Ep. 70 - High Level Warfare

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Mind renewal is how we experience transformation. So, and, and I love these words. Learning to agree with what's already true of us in Christ. [00:00:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:11] Speaker A: Learning to agree. So we take thoughts captive to the truth of the gospel, not to earn closeness, but because we're actually already in perfect. [00:00:21] Speaker B: Yeah. Perfect union. [00:00:22] Speaker A: First Corinthians 6, 17, Hebrews also talks about that, that, that closeness, that. And it's for all time too, too. [00:00:33] Speaker B: Yeah, completely. [00:00:34] Speaker A: So it's all over the place. So the mind renewal really is learning to agree with what's already true of us. [00:00:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:43] Speaker A: Hello and welcome. We're back. It's. Let's talk life. Talking life in Christ and Christ in us. And it's been, wow, such a joy. It's been a joy, Carl, just for, I don't know how long we've been talking. Last half hour maybe already. Yeah, yeah. So it's just, just been beautiful to chew on things and sometimes we have a better outline, sometimes we don't. Sometimes I have so much information, I don't even know where to go. And I feel like that's today, so. But we're titling today high level warfare. And I have a reason for that and I guess I'll get right into that. But the question maybe to ponder today is, is there a battle for the mind? So I don't know if you want to start there, Carl, if you have something else. [00:01:29] Speaker B: Oh, it's, it's a, it's a, it's a very heavy question that can be answered a billion different ways. [00:01:37] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. [00:01:39] Speaker B: For your mind. And the simplest is you watch a football game and what are they trying to get you to buy? You know, you put on a cartoon and what are they trying to, you know, the toys and the cereals and the, you know, so, so, man, it's such a, such a loaded question. Very important for us as a believer to talk about. Right? Yeah, I like the question. How about you? What do you think of that question? [00:02:02] Speaker A: Yeah, well, I mean, it's, it is, it's amazing. I'll, I'll go off of the, the title of and why I chose it and I guess I'll still start there. But just this last week, you know, hearing a question answer time with John Eldridge that, that you kind of connected me to. So high level warfare is something that somebody came up with a question saying I'm, I'm concerned about, you know, this high level warfare and what do I do? And I feel like I'm working with people that maybe are into things that are, I don't know. I don't know where he was totally coming from. But in any case, he was worried about this high level warfare. And that's what, you know, really causes me to think, okay, yeah, there's. There is this battle for the mind. But I even like how the pastor here, he processes it. His name is Brett. He processes it and says, well, it's really a battle for the brain because we are renewing that mind. And it is. Yeah, but maybe that's still the battle. Right? Like, there's still. The devil wants us to believe lies. [00:02:58] Speaker B: Right. [00:02:58] Speaker A: And so we can. We can either believe these l. We can believe this truth. And the more that we rest in and believe that truth, the more that we're. Our mind is renewed. But, man, yeah, there's. There's so much vying for our attention and especially in this context. And I love, even in our conversation we came up with, you were talking about, and I related it to missions. We can go to other countries and we can experience other cultures and they seem. And they generally are just happier. Why are they happier? It's because they have less things like the media, like social media, like all. And that's changing because technology is, you know, they all have phones and stuff now over overseas, but. But in general, they're. They have less connection to it. Some places they don't even have electricity once it comes, you know, eight o' clock at night, electricity to shut off. So there's a shut off for them to not be feeding on all this stuff. And so what we in America would see us. Well, that's horrible that you don't have electricity. What's really. That's actually a blessing because shut off all the negative that's out there because it is shaping our thinking, unquestionably so. [00:04:05] Speaker B: Yeah, boy. [00:04:06] Speaker A: Yeah. So that's where this high level comes from. [00:04:09] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. Even that phrase, high level warfare. What's even fascinating about that is. So I guess the meaning behind the words high level is that. Is that. That I'm. That I'm here spiritually. And so my battles are high level as opposed to the common guy. That's low level. What's fascinating, Zach, is that the enemy's got no new tricks. The same tricks, no Genesis chapter three are the same tricks. You know, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride, the pride of life. And so. So it's fascinating. The same things we see with the temptations of Christ in Luke or, you know, it's just. It's the same thing, you know, Can. Can I Get. Can I be self reliant? Can I be self sufficient? Can I be entitled to something? Can I. Living independently from God? I mean, that's, that's so. But I get what he's saying because he's saying, well, I'm encountering, I'm engaging with guys, we're going through tough things and I need to be careful myself, which is a great. By the way, that's a great posture, you know, First Corinthians 10. Be careful lest you think that you're above this. You know, be. You know, that you won't fall either. You know, and so just that phrase. I level, I don't think I would use that ever again. But I understand what he's saying. No, but, but it is important. What does warfare look like? What is. Where is the battle? You know, you brought up the battle for the mind. Your friend Brett, who I've gotten to meet. The battle for the brain. And, and so what, again, just even what I said, anything stirring in your mind or to talk about first? [00:05:45] Speaker A: Well, I mean, I, I love. I'll just take some more of John Elder. So in response, I don't know if it was in response to that question, but one of the things that he brought up were these counterfeits. And I just really appreciated this. He said that the enemy will come in and bring counterfeit affirmation and bring counterfeit revelation because he wants to get us to do things that we think that God is in, but he's not really in. And so that's why it's really crucial to have this renewal of the mind. And I would even go so far as to say, like, you know, I love John Eldridge, maybe doesn't even teach it, but he just, he exemplifies it. Yes, by the way, that he just, he doesn't put the emphasis on the enemy. He doesn't renounce the enemy. He renounces the lies because they're lies, and instead let's believe the truth. And I really love this because maybe just even a good prayer for people to turn to. So sometimes you can use written prayers as a tool just to begin that renewal of the mind. And this is kind of what John oftentimes will do, is just kind of pray these things. And just as an example. And so this is what I just kind of prayed, I guess, and just wrote it down. But God, I'm renouncing anything that's not of you. [00:07:04] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:07:05] Speaker A: So give me wisdom to see and to know. And after I even wrote that down, I just thought, wow, to see and to know. Like, I love that word, to know you, God. To know him. [00:07:17] Speaker B: Wow. [00:07:18] Speaker A: And this is the reality. To know him helps me then to spot the lie. As I come to know Him, I can see that the things that are not of him and I can say that's, that's not for me. And it's just so. And it's the same. It's the same way for a bank teller. They don't train a bank teller to look at false money and say, yep, so now I can. They actually have them identify and recognize what a real bill looks like. [00:07:44] Speaker B: Right. [00:07:44] Speaker A: So that when a counterfeit comes in, they recognize that that's not real. It's the same thing with, with God. The more that we know him, the more we're able to see the counterfeit and say, nope, I can say no to that. I don't need to. Because there are things in life that sometimes I feel like, boy, maybe I should do this. And then it's like after I spent all this time and energy and money maybe even doing that, and, and then I'm discouraged because it didn't work out. And it's like, well, that. Because it was counterfeit and so I don't know. [00:08:15] Speaker B: Yeah, I want, I just. Because. Because I don't want it to be lost. I'm going to repeat this because I think it's very important what, what I heard and what you heard John bring up. And I think that's a great point that he doesn't actually teach it as much as, I mean, maybe in some of the boot camps and. But he, but he just lives it like he just, he just lives his truth. Yes. That the enemy will bring counterfeit affirmation. I'm going to say that again. The enemy will bring counterfeit. False fake appearing true. False appearing true. [00:08:47] Speaker A: Right. [00:08:48] Speaker B: Affirmation or counterfeit revelation to get us to do what we think God was in. [00:08:56] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:56] Speaker B: When it doesn't work out, we're frustrated. Here's. I'm going to give you an example. I know there are guys that are listening to here that have been connected to me through sexual integrity or through sexual struggles or whatever it may be. And so, man, it is so tempting to go to anything that's law based to get me to stop some type of behavior. When the behavior, like John says all the time, the behavior is actually not the issue, guys, it's why are we medicated? [00:09:25] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:25] Speaker B: What's going on? What's the pain? The hurt, the, you know, all these things, the wounds. Those are the Ones we need to allow Isaiah 61, ministry of Jesus, healing the brokenhearted and setting the captives free. So there's counterfeit affirmations and counterfeit revelations that we think God's in it. And then when it doesn't work out because 30 days later we've been pornography free, and then all of a sudden we go back to it and we say, well, God wasn't in it, or forget God, or forget it, I'll just do whatever. And it's like, wait a minute, wait a minute. And so, so I love that. And then the next part is, what you said was very important. John didn't say, renounce the enemy. He says, renounce the lie. What's the lie? What's the lie? And I know the track of ministry leaders or pastors, a big lie is, it's up to me. It's all up to me. It's up to me for the church to succeed. It's up to me for the ministry to grow. And, and there can be, there can be a lot of lies about quote unquote, for those who aren't watching me, successful ministries. There's. There can be some lies there as well. Right. But I just love that question that you said, God, I'm renouncing anything that's not of you. What a great prayer to start today with, right? God, I'm renouncing. It's not of you. I'm renouncing. It's up to me that I would have wisdom to see you and know you. And that's your Ephesians one prayer that started this journey for you. [00:10:47] Speaker A: Right. [00:10:48] Speaker B: And so anyway, I just wanted to just rephrase these things because they're important. I don't want to miss it. [00:10:53] Speaker A: Right, right. No, I mean, it really, it really spoke to me to the point where, I mean, I was writing this stuff down because I thought this is so good. And I write things down so that I can chew on them. And the way that I chew on them is with God, it's like, okay, God, what does this mean? And so even, even this high. Going back to the high level warfare [00:11:12] Speaker B: Y. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:11:14] Speaker A: Which I. Right away it was like, I don't know about that. And, and I love this because, like, Frank Friedman, he told me he's read coming out with a new book. It might even almost be out or, or already out, but it's, it's about spiritual warfare. And he's. And he was like, so I have this new book coming out soon. And. But he said, but I'll give You a little spoiler. Like, it's already, it's already won. It's already won. Like, I only titled it that so that people would know that this is what it's about. But the reality is we're already the victor. And so here, here I hear this phrase, like high level warfare. And this is why maybe I. I don't know, I don't have a problem with it because I feel like it's always God leading me into just pondering with him. [00:11:59] Speaker B: Yeah, it's. [00:12:00] Speaker A: I don't have a problem with it at all. [00:12:02] Speaker B: Yep. [00:12:02] Speaker A: But this is a question and a prayer that I came to for me personally. [00:12:07] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:07] Speaker A: So this isn't a prayer just for everybody, that everybody needs to prayer, but it like, okay, God, like, am I not seeing warfare? Maybe that's there. So I came to him and said, God, if I'm not experiencing warfare, is it because I'm giving into it? And it's like, well, why am I even asking that question, God? And where is this coming from? And so. But here's what's so beautiful about that question is not the actual question. It's that I was bringing that to God and looking for his wisdom, for his revelation just opened my eyes to what I needed to see out of this. So there are things that can cause like a confusion or maybe red flags or whatever. And it's like the best place that we can. We can take that is to the Lord and ask for his wisdom. [00:12:53] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:55] Speaker A: Really what it comes down to is, Is mind renewal. That's one other thing that for sure, I wanted to talk about here. [00:13:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:13:02] Speaker A: Wherever this takes us. But yeah, let's. Mind renewal. Yeah, let's do it. Mind renewal is how we experience transformation. So. And I love these words, learning to agree with what's already true of us in Christ. [00:13:17] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:13:18] Speaker A: Learning to agree. So we take thoughts captive to the truth of the gospel, not to earn closeness, but because we're actually already in perfect. [00:13:27] Speaker B: Already. Yeah, perfect union. [00:13:29] Speaker A: First Corinthians 6, 17, Hebrews 2. Not verse or chapter 2, but Hebrews also talks about that, that closeness that this reality. And it's for all time. [00:13:44] Speaker B: Yeah, completely. [00:13:45] Speaker A: So it's all over the place. So the mind renewal really is learning to agree with what's already true of us. So how does that connect with you, Carl? [00:13:54] Speaker B: Yeah, well, a verse that we were chewing on earlier from Second Corinthians 10 about the weapons that we have now and yeah, the war. And it was just this verse that caught my eye as it happens. [00:14:09] Speaker A: Right. [00:14:10] Speaker B: And first of all, Zach, I love how you process things, man. You are awesome, man. It's like. It's like I'm the one that. That, like, I'll. I'm Peter. I'll shoot first, then I'll think second. You know, not actual gun, but shoot first with an idea, and then you'll ponder it and think about it. And I just love how God's created each one of us unique and different. Like it's special, like it's awesome. And we need each other in the body of Christ. [00:14:34] Speaker A: Right. [00:14:34] Speaker B: But so. So what I do is when I look at verses, I just keep reading. And so I went down to second Corinthians 7. And, you know, there's some translation, you know, variant of. Of. Does it look right before me? Is it. Don't look at outward appearance. But the next part says this. If anyone is confident that he is Christ, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ, so also are we. And I. I just love that reminder that. Let him. [00:15:00] Speaker A: Right. [00:15:00] Speaker B: Remind himself. King James says tr. Himself that he is Christ. Wow. Trust. Trust to himself. Remind myself, well, why would we need to do that? Why would we need to remind ourselves? [00:15:16] Speaker A: Right. [00:15:16] Speaker B: Because I forget. Because I get focused on my failure or my weaknesses or my circumstances. And so Paul is saying, hey, remind yourselves we're in Christ. You're in Christ. [00:15:27] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:15:27] Speaker B: And so I think that mind renewal is so. And by the way, we didn't even get to Romans 12:2, you know. Yeah, but. But I just think, man, that is. That's such a great, great, great tool for us. How about you? What do you think of my renewal? [00:15:43] Speaker A: Well, it's happening all the time. [00:15:46] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. [00:15:48] Speaker A: And it's. So I'll just take this passage, this chapter, Second Corinthians, chapter 10. [00:15:55] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:15:55] Speaker A: And most believers, if you've been in a church or any context of groups, you're going to know about verses four and five. You're going to hear about our struggles not against flesh and blood. You're going to hear that we destroy all these arguments and that we take captive every thought, but you're going to know those. And this is how God has really, for me, worked mightily just to do His Word. I'll take my Bible that I've had for many years, and I'll have things highlighted and underlined, mostly underlined. I didn't use a highlight, but I would have things underlined. And I would always stop early. And I would. That's all I would underline. And this is one of those key verses that I think I didn't underline it, but when I look at it. But. Yeah, but this is one of those key verses that's a perfect example of I was stuck on just destroying argument, like. Like it was up to me to do it. Right. Like it was up to my obedience, man, in these areas. [00:16:58] Speaker B: What a trap. Right. [00:17:00] Speaker A: So I was always stuck there and never did I. Like you said, continue reading. And my new approach now is to come to those same verses and to keep reading. [00:17:10] Speaker B: And. [00:17:11] Speaker A: And I was pondering this when you said, hey, I'm ready to go. And I was like, man, I'm not even set up yet, because I was sitting here pondering this verse. Beautiful. And I didn't yet. Keep reading. But then when we started talking about it, said, yeah, but look at verse seven. It was like this. This is so beautiful. [00:17:25] Speaker B: Yeah. By the way, verse seven wasn't written last week. Yeah. [00:17:30] Speaker A: I just always been there, like you said. [00:17:35] Speaker B: Yep. [00:17:35] Speaker A: Yep. So, man, I love. [00:17:38] Speaker B: Yeah, go ahead. [00:17:39] Speaker A: Yeah. Remind ourselves. Well, I just. I love that. That. That's really. That's the makeup of the body of Christ. [00:17:46] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:17:46] Speaker A: That's how we spur one another on. That's how we encourage one another, is through that reminder, somebody's discouraged. I want. I want to remind you who you are in Christ. Remember, this is your reality. [00:17:58] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:17:58] Speaker A: So what you're going through. Yeah, that's. That's. That's a reality, but it's not. It's not shaping who you are. It's not. It doesn't hinge on your identity. [00:18:06] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:18:07] Speaker A: So whatever it might be, whether it's a sin that's entangled, whether it's your kids that. That are wayward like, that can make you feel like, boy, I really failed in some way. And that's where the mind can just go to. I'm a failure. And those are just. Those things are not true. And so that's why we go back to. I'm going to renounce not the devil, because he doesn't even need the attention. We don't put our attention on him. We renounce the lie. Because that's all that the devil is bringing to us is. Is these lies. [00:18:35] Speaker B: So, man, it is. [00:18:36] Speaker A: So I can rest in that. [00:18:37] Speaker B: Yes. [00:18:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:18:38] Speaker B: It's so important, Zach, and you. And you even mentioned it. So it's like, okay, what does this look like? How can I do it? Well, I think it's so important for us to have guys in our life, those of us who are men, brothers in our life, that can speak truth back into us. [00:18:52] Speaker A: Right. [00:18:52] Speaker B: Because life is hard. This idea that. Right. You know, again, I'm not gonna say his name. He wrote a book called your best life now. And you know, again, just if this is the best life now, then. Then it's kind of like, where am I? Where's my future? You know, like. Like what? [00:19:11] Speaker A: Right. [00:19:12] Speaker B: So. So this idea that life is, is, is easy or good, it's kind of like that's actually not the philosophy of Peter Paul, you know, John, like, that's not what they preach. They didn't preach, hey, it's going to be easy life, comfortable life. We love that in America. We love a comfortable life. You already brought that up a little bit. But what I would say is, so it's really important for us to recenter and refocus back on the truth, the truth of who God is and the truth of who Christ is in me, who I am in Christ. Because I will forget when there's, when there's adversity, when there's persecution, when there's suffering, when there's loss. I'm going to put my eyes back on, you know, whatever my circumstance or I'm not gonna be able to see God. I'm not gonna. I'm not. Maybe I won't be looking for God. And so, so important for us to say, man. Yeah. This is who you are in Jesus. This is who God is. Yeah. Because we need it. We need it. We need this, guys. And if you don't have it, man. [00:20:14] Speaker A: Right. [00:20:15] Speaker B: I had it. I didn't live with it like, like for, you know, for most of my life. I lived that life of isolation, of, of river isolation, you know, being around everybody, but really holding all inside, you know, wearing the mask. [00:20:29] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:29] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:29] Speaker A: Wow. Yeah. So good. I, I missed it too. And I, it's, it's just amazing. I mean, I think it's important. And I'll maybe close out with these, these fuse thoughts. I mean, we could probably talk just all about this, but how do we fight these, these mind battles as a new creation in Christ? [00:20:49] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:50] Speaker A: And so I'm just going to list off three things that I have here. Remember, which I love, which we've already kind of been talking about, so I can remember. But I also have other people to help remind me. That's what we were saying. [00:21:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:02] Speaker A: Setting your mind. So as I have those reminders, I'm able to set my mind on the truth. And so. And there's verses that go with all this stuff, right? [00:21:11] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, yeah. [00:21:12] Speaker A: And here's. And you can, you can you can share what you want, but off of this as well, if you. If you would like. But I love the. The last one is offer your body to God. And. And the reason why I love this. I love the. The word offer. Or. What does Romans 12 say? To. I think some of them say offer. There's another word for that. Present. Present is the word. Present your body as a living sacrifice. But I loved. I love this presenting or offering myself because I can. Like. [00:21:44] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:44] Speaker A: I'm worthy. And I've never seen it that way. That's why we isolated ourselves. [00:21:51] Speaker B: Can you say that? Because we never could say that again. [00:21:55] Speaker A: Yeah. We actually can offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice because we're. We're worthy. Yeah. Like who made us? [00:22:04] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:22:05] Speaker A: A new creation. [00:22:07] Speaker B: And that's something in the future. Your reality. Right. Yeah. [00:22:10] Speaker A: Right. So it's a hard stuff to process, but that's. That's the reality of the gospel. [00:22:15] Speaker B: Yes. Yes. [00:22:16] Speaker A: That's the new creation that we have [00:22:20] Speaker B: now. We're in the good stuff. [00:22:21] Speaker A: I know, I know. [00:22:22] Speaker B: We should. [00:22:23] Speaker A: We should have jumped here. No, we'll talk more about it. [00:22:27] Speaker B: That. That in Christ you are worthy to present yourself as a living sacrifice. [00:22:32] Speaker A: Yeah. So. Wow. It's so good. Maybe a better word, I guess is that I am acceptable. If I follow my notes, I would have had that. I am acceptable to God. Like what I bring is acceptable to God because I'm a new creation. And it's just so beautiful. So. [00:22:54] Speaker B: It is. [00:22:55] Speaker A: It is. And we've talked about this many times. A. From not for mentality. And the battle for the mind is real. But here's the. Here's the joy. You fight from victory. [00:23:06] Speaker B: Yes. [00:23:07] Speaker A: Not for it. You're not fighting for victory. You're fighting from victory. This is the reality. This is who you are in Christ. So just. Yeah. Reminder. Remembering. Setting your mind. Offering. Offering. I don't know if I like that word. But we can offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. We can present ourselves. So it's just. There's so much beauty behind all of it. So. Man, is that all we got today, Carl? [00:23:31] Speaker B: That's good. We gotta chew on that. [00:23:34] Speaker A: Yeah. It's a lot to chew on. Amen. It's always a joy. Talking life.