do you get caught up in the possibilities and allow your emotions to be stirred up? Do you ever find yourself being obsessed with the thought, or fear that you can’t seem to let go of? What about something you hope will happen. Do you ever become focused on the hope, which you then race ahead and become disappointed with the real outcome? If any of these questions are true for you, then you may not have the mind in control.  I think that is true for most of us. A single friend of mine would have this problem when he is interested in a lady. His mind would race ahead of reality. In doing so when life didn’t turn out to be like his script that he had written, he would become discouraged and disappointed. Is there an area in your thought life that you write a script out, in hopes it will happen. Is there a fear you have that the mind plays over and over which keeps you focused on, which distracts you from God? If the answer is yes, then you must learn how to control the mind.

The world has many remedies in how to take control, from Eastern meditation to finding strength from within to conquer the thought life. Eastern meditation looks to empty the mind of all its thoughts to find emptiness, to focus on the abyss and become one with the universal consciousness. For the Christian this is dangerous business. Scripture does not call us to a state of emptiness, or to become one with an unknown consciousness. This type of meditation is dangerous because it opens the mind to the spiritual world. This spirituality is not one of God, but a masquerade of Satan. Eastern meditation is an open door to allow Satan to infiltrate our thoughts in the pursuit of our own inner peace. Just because something helps us, or brings relief, doesn’t always come from God. While premarital sex may relieve loneliness, it is forbidden in Scripture. The same is true for Eastern practices in search of peace. When God’s Word is used the term meditation, it is not one connected with emptiness, but fullness. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” (Psalm 119:15) I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. (Psalm 119:48) “May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.  (Psalm 104:34)

God wants us to fill our minds with His Word to bring healing. Meditation is not to bring us to emptiness. When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form or void, and the darkness was over the face of the deep. To bring His creation out of this void and darkness God said, “Let there be light.” He does the same for us to bring us out of our darkness by speaking through the Scriptures, His Word. He speaks to us, His creation, for the same reason, to fill the void with His presence. Jesus, when the disciples were in the midst of a storm on the sea of Galilee did the same. He spoke to the creation and said, “Peace be Still” His Word brought about peace. Not the emptiness of the mind, but fullness in Christ.

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. [2 Corinthians 10:4-5]