Showing posts with label Hachette Book Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hachette Book Group. Show all posts

December 16, 2016

Battlefield of the Mind Bible

Some years ago, I took to heart Romans 12:2, which says, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, so you may discern what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

Although I’d read the Bible regularly since childhood, I began reading it, cover to cover, in every English translation I could find in hopes of giving my mind a biblical make-over. This not only began to work for me, it’s apparently worked well for the popular Christian writer-speaker Joyce Meyer.

Now, Joyce’s articles and commentary on the Amplified Version (AV) of the Bible have been included in the new Battlefield of the Mind Bible, published by FaithWords – a division of Hachette Book Group, who kindly sent me a complimentary copy to review.

In the opening pages, “A Personal Word from Joyce Meyer” clarifies a belief with which I heartily agree:

“Everything in life – the decisions we make, the words we speak, and the actions we take – begins in the mind. Before we say or do anything, we think about it. The fact that our thoughts are so powerful and wield so much influence over every area of our lives is why the enemy, Satan, attacks our minds so often and so strategically.”
She goes on to say, “I have developed this study Bible because I have learned from personal experience that the only way to win the battle of the mind is with the Word of God.”

Throughout this edition “Winning The Battles Of The Mind” articles appear, representing the author’s “teachings on the battlefield of the mind, the power of thoughts and words, and the importance of aligning mind-sets with God’s Word.”

For example, “The First Battle of the Mind” article concludes:

“Most of our problems are rooted in thought patterns that produce the problems we experience. This is where Satan triumphs at times. He offers wrong thinking to all of us; it’s not a new trick devised for our generation. Eve lost the first battle for the mind; we have continued to fight for it since that time. But because we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us think according to God’s Word, we can win – and keep winning.”

“A Prayer For Victory” follows each of these articles. For instance, the article “Know What God Says About You” closes with this prayer:

“Lord God, in light of what You say about me in Your Word, forgive me for not always embracing Your words with all my heart. In the name of Jesus, I receive these truths as my own and choose to focus on Your words. Amen.”

I receive Bible truths as my own.

I choose to focus on God’s Word.


As we put those thoughts in our minds, we call them into action as we believe not what an unkind person has said about us nor what we’ve felt or feared. Instead, we renew our thinking with scriptures such as:

“You are a new creature in Christ; old things have passed away and all things are made new, (see 2 Cor. 5:17).”

“God created you and everything He created is good (see Gen. 1:31).”

“We are called God’s beloved (see Rom. 9:25).”


How can we speak against someone who’s beloved by God? How can we speak ill of ourselves?

In addition to the articles cited, other features such as “Keys to a Victorious Life,” “A Prayer To Renew Your Mind,” and “Powerpoint” sidebars help each reader’s renewal – a word which, according to some dictionaries or thesaurus, translates as “regeneration” or “rebirth.”

When people seek to be “born again” in Christ Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit does not stop there but continues to help us renew, refurbish, renovate, or revamp our minds in accordance with God’s Word.

Mary Harwell Sayler, poet-writer, reviewer, ©2016


Battlefield of the Mind Bible, hardcover