Given the choice, where do you want to fight? Traditionally, you want to get to the battleground before the enemy, choose the best location (often the high ground), and prepare to fight.

As children of God, we live on the battleground every day. It can be hard to think about tactics and strategy, though, in the middle of the mess.

“Kill sin at the level of counsel. Don’t let it get any farther.” 
–Matt Jensen

When and where we engage the enemy does matter. It is much easier early on, rather than when the sin is fully entrenched in our lives. How can we do that, though? How is it possible to cut sin off at the first hint?

The purest and best counsel is the whole counsel of God. If our minds are filled with scripture, if our thoughts are shaped often by that truth, we are powerfully protected and able to fight quickly. This doesn’t just include sitting down and quietly reading the Bible. It can also include listening to scripture being read or sung. It can include verses taped to mirrors and steering wheels and set as screensavers. Feed, feed, feed on the Word — all through the day.

After that, is other counsel we seek shaped by the Word? This is crucial. If it is not, we run the risk of being led astray, even if the topic is not purely theological. We need to weigh experts carefully and be aware of truth (or the lack of it) everywhere.

We often ignore the messages we absorb unintentionally. Entertainment, whether visual or musical, is a constant stream of input. We can just let them all flow freely into our minds, or we can set boundaries and evaluate every so often. These messages also set the tone for our households, so what are the views we are getting and giving? What is heard and seen in our homes has much influence on both our battle and the battles of others.

It is a lot to consider. How goes the fight?