Mind control

The words "mind control" evoke such negative connotations. My brain conjures up helpless victims who suffer at the hands of evil governments or sinister scientists.

In a similar way, "brain washing" also makes the back of my neck crawl. The idea of someone taking over my thoughts is abhorrent.

It's not that my brain thinks such great thoughts that it shouldn't be disturbed. It isn't that my mind is always completely focused on right ideas. In fact, my mind, my thoughts are often part of my problem as I try to live the Christian life.

Much of the time we can keep from doing rotten things, but it is much more difficult to keep our thoughts in line. We can avoid stealing and murder, but how do we keep our minds from going where they shouldn't go? (Didn't Jesus tell us that it isn't just about what we do, but also what we think?)

And it's not just a matter of purity. What about other kinds of self-destructive thinking? What about the negative self-talk that can cripple our outreach or stunt our spiritual growth. And what about the debilitating anxiety that can shut down our faith or steal our joy?

The area inside our heads is a battlefield where Satan wins far too often. The father of lies knows just when to inject a little self-doubt, just when to whisper second-thoughts, just when to distract us with a focus on our failings. And often we can hide from others how much of our thinking belongs to Satan.

The Bible speaks to this struggle often and vividly: Take captive every thought (2 Cor 10:5). We should avoid anxiety and futility in our thinking (Eph 4:17) and instead pursue wholesome thinking (2 Peter 3:1) and uplifting thoughts (Phil 4:8). Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:5b)

Clearly, what goes on between our ears is important, and when we are told to learn self-control, it surely means control not just of our arms and legs but also of our thoughts. We are told to love God with all our minds (and everything else) so we can't relinquish our heads to Satan; we must repell his advances, reserving our minds for God.

In this way, "mind control" becomes a spiritual discipline, and "brain washing" is the kind of cleaning that I should seek out for myself.

Empty out the bad, the destructive, the negative . . . and be filled with the Spirit, with praise, with thanksgiving and encouragement. We must actively avoid anxiety and similar mental dead-ends. We are advised to set our minds on better things, more fruitful things. It's a constant battle to keep Satan off the property that rightfully belongs to God.