Battlefield of the Mind
By Joyce Meyer
Reviewed by Gena Caruthers
Before I begin my review of this book, let’s deal with the elephant in the room: the author. Most people I meet either love Joyce Meyer’s writings or won’t read them at all. I will confess, I truly enjoy READING works written by Joyce Meyer. Her transparency gives insight into who she is and, in my opinion, explains some of her dominant personality features, which she readily admits exist.
“I was born with a strong personality and probably would have spent many years trying to "do it my way" no matter what. But the years I spent being abused and controlled added to an already strong personality-combined together to develop in me the mindset that nobody was going to tell me what to do. Obviously, God had to deal with this bad attitude before He could use me” (267). Joyce Meyer
God has truly used Joyce Meyers to encourage and help others in her ministry.
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’” Matthew 22:37
The mind…. It truly is a Christian’s battlefield! Before the enemy of our soul ever gets someone to walk into a store and buy an addicting substance, he has poisoned their mind with thoughts of the taste, need, or the feeling that it will bring. Same for any other sinful thought. It all begins….in the MIND.
Battlefield of the Mind is one of my favorite Christian living books and my #1 recommendation reading resource. In this book Joyce is REAL about her life experiences and brings them into perspective, helping readers relate to her and view themselves more clearly. No one wants to think of themselves as “crazy” or having “crazy thoughts,” but can I tell you today, we have an enemy that is clever! He has come to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). So why would we be surprised when we have thoughts that are troubling or confusing?! These thoughts are not from God! And throughout this book Joyce helps us dissect the enemy’s attack on our minds to recognize when we need to reign in thoughts that would take us down or lead us astray before they become an issue.
Joyce Meyers has also published Battlefield of the Mind for teens and children. I have not read those, but I would feel safe saying they would be just as good.
Here are some quotes I like from Battlefield of the Mind:
“Imagine two people in a room together. One is trying to whisper a secret to the other. If the room is filled with a loud noise, even though the message is being communicated, the one waiting for the secret information will miss it simply because the room is so noisy he can’t hear. Unless he is paying close attention, he may not even realize that he is being spoken to. That’s the way it is with communication between God’s Spirit and our spirit” (71).
“Satan knows how dangerous we will be with a heart full of faith, so he attacks us with doubt and unbelief. It is not that we don’t have faith, it is just that Satan is trying to destroy our faith with lies” (97).
“The devil is constantly waging war on the battlefield of the mind, hoping to engage the Christian in long, drawn-out, tormenting combat. Our answer to the devil’s question about what we are going to do should simply be, “I don’t know yet what I am going to do in my situation, but God does know and that is good enough for me. He will give me direction at the right time” (103).
“Remember, your actions won’t change until your mind does” (128).
“We may not all have the ministry gift of exhortation, but anyone can learn to be encouraging. The simple rule is: if it’s not good, then don’t think it or say it” (163).
“Can you imagine Jesus traveling around the country with His disciples talking about how hard everything was? Can you picture Him discussing how difficult going to the cross was going to be… or how He dreaded the things ahead… or how frustrating it was to live under the conditions of their daily lives: roaming the countryside with no place to call home, no roof over their head, no bed to sleep in at night” (202).
“Christian has a rare privilege, because when he experiences disappointment—he can be re-appointed. With God there is always a new beginning available. Self-pity however, keeps us trapped in the past” (241).
“If we ‘think’ too much, we can reason our way out of God’s will” (268).
“We must choose to examine our thoughts in light of the Word of God, always being willing to submit our thoughts to His thoughts, knowing that His are best” (272).
Audience:
This particular book is intended for adults, men or women. However, Battlefield of the Mind is also available for teens and children.
Usefulness Rating:
10/10 - This is a MUST-READ book for every Christian. It is very practical and useful.
Entertainment Value:
7/10 - While Joyce includes a lot of personal stories that are entertaining and holds the reader’s attention, it is not intended for entertainment, but rather as a self-help book.
Good For Groups:
0/10 - This book isn’t designed for groups.
For more information about this book or other reading suggestions, feel free to contact me directly.
