Excerpts by John Osteen 

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." II Cor.10:4, 5.

This Message Is Sent Forth In the Love Of God…

Though you have been tormented, defeated and cast down, if you will heed this message, God will give you light as to the way to victory in your present state, and also help you win every battle in the future.

The Christian Is The Enemy Of Satan

Satan wants to defeat the Christian. He wants to deceive him. He wants to vex him. Satan wants to keep you from knowing the Truth, for he knows that the "KNOWING THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE".

The Primary Place of Attack By Satan Is In the Mind

It is in our thoughts he begins the battle! Few Christian realize this fact. They care little for the guarding of their minds. Their minds refilled with television programs, radio programs, newspapers articles, magazines and the conversation of the world. Thousands of thoughts enter their minds which concern the things of this world.

Our Thought Life Should Be Acceptable To God

The area of our thoughts is the battlefield!!. The warfare is in the mind before it goes to other areas. Win the battle spoken of here and you will rejoice in the victory God gives you over your enemy every day of your life.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the PULLING DOWN OF STRONGHOLDS!!!. Thoughts are Satan’s strongholds! Wicked imaginations are from the devil!!! We are to PULL DOWN satan’s strongholds and CAST DOWN his thoughts that produce wicked imaginations! Thought life must be dominated by the Word of God. There is no room for the devil’s thoughts when you fill your mind with thoughts from the Lord.

Pray For God To Forgive You For Your Thought 

In Acts, Chapter 8, we have the story of Phillip going down to Samaria for a great revival. Many were saved, healed, delivered from the power of satan, baptized in water and baptized also in the Holy Spirit. In this story we see a man by the name of Simon, the sorcerer. He offers Peter and John money for the gift of laying on of hands to help people receive the Holy Spirit. Peter rebuked him and said he was in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. He said "Pray that the THOUGHT of thine heart might be forgiven thee." He was motivated by a THOUGHT! Where did this thought come from? It came from Satan. Peter said in effect. "Satan has put a thought in your heart. You have accepted it as your own and acted upon it. PRAY FOR GOD TO FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHT!!" He did not say thoughts, but THOUGHT. Pray that God will forgive you for that one THOUGHT that leads you to wrong action.

Bring Every Thought Into The Captivity Of Christ

Thousands of people are gripped by fear. That fear came from thoughts satan put into your mind. You have accepted them and have lived in the torment they produce. CAST DOWN THOSE IMAGINATIONS!! PULL DOWN THOSE STRONGHOLDS!! BRING EVERY THOUGHT INTO THE CAPTIVITY OF CHRIST!! Bring those tormenting thoughts under the blood of Jesus and in HIS NAME cast them out into the pit from whence they came! Lying thought can become a stronghold. In other words, satan’s lying thoughts can hold you strongly. A thought can have a strong hold on you. They can lay hold of your mind and hold you like a vise. Thoughts can keep you from the truth. When one continual thought lingers and becomes a stronghold, it allows others similar to it to also dominate the thinking. One mighty lie from Satan placed into your mind, can hold you in a place of sickness, suffering and torment for as long as you permit it and as long as you accept it! 
Page 2

Many Of You Are Held Captive By A Thought! 

That thought brings fear! Satan drops thoughts into people’s minds such as: "You are not saved." "You are not going to make heaven." "You are going to be lost forever." "Your children are going to hell." "You are going to have a wreck." "No one appreciates you." "Your wife doesn’t love you anymore." "Your husband doesn’t love you anymore." "You have cancer." "You have a tumor of the brain." "You will never get well." "You would be better off dead." "It’s just as bad to think a thing as to do it, so go ahead and do it."

Thousands Of Lies Are Offered To Your Mind

When you accept them as your own thoughts, you begin to say with your mouth what Satan has said to your mind. "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." Matthew 15:18. They change these thoughts into I am not saved; I’ll never make heaven, I am lost, my children will never get saved , I am going to have a wreck, no one appreciates me, my mate doesn’t love me anymore! You begin to say what the thought from the enemy says, signifying you have accepted. In FEAR the lie causes you to say. I have cancer, I have a brain tumor, I will never get well; I’d be better off dead; it is just as bad to think a thing as to do it, so I might as well go ahead and give myself over to this sin. "From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matthew 12:34.

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7.

"He (the Lord) sent HIS WORD and healed them and delivered them from their destructions." Psalms 107:20.

Are you accepting God’s Word into your heart, or are you accepting the devil’s lie? Does some thought hold you strongly today? The Bible says of the enemy, "We are not ignorant of his devices." The Bible says,"Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5.

When you repeat out loud the lie satan gives you in thoughts, you become fearful and live in torment. When you accept God’s thoughts and promises and repeat them out loud in faith, they bring peace to your heart. HOLD UP YOUR BIBLE AND LOOK AT IT. THERE ARE THE THOUGHTS OF GOD!! Replace every thought the devil gives you with one of God’s thoughts! Remember, the devil is a liar and the father of all lies John 8:44. He cannot tell the truth. If you will take just the opposite of what the devil has told you, then you know the TRUTH!! When the devil comes along and gives a thought about something to bring fear we say, "Well, thank you so much, Mr. Devil, for telling me that. Now I know the TRUTH! I’ll just take the opposite of what you have said, (replace the thought with one of God’s precious healing, delivering thoughts) and know the truth about the situation."

Declare The Works Of The Lord 

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgiveth all mine iniquity, who healeth all my diseases." Psalms 103:1-2.

If he says you are going to die in early life, shout loudly. I SHALL NOT DIE BUT LIVE AND DECLARE THE WORKS OF THE LORD." Psalms 118:17. "WITH LONG LIFE HE SATISFIES ME AND SHOWS ME HIS SALVATION!!" Psalms 91:16.

If the devil drops into your mind that you are a homosexual, don’t let fear grip you. Replace it with God’s word. IT IS WRITTEN, "If any man be in Christ he is a NEW CREATURE. Old things have passed away and behold all things are become new. I am a NEW CREATURE in Christ. I am more than a conqueror! Greater is HE (Jesus) that is IN me than he that is in the world. I REBUKE YOU, you lying devil! In the name of Jesus Christ, I cast you out and your thought out of my mind. Go in Jesus Name!!!

No Weapon Formed Against You Will Prosper

In Isaiah 54:17 it says, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise up against you in judgement, THOU shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servant of the Lord and your righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."

The thought from satan is a weapon. It will not prosper unless you let in. Many suffering tormented people cry out to God to help them. But He says, "Every tongue that shall rise up against you …THOU…THOU…THOU shalt condemn! YOU are the one that is to condemn that tongue. YOU are the one that is to condemn that thought. -3-

( Pulling Down Strongholds-continued )

YOU are the one that shall rebuke satan and his lie!! Don’t ask God to do it!! Don’t expect Jesus to do it!! He told YOU to do it!! Jesus conquered satan and said to you, "Behold, I give YOU power over ALL the power of the enemy. Luke 10:19. In my name YOU shall cast out devils!" Mark 16:17.

Base Your Thoughts On the Promises of God

Romans 12:1, and 2 says, "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." Begin to be filled full of God’s Word. Learn to think like God thinks. Your Father in heaven will say about you what He did about Job. "Have you seen my servant? There is none like him!!

You Can Change Your Destiny

Have you become convinced that your destiny is to suffer pain and disease and defeat? Have you given up and resigned yourself to the position that nothing can be done about your situation? YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR DESTINY! Thoughts are like the seeds spread out all around and "bring forth after their kind."

You can change your state and atmosphere by changing your thoughts, basing those thoughts on the great unchanging promises of God. You cannot sow seed thoughts of sickness and live in the atmosphere of HEALTH. You cannot sow seed thoughts of defeat and fear and live in the atmosphere of VICTORY and PEACE! You cannot sow seeds of poverty and live in the atmosphere of PROSPERITY!

Begin today to fill your mind, heart, home and surroundings with the seed thoughts of GOD about health, victory, peace, prosperity and all the other things you desire in life. Base these thoughts on definite promises of God. THINK them…TALK them…ACT on them!!! This is the pathway to victory!!!