THE BATTLE WITHIN: Winning the War for Your Mind

PROTECTING THE BATTLEGROUND

Philippians 4:8

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.”

INTRODUCTION — WHAT SHOULD OCCUPY OUR MINDS?

Last week, in “The Battleground,” we established that one of the primary places the battles of life are fought is in our minds. We looked at Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 10 and learned that we cannot simply accept every thought that enters our minds. Some thoughts have to be recognized for what they are, compared to God’s truth, and taken captive to obey Christ.

But that raises an important question for us this week:

Once I’ve taken the wrong thought captive, what should take its place?

The Christian life cannot simply consist of constantly telling ourselves, “Don’t think about that. Don’t think about this. Get that thought out of your mind.” God doesn’t just tell us what needs to leave our minds. He tells us what should occupy our minds.

That’s where Philippians 4:8 takes us. Paul gives us a list of things that should characterize what we intentionally allow our minds to dwell upon: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellent, and praiseworthy.

Then Paul finishes with these words:

“Dwell on these things.”

There is a difference between something entering your mind and something occupying your mind. We can’t always control everything we see or hear, and we can’t necessarily prevent every unwanted thought from crossing our minds. But we can become intentional about what we continue thinking about.

Last week was about taking the wrong thoughts captive.This week is about choosing what takes their place. If the mind is the battleground, then we need to learn how to protect the battleground.

TAKEAWAY 1

WHAT YOU DWELL ON MATTERS.

Philippians 4:8

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.”

BIBLE NOTES

I want us to pay particular attention to one word at the end of this verse: “dwell.” The Greek word translated “dwell on” is λογίζομαι (logizomai). It carries the idea of considering, reckoning, calculating, taking something into account, or giving careful thought to something. Paul isn’t describing a thought that simply flashes through our minds. He is talking about what we deliberately choose to consider and continue thinking about.

In fact, logizomai is where we get the idea behind our English word “logic.” It was sometimes used in the sense of calculating or keeping an account. Picture someone sitting down with a ledger and carefully considering what belongs in each column. That’s much closer to Paul’s idea than simply saying, “Think happy thoughts.” Paul is telling believers to carefully consider what they are allowing their minds to continually focus upon.

That means Philippians 4:8 is not simply a command to think positively. Paul isn’t saying, “Ignore everything bad in your life and think happy thoughts.” He is calling us to intentional mental discipline. Examine what you’re thinking about. Consider it. Evaluate it. Determine whether it deserves your continued attention.

That’s where the word dwell becomes so important. There is a tremendous difference between a thought passing through your mind and you choosing to dwell upon that thought. Dwelling means I keep returning to it. I replay it. I rehearse it. I consider it. I give it my attention. I allow it to occupy mental space.

Think about how easily we do this with negative things. Someone says something that hurts us on Monday, and by Friday we’re still replaying the conversation. Something happens that makes us afraid, and we mentally rehearse every possible thing that could go wrong. We’re tempted by something, and instead of turning our attention away from it, we continually imagine it.

That’s dwelling.

And Paul says if we’re going to dwell on something, let’s intentionally dwell upon things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellent, and praiseworthy.

What we continually dwell upon doesn’t simply stay isolated in our thoughts. Over time, our thinking influences our attitudes, our values, our reactions, our decisions, and eventually our actions. Paul isn’t separating thinking from living. The very next verse, Philippians 4:9, moves from what believers should think about to what they should practice.

APPLICATION

So what you dwell upon matters because:

What repeatedly occupies your mind will eventually influence the person you are becoming.

TAKEAWAY 2

USE GOD’S FILTER FOR WHAT YOU DWELL ON.

Philippians 4:8

“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy…”

BIBLE NOTES

Paul doesn’t leave us wondering what deserves our mental attention. He gives us a filter. Whatever is true asks whether what we’re thinking corresponds with truth rather than assumptions, exaggerations, fears, or lies. Something can feel true without actually being true. Whatever is honorable asks whether the thought is worthy and fitting for someone who belongs to Christ. Whatever is just points us toward what is right according to God’s standards. Whatever is pure asks whether something encourages holiness rather than feeding sin. Whatever is lovely directs our minds toward what promotes what is good rather than what is ugly or destructive. Whatever is commendable asks whether something is worthy of approval. Paul then gathers everything together under the ideas of moral excellence and what is praiseworthy.

What I especially like about this list is that it requires active discernment rather than passive consumption. Paul isn’t telling us to simply absorb whatever the world puts in front of us. We’re supposed to examine it. We should be asking questions about what we’re allowing to occupy our minds. That applies to what we watch, what we listen to, what we read, what we scroll through, the conversations we participate in, and even the things we continually say to ourselves.

We often approach these things by asking, “What’s wrong with it?” But Philippians 4:8 gives us a better question. Instead of only asking whether something crosses a line into sin, ask, “Does this deserve my attention? Is it true? Is it pure? Is it honorable? Is it helping direct my thoughts toward what honors God?”

Paul is teaching us that guarding the battleground requires more than avoiding obviously sinful things. It requires learning to discern what deserves a place in our minds.

APPLICATION

Before you dwell on it, run it through God’s filter.

TAKEAWAY 3

SET YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS OF GOD.

Colossians 3:1–2

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Romans 8:5

“For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit.

BIBLE NOTES

Notice the intentional language Paul uses in Colossians: “Set your minds.” Then notice how similar his language is in Romans 8: “have their minds set.” There is a direction to our thinking. Our minds don’t have to simply go wherever our circumstances, emotions, flesh, culture, or temptations try to take them. As followers of Christ, we intentionally redirect our thinking toward the things of God.

When Paul tells us to “set your minds on things above,” he isn’t telling us to ignore the realities of life or walk around thinking about heaven every waking moment. He’s teaching us to look at earthly circumstances through a heavenly perspective. Our circumstances may be happening here, but our thinking should be shaped by who Christ is, what Christ has done, what Christ has promised, and what matters eternally.

Romans 8:5–6 takes this even deeper because Paul contrasts two different mindsets. One mind is set on the things of the flesh; the other is set on the things of the Spirit. And Paul says those two directions produce very different results. “The mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace.” What occupies our thinking matters because the direction of our minds is connected to the direction of our lives.

That brings us right back to Philippians 4:8. Paul isn’t giving us a random collection of pleasant thoughts. He’s teaching us to intentionally cultivate a mind that is increasingly oriented toward the things of God. When we pursue what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy, we are pursuing qualities that reflect the character and ways of God.

Our minds will wander. Circumstances will pull at our attention. Problems will demand our attention. Temptation will compete for our attention. Worry will try to consume our attention. But when our minds wander, we reset them toward Christ.

We don’t spend the Christian life staring at everything we’re trying not to think about.

We have Someone better to think about.

APPLICATION

When your mind wanders, reset it toward Christ.

CLOSING CHALLENGE — WHAT ARE YOU DWELLING ON?

Last week the question was:

“What thoughts do I need to take captive?”

This week the question is different:

“What am I choosing to dwell on?”

Because there is a difference between something crossing your mind and something occupying your mind.

Paul says don’t leave that decision to chance.

Whatever is true. Whatever is honorable. Whatever is just. Whatever is pure. Whatever is lovely. Whatever is commendable. Whatever is morally excellent. Whatever is praiseworthy.

Dwell on these things.