I never thought I struggled with anxiety or mental health…until the world changed in 2020. A few months into the global pandemic I had a full-fledged mental health breakdown. I’ll share more about that someday, but what I learned was the importance of mental health and making sure I was listening to the right voices.
We live in a world that’s louder than ever. Notifications, opinions, ads, endless scrolling- there’s always something demanding our attention. And in the midst of all this noise, one question becomes incredibly important: Whose voice are you listening to?
God cares deeply about what fills our minds because he knows that our thoughts shape our lives. If the enemy can control what we THINK, he can control what we DO. That’s why the battle for your mind is one of the most important battles you will ever fight.
The Battle Begins With a Question
In Matthew chapter 3 and 4, we see a powerful moment in Jesus’ life. Right after his baptism where God declares, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy”, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
And how does the enemy begin? With a question.
“IF you are the Son of God…”
Did you catch that? The very first thing Satan does is try to make Jesus doubt His identity. The enemy doesn’t come at him with force, he comes with a whisper of doubt. And he does the same thing with us.
“Are you really good enough?”
“Did God really forgive you?”
“Do you really think you can change?”
Satan knows that if he can get you to question who you are, he can get you to question everything else. But Jesus didn’t fall for it, and neither should we.
Know Your Weak Spots
Jesus was tempted after forty days of fasting, when he was physically weak. That’s no accident. The enemy waits for the right moment to attack: when we’re tired, discouraged, overwhelmed, or feeling alone.
Think about it: When are you most tempted to believe lies? Maybe it’s late at night when you’re alone with your thoughts. Maybe it’s when work is stressful, and you’re doubting your abilities. Maybe it’s when life feels overwhelming, and you start to think, God must have forgotten about me.
Recognizing your weak spots is the first step in fighting back. Because when you know where the enemy attacks, you can be ready for him.
God’s Word is Your Weapon
Every time Satan tempted Jesus, how did Jesus respond? With Scripture.
He didn’t argue. He didn’t get defensive. He simply spoke God’s truth back to the enemy. And guess what? It worked.
Here’s the reality: The enemy will try to twist the truth. He’ll manipulate Scripture. He’ll plant doubts in your mind. But when you know what God really says, you can shut those lies down.
That’s why it’s so important to fill your mind with God’s Word. If you’re not feeding your mind truth, the world will feed it lies.
Take Action: Renew Your Mind
So what can we do?
- Recognize the lies. Pay attention to the thoughts that creep in. Are they from God or from the enemy?
- Replace lies with truth. Find Scripture that speaks against those lies and commit it to memory.
- Guard your mind—Be intentional about what you listen to, watch, and read.
The good news? You’re not in this fight alone. God has given you everything you need to win this battle: His Word, His Spirit, and His truth will always be more powerful than the lies of the enemy.
So today, take a moment and ask yourself: Whose voice am I listening to? Because the voice you listen to will determine the life you live.
Comment below what you have learned about how to protect your mental health and how to listen to the right voices!
ERIK LINDEEN 