The previous section dwelt upon the importance of setting the mind on the Spirit as stated in Rom 8:6 NASB. Today, we will delve deeper into how the human mind functions—and how if we get things right the result is victory over all external adversaries—physical and spiritual.
Rom 16:20 (TPT) And the God of peace will swiftly pound Satan to a pulp under your feet! And the wonderful favor of our Lord Jesus will surround you.
Rom 16:20 (MSG) and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus!
This verse tells us that it is possible for the God of Peace to “swiftly pound Satan to a pulp under your feet” or to “come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt”. But how does this transpire? Does this verse apply to all BELIEVERS or just some?
The verse like all scripture is written for all followers of Jesus Christ but not all are beneficiaries—because not all follow the guideline revealed in scripture. For the God of Peace to be active on your behalf, you must satisfy certain conditions such as:
1. have faith in the God of Peace [Rom 16:20; Theos eirēnē]
2. have the peace (eirēnē) of God [God’s Peace].
Php 4:7 (AMPC) And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
A Christian whose mind is not at peace cannot enjoy this gift. Again the mind is pivotal to the attainment of peace for the soul.
Isa 26:3 (AMPC) You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
How do I get to have the peace of God rather than all the worry in the world? By staying my mind on the Spirit (Romans 8:6) or staying my mind on God (Isa 26:3). This is how you tame your mind—so it produces life and peace.
Rom 8:6-7 (NASB)
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Allow Holy Ghost to direct control your thoughts. Never question God or allow the Dragon to get you to question the justice, goodness, or love of God. When the Dragon beguiled Eve and got her to question the integrity of God, the rest was downhill from there.
If you want the God of peace to come to your aid, you must first have the peace of GOD--by winning the fight of faith.
1Ti 6:12 (KJV) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Never profess negative things about yourself or any situation no matter how bad it looks or feels. Only speak the Word! If you can do this and two more other things, the God of Peace will show up and off on your behalf. The three major things to do are stated in the following verses:
Php 4:8-9 (AMPC)
8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].
9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
THREE STEPS TO VICTORY OVER ADVERSARY
- See the end of v8— fix your mind on the Spirit—on specific things that give you victory in the fight of faith and increases your faith in God—not things that will reduce your faith. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom 10:17 (KJV)
- Practice or put to work the following 4 things—not some but all 4, namely,
- what you have learned
- and received
- and heard
- and seen in your Man of God
- Model your way of living on (2)
Please note that the (2) refers to 4 separate distinct things (what was learned, received, heard and finally seen). In the original, they all are translated from four separate Greek words. The Holy Spirit knows why he stated all four. We must thus heed all four and not omit anything—else this section of the divine law will not benefit us. God loves us but he is also a God of order and specificity.
The next thing to note is, the scripture speaks of one of the requirements being imitating or emulating the lifestyle of Father’s in Christ or Men of God. Paul was speaking to his spiritual children when he said, “Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it”.
Many find it easy to practice what they read but not the lifestyle of a spiritual leader. Well if you do not trust that leader, you should probably not be following them in the first place.
This command in Php 4:9 is repeated by Paul when speaking to the Corinthian church:
1Co 11:1 (TPT) I want you to pattern your lives after me, just as I pattern mine after Christ.
1Co 11:1 (TLB) And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.
1Co 11:1 (NASB) Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
That’s at least two witnesses in scripture.
Failure to do either (1), (2), or (3) above will keep this promise of the God of Peace dominating the adversary under your feet from being realized in your life.
Practicing what you learned alone is not enough. What is LEARNED is not the same as what is RECEIVED. What is received is not the same as what is HEARD and what is heard is not the same as what is SEEN.
In conclusion, what you do with your mind counts. A mind properly set, will release life and peace for you and also get the God of Peace to “swiftly pound Satan to a pulp under your feet” or to “come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt”. The word Satan is translated from a word that means adversary.
