The heavy athletics events at the Highland games are quite exciting. Caber toss, stone put, 56 lb. weight for height and the hammer throw. Scottish heavy athletics owe their roots to the Highland warriors who would keep in shape between battles by competing amongst themselves with everyday implements. A stone, a blacksmith’s hammer, a tree trunk (caber), became tools for building strength for battle. The participants competing had strength and stamina.
While each competitor was trying to win, for some, the battle was not on the field but in their mind. We were standing behind the competitors area listening to the competitors words. Some did not believe they could win. They sized up their competition and thought there was no way they could compete against a professional, someone stronger, older, more in shape, etc. Some were frustrated with their scores or their ability. They were discouraged. They allowed their imaginations to create a vision, a stronghold and the more they spoke negatively the worse they did. They came to the competition prepared so what happened?
In Eph 6:11 – Paul’s exhortation is to “put on the whole armor of God”. Where do we get the armor? God gives it to us – Isaiah 59:17. We must know who we are in Christ to be victorious in battle.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (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 exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Cor. 10:3-5
Our minds can convince us that we won’t make it in battle. Our flesh will tell us to stop; we are too tired, too slow, too old, too young. As long as these thoughts form strongholds, we will never have victory. We need revelation of the truth! Only the truth will break the bonds of strongholds and set us free.
If a wrong thought tries to enter your mind, take encouragement from what Paul said in 2 Cor 10:3-5 – “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.” Use God’s weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. Capture negative or contrary to the Word thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
When you recognize a negative thought or stronghold cast it out of your mind immediately. Replace the thought with what Philippians 4:8 tells you to dwell on. Put the Word of God in your heart. Meditate it, read it, study it, confess it. Confession of God’s Word is an effective tool in controlling your thought life because you cannot think one thing and say another. Romans 12:2 says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
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