the mind

“Put on the full armour of God so you cannot withstand the wiles of the devil or the devil schemes” Ephesians 6:11

The literal meaning of the word wiles is with a road. It means the devil is a traveller who travels on a road. He's headed in one direction and has one destination. He knows where he wants to go and when he gets there, he wants to wreak havoc and chaos. That destination is our mind and emotions. Paul says in 2 Corinth 2:11 that we are not ignorant of his devices. It describes the mind and emotions. The devil knows if he can penetrate our minds and emotions, he can ensnare us.

This describes the primary destination of the devil to get into our minds and to fill it with lying emotions, false perceptions, confusion, lies accusations, and condemnation.

That’s why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 bring into captivity every thought into captivity into obedience to Christ. The word captivity is a picture of a Roman soldier who has captured an enemy and now leads him into captivity with the point of a spear thrust into the back of his back. Also, it's in the tense that describes the continuous action of taking into captivity. It’s the long-time occupation of a soldier. It is not a one-off event.

The devil loves to make a playground out of our minds and emotions and so we must deal with him like a real enemy. The battle is between our ears. You must make a mental decision to seize every thought and bring it into captivity. You are to reach up and grab them and force them into submission and bring them to the cross. No wonder Paul says we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. How by the word of God His truth. Also, it says in 1 Corinth 2:16 we have the mind of Christ. We hold his very thoughts and feelings and purposes.

We are soldiers and we can't avoid this fight. Ask God to help you to begin to bring every thought into captivity. Remember every temptation will begin with a thought.