Grow: Winning the Spiritual War in Your Mind | Bobby Schuller | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Grow: Winning the Spiritual War in Your Mind

Shepherd's Grove • Jan 25, 2025 • 39 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this message on spiritual warfare, Pastor Bobby Schuller teaches that the real battle believers face takes place in the mind. The majority of negative, fearful, or tempting thoughts are spiritual attacks from the enemy rather than our own desires. By standing firmly on the Word of God, taking every thought captive, and keeping our gaze fixed on Christ, believers can experience mind renewal and divine peace.

Themes

Spiritual WarfareRenewal of the MindThe Power of God's WordFaith vs SightOvercoming TemptationVictory in Christ

Pastor's Points

1.

Principle 1: To grow means to get a new mind—you become what you think about, and the majority of thoughts you experience do not originate from you.

2.

Principle 2: Know where the enemy operates—Satan is not in hell, but is the ruler of the kingdom of the air and god of this world, operating in the spiritual space around us.

Key Points

1.
Growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ requires getting a renewed mind, because you become what you dwell on.
2.
Most intrusive, fearful, or embarrassing thoughts do not originate from your own character or body, but are spiritual attacks from the enemy.
3.
The Word of God is our only offensive weapon in spiritual warfare, making Scripture knowledge essential for victory.
4.
Satan operates as the prince of the power of the air and the god of this world, seeking to blind minds to divine truth.
5.
Victory over negative or destructive thoughts comes by immediately taking them captive and rejecting them instead of ruminating on them.
6.
Strongholds in our lives are false mental fortresses built brick by brick through fear, anger, or worry, which must be demolished by God's divine power.
7.
Deliverance from spiritual attacks comes by fixing your undivided gaze on Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross rather than fixating on negative circumstances.

Sermon Moments

“If we can't say 'it is written'—if we don't know the word—you are going into battle without a sword.”

“When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He recognized that Satan's thoughts were not His own and immediately fought back with 'It is written.'”

“Fasting lowers the background noise of the world so that God's spiritual signal becomes clear and distinct.”

“Where your thoughts go, your life goes; you become what you think about and dwell on.”

“When a destructive or weird thought comes, immediately reject it with 'You jump!' instead of feeding it by wondering why you thought it.”

“Demonic strongholds are fortresses built brick by brick through thoughts of worry, anger, or bitterness that we mistakenly thought would protect us.”

“Just as Israelites healed by gazing at the bronze snake, believers overcome attacks by gazing intently at Christ crucified rather than fixating on their symptoms.”

This Week

Memorize key Scripture passages to speak 'It is written' when facing fear, doubt, or temptation.

Immediately reject and slap down negative, fearful, or sinful thoughts the moment they enter your mind rather than ruminating on them.

Commit to reading at least one chapter of the Bible daily to build up your spiritual defense and know God's truth.

Pray for spiritual breakthroughs for unsaved loved ones, recognizing that spiritual blindness requires prayer rather than nagging.

Exercise mental discipline by actively choosing what you allow your mind to meditate on throughout the day.

Demolish personal strongholds of worry, bitterness, or anger by replacing false mental arguments with biblical promises.

Fix your undivided focus on Christ's sacrifice on the cross during trials or sickness rather than fixating on negative symptoms and circumstances.

Remember This

You can win the battle for your mind by immediately taking evil thoughts captive with God's Word and fixing your gaze entirely on Jesus Christ.

A Challenge for You

We choose today to hear the word of God and put it into practice. We are going to take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ. We slap down every worry, every fear, every thought of lack, and all anxious thoughts. The enemy has no audience with us ever again. We walk by faith and not by sight.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.