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Mind Control

Yeshayah (Isaiah) 55:7 
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto YHWH, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our Elohim, for He will abundantly pardon.    

Every day each person has thousands of thoughts go through his mind.  Most of the time a person simply doesn’t stop to think where those thoughts have come from.  He just naturally assumes that the thoughts that come into his mind are from his own mind.  While this is true for some of the thoughts it certainly is not true for all of them.  This is especially true for a particular kind of thought that every single person struggles with concerning others.  It is those thoughts which tempt us to think evil or wrong or ill concerning others.

These types of thoughts are not of YHWH.  These types of thoughts do not originate within us.  Once the thought is planted in one’s mind and it is accepted, then the enemy just simply stands back and lets the fleshly mind of man run its natural course.  The enemy may insert additional thoughts to help one along the way to the condemnation of another; but in reality, most of the time it is not necessary once the ball is rolling.

Qorintyah Bet (2nd Corinthians) 2:10-11
10 But to whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for what I also have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, for your sakes have I forgiven it in the presence of Mashiach;
11 that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

We learn some very important things from the above passage.  One thing that we learn is that in order for Satan not to gain an advantage over us we must be forgiving towards others.  On the other hand, if one is not forgiving towards those who hurt or offend him then Satan can and will gain an advantage over him. 

But what does it mean to “gain an advantage” in this passage?  What this means is that if Satan has an advantage then he has an open door through which he may come into a person’s life and cause problems and difficulties.  Life is challenging enough without opening a door for the enemy to come into one’s life!  Therefore, it is imperative that we maintain forgiveness towards others for every single offence regardless of what that offence may be or how heinous the crime may be deemed by us.

In order for this particular door to remain closed to the enemy then one must keep and maintain a spirit of forgiveness towards those around him.  This will be a constant challenge at times, for in one’s interactions with others and in one’s interpersonal relationships with others things happen and things are said that have the potential to cause hurt.  These things happen most frequently because of miscommunication between two or more people.  When miscommunication happens, then there is misunderstanding.  Things are said and heard or taken the wrong way.  Simply put, this is an attack from the enemy!  The enemy hates harmony between brethren.  Anything that he can do to disrupt that harmony is what he is after.  More often than not trouble between brethren is something of a trivial nature.  It is often something that the enemy causes to be blown way out of proportion in one’s mind and then the snowball effect results, often causing more and more damage in relationships.

The other thing that Shaul says in the above passage is that “we are not ignorant of his devices.”  Now this may have been true when Shaul wrote this to those who followed Mashiach Yeshua in Qorintyah, but is it true today of the majority of those who follow Mashiach?  I dare say that the majority are indeed ignorant of his devices.  One of those devices is getting others to harbor unforgiveness towards others.  One of those devices is getting us to entertain thoughts about others that we would not want others to entertain about us.

Qorintyah Bet (2nd Corinthians) 10:5 
casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of Elohim, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Mashiach;

This struggle within each person has always been in man since the days of Gan Eden (Garden of Eden).  However, in our day with the advent of modern technology, and in particular the internet, this process has been greatly intensified.  The thought process that one goes through in reaching the point of condemning another has been so shortened that so many people do not even realize what is happening in their minds and in their lives.  Way too many do not realize the fiery darts of the enemy in their minds.  There is an increase in the number of people who are willing and ready simply to condemn another for things for which we should be extending His grace, that same grace we have received from Him and which we should be extending to others.  But instead condemnation is coming forth.  Many times these are matters of a trivial nature, and this seems to be increasing with great rapidity. 

Please note that one of the things that we should do is to take every thought captive to the obedience of Mashiach.  This means every thought!  We cannot afford to let a single thought come into our minds that we do not bring into submission to Mashiach.  If a thought placed in our minds is from YHWH, then we are not going to offend Him as we are simply doing as He has commanded us to do in making every single thought obedient to Mashiach.  However, if a thought comes into our minds and it is not worthy of Mashiach, then why would we want it in our minds in the first place?  Why would we want to entertain such a thought?  Why would we want a thought that is not obedient to Mashiach to grow and gain a foothold in our minds, eventually becoming a stronghold against the One we love and serve?  Do you see the importance of taking every single thought captive and making it obedient to Mashiach so that we can love, honor, and serve Him in all things?

Galatians 5:19-21 
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties,
21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit kingdom of Elohim.

Those things a person does which are against the fruit of His Spirit stand in opposition to Mashiach and His kingdom.  Such things as divisions and factions wage war in a man’s thoughts not only tearing him apart on the inside, but also tearing him away from  YHWH’s kingdom, for when a man engages in divisions, factions and other such works of the flesh, he is actually waging war against himself.  He cannot help but lose this battle since he is standing on both sides of the conflict.  He is fighting against that which is good for him and in the end will destroy him.

Ya’aqov (James) 1:7-8
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from YHWH;
8 a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The person who attempts to be a part of YHWH’s kingdom but at the same time does not control his thoughts concerning his brothers and sisters in Mashiach is truly a double-minded man.  Scripture teaches us that we are to have a loving attitude towards our neighbors.  If we cannot do this, then how can one be a part of His eternal kingdom?  Simply put, he cannot!

Yochanan Aleph (1st John) 4:20 
If a man says, I love Elohim, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that does not love his brother whom he does see, cannot love Elohim whom he has not seen.

Scripture seems pretty clear on this point.  In order to show that we love YHWH we must love our brothers and sisters.  If we cannot do this towards those whom we can see in the flesh, then how can it be that we love Him whom we cannot even see?  Simply put, Scripture plainly states that it is not possible to do this.  We must love one another by making sure that our thoughts about one another are pleasing in His sight.

If we do not take our thoughts captive and make them be obedient to Mashiach, then those thoughts will eventually become written or spoken words.  Brothers and sisters in Mashiach, do you not know and do you not understand that every word we say and every word we write we shall one day give an account for before the one true Judge?

Matithyah (Matthew) 12:36 
“And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall give account for in the Day of Judgment.”

Particularly on the internet where there is the illusion of anonymity, people have a strong tendency to speak out before giving their words thought or prayer.  Emotions run high and often rampant in chat rooms, on social networks, and in emails as the words of one clash with the words of another as though a fierce battle of sword play were being engaged in, a battle unto death.

Ephesians 6:17b 
… and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Elohim.
 
Many already recognize that the word of YHWH is likened unto a sword, the sword of His Spirit.  However, this suggests that there are other swords as well, other words.  So the question then becomes: what sword is one wielding when he is inflicting wounds upon another?  While it is true that His word is sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), this does not mean that the use of His word is always going to inflict pain and anguish upon those who hear His word.  In fact, the wielding of His word should be done with such love and precision that the only thing touched in another person is that which is not pleasing to YHWH.  When some area which is pleasing to YHWH in another person is touched by one’s words inflicting damage, then some other sword (word) was used besides His word to inflict this damage.

Romans 6:13 
neither present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to Elohim, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to Elohim.

The use of the word “instruments” in the above passage gives us the word picture of a master surgeon with a sharp scalpel in his hand.  In this case, we are to be the sharp scalpel and YHWH is to be the surgeon wielding this instrument.  The skilled Surgeon uses the scalpel for good only and does no harm with His instrument.

It is when we take that instrument out of His hand and we attempt to use it ourselves on another person that problems come in, for our vision is flawed.  We cannot see perfectly what is pleasing to Him and what is not pleasing to Him.  In some cases the damage that we can do may be irreparable. 

Qorintyah Bet (2nd Corinthians) 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before Elohim to the casting down of strongholds,
5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of Elohim, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Mashiach.

It is time that we understand the lateness of the hour.  It is time that we take an active role in controlling the thoughts that come into our minds.  Satan desires to divide us and to wreak havoc in our lives and to keep us off balance.  His devices are to keep brethren apart.  It is time that we recognize that the myriad of forces in this world for evil that stand in opposition to His kingdom and the rise of His kingdom, are bombarding His people with a multitude of evil inclinations to walk in the flesh rather than walking in His Spirit.

If one is filled with His love, then certain things should be true.  When we hear or read something from another, do we give the other the benefit of the doubt?  Do we always do that each and every time?  What about for those whom we call “loved ones”?  Do we always give our loved ones the benefit of the doubt?  If not, then we have a problem. 

Qorintyah Aleph (1st Corinthians) 13:4-7
4          Love is patient
Love is kind;
Love is not jealous;
Love does not brag, and is not arrogant,
5          Does not act unbecomingly,
It does not seek its own,
Is not provoked,
Does not take into account a wrong;
6          Rejoices not in unrighteousness,
But rejoices with the truth;
7          Bears all things,
Believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

It seems that way too many followers of Mashiach have fallen victim to walking in their emotions and letting their emotions get out of control.  When this happens one begins walking in the flesh and the resulting divisions, hurts, and damage are outside of His will.  Part of the fruit of His Spirit is self-control.

There is a lot of mind-control being used upon the people of this world today in many and various forms.  However, if we walk in His Spirit, then these things cannot control our minds as we submit to His Spirit and walk in His Spirit in all matters.  When we do this and this is manifested in our everyday living, then each and every thought that comes into our minds can be taken captive and brought into subjection to Mashiach Yeshua and if it is not pleasing to Him, then He has given us the power and authority to cast it out. 

2nd Thessalonians 2:9-10
9 The one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive a love of the truth so as to be saved.

Here is the reality of our world in which we live: we have one of two choices.  We can either choose to love the truth of YHWH and walk in its fullness; or, we can be deceived by Satan and his emissaries.  Each and every person will be in one camp or the other.  The only way to walk in all of His truth is to take every single thought captive to the obedience of Mashiach.  If one does not do this, then at some point the deception of Satan will come in and take control of one’s mind.  The result of this will be a spirit of division which will separate him from the brethren.

But one must be willing to take appropriate action.  We must be willing to stop entertaining these thoughts that are not pleasing to Him.  We must stand together united in Mashiach Yeshua and understand that this war that we are engaged in is not of the flesh, but it is in the spirit.  It is in the mind of the individual that the battle rages most fierce.  It is in the mind of the individual that the battle will be won or lost.  Do we understand this?  Do we live as though we understand this?

Ya’aqov (James) 1:19-20 
19 You know this, my beloved brethren.  But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of Elohim.

Let me assure you that YHWH is not in any hurry.  He has a plan and He has told us what that plan is.  He is not deviating from that plan in the least.  Are we willing to walk in patient love with Him towards others?  Or, do we brandish an attitude that those with whom we share our understanding of Scripture must immediately come up to our level of understanding or else receive our disapproval and condemnation when they do not?  If this is the case, then I submit to you that doing this is nothing short of idolatry!  Who do we think we are, anyway?  Are we YHWH?  Can we give light?  Do we have a right to judge the light that YHWH has given to another?  When a person so judges, is he not actually judging the actions of YHWH?  To be sure, he is!  How foolish is that?!

Kepha Bet (2nd Peter) 3:9 
YHWH is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness; but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Do we extend this patience toward others that YHWH has extended towards us?  If not, why not?  If we are filled with His Spirit then this will be true.  If it is not true then we had better shut up for a season and find out why it is not true and get to that place where it is true!

Let us stop fostering the spirit of division.  Let us stop following after the works of the flesh.  Let us stop doing Satan’s work and do YHWH’s work.  Let us stop and listen for His Voice before we act and speak.  Let us stop accusing and give the benefit of the doubt to all.

I know that there are those who use the ruse of doing YHWH’s work in order to run rough shod over others.  But let me assure you, that this is not YHWH’s work or His way.  Yes, there are times when we must speak with boldness and even at times with sternness.  But let me tell you, those times come later.  The speaking with sternness comes only after one has been gently warned and has refused to heed the warning.  Only then is sternness to be considered.  And even then it had better be done in His Spirit, for if one does this in the flesh it will result in ruin for the one doing it.  For more often than not a spirit of pride will enter in and take control and one will not see the need to repent of this sin he has done against his brother.

Gilyana (Revelation) 12:10 
And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, “Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our Elohim, and the authority of His Mashiach; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuses them before our Elohim day and night.”

Do we understand that the accuser of the brethren is Satan?  If a person struggles with accusations against another follower of Mashiach, then mark it down, those accusations are directly from Satan!  If a person actually utters these accusations, then he is in league with Satan in this matter.  I know that no follower of Mashiach desires to be in league with Satan in any matter.  Therefore, it behooves us brothers and sisters, that we take honest stock of where we are and what we are doing in our lives as we follow after YHWH through Mashiach Yeshua.

It is time that each and every one of us takes responsibility for our own actions. 

Matithyah (Matithyah) 5:9 
“Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called sons of Elohim.”

I wonder if we are strong enough to stop and listen for His Voice in this matter.  I wonder if we are willing to hear what YHWH our Father in heaven has to say to us personally about our conduct of late.  I wonder if He would tell us that we have been a peacemaker.  Or, would He tell us that we have fostered division between brothers?  I wonder….

Titus 3:9 
but shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strife, and quarrels about law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

If you are one who gets into frequent arguments about the Torah, why do you do this?  Is it because you desire to show off your knowledge?  For that matter, why get into any argument or dispute at all; do you desire for others to see how learned you are?  Should not the exchange of ideas be for the purpose of building up rather than for tearing down?  Are all of these things which are wrangled about these days necessary?  Let us just simply state what YHWH has revealed to us.  If one accepts it, then YHWH is revealing it to him as well.  If he does not accept it, then no amount of vaunted words will change his mind, for unless YHWH reveals a truth to a man, the man shall remain in the darkness.  Of that we can be sure.  Therefore, let us choose our words wisely and let them be few and to the point. 

Qorintyah Aleph (1st Corinthians) 6:5-8
5 I say this to move you to shame.  What, cannot there be found among you one wise man who shall be able to decide between his brethren,
6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?
7 Nay, already it is altogether a defect in you, that you have lawsuits one with another.  Why not rather take wrong?  Why not rather be defrauded?
8 On the contrary you yourselves do wrong and defraud, and that your brethren.

And if, heaven forbid, we feel wronged in the public forum, is it not better to be wronged than to drag the dispute out further and further for those who are not of the faith to see?  To what end does this bring glory and honor to Mashiach Yeshua?  To be sure, it does not!  It is to one’s shame that this is done.  Or, worse yet, this is done in front of one who is weak in faith and causes him to stumble and return back into the world.  Do you want to be guilty of causing a little one to stumble?  To be sure, you do not!  Then is it not better to be wronged?  Why do you act as if YHWH cannot defend Himself?  Who are you that you act as if you need to defend El Gibor, for He is the mightiest of the mighty warriors! 

Let us step back and take stock of what is happening.  It just may be an indication of the lateness of the hour.  Do not get caught up in things that will take you down the wrong path. 

Matithyah (Matthew) 7:12 
“All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, even so you do also unto them; for this is the Torah and the prophets.”

ABBA YHWH, search me and know my heart.  Remove anything inside of me that is not pleasing to You; in the name of Yeshua my King I pray.  Amein.

Shabbat Shalom
Zerubbabel ben Emunah
www.onetorahforall.com
zerubbabel@onetorahforall.com

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