October 1, 2026
Mental distress is a hard thing to endure. It often involves worry, uncertainty, self-doubt, feelings of inferiority, and other negative feelings. We tend to think that the very wealthy are worry-free, but we are sadly mistaken. These people actually worry more because they have more to worry about. Too often, they lie awake at night concerned about their stocks, bonds, 401 (k) s, and other investments.
All of this is by design. Satan is always trying to take our minds off the important things in life, such as love of and trust in God, along with love of other people. The devil does his best to blind people and get them to worship Mammon (wealth). And he has an excellent track record!
The Apostle Paul warns us about the tricks of Satan. In Ephesians 6:11, he advises, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Sadly, most people have no knowledge about all of this. More and more people today are so deceived as to not believe in Satan’s very existence. How can one defend against an enemy he does not think exists?
The sad truth is that Satan cleverly blinds most people into disbelief, not only in himself, but also in God. This disbelief also includes the gospel message. To assist in this deception, Satan works hard to negatively influence our minds. One of his most effective tricks is to keep people from attending church. He is even somewhat effective in this with many Christians. The devil wages a continual battle for the minds of unbelievers and believers alike.
Of course, good Christians know this and resist the devil. They subscribe to James’ advice to resist the devil so that he will flee from them (James 4:7). But too many believers are weak and do not resist Satan well enough. They just settle for salvation by grace alone.
This is due to human laziness, which psychiatrist Dr. M. Scott Peck called the force of entropy (disorder), and it is found in all of us. He declared that laziness is ubiquitous (universal) and that it is the main hindrance to our growth in the Christian life. Dr. Peck said that we are all somewhat lazy and that laziness is behind sin.
Why are our minds so important for spiritual growth? Well, it is in the mind that spiritual warfare takes place. And it is therefore on Christian minds that Satan concentrates. He knows he already has unbelievers. He also knows that he cannot have believers, so he tries to disrupt everything we do in service to God.
So, what can be done? We can keep God’s Word in our minds and Satan’s lies out. This requires a little Bible study or reading on a regular basis. We Christians need to fill our minds with God’s foundational knowledge. Church attendance helps a great deal in this.
We Christians must realize that we are not “good,” but that God, in His mercy and by His grace, offers eternal life to all who believe in Jesus Christ, repent, and call on Him for salvation. As Chip Ingram said, “The conflict is between your ears.” Let us refuse to allow Satan the pleasure of winning any of the battles for our minds.
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Ralph Fudge is the pastor of Big Ochlocknee Baptist Church in Coolidge, Ga., and has a Master’s degree in theology from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
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