Daniel Moore: 0:02
When our wires seem crossed in our mind? Why does it seem like our lives aren't working when we need them to work? Why do we lack the power to live the way we want? Why do we often make so many irrational and self-defeating decisions? Why do we try so hard to change but end up doing the things that we hate? Well, this week we answer these questions and more. On this episode of Connecting the Gap, we continue our series the Battle Within overcoming the Invisible War. We'll be back right after this. And a word from our sponsor Are you ready to join the army of warriors who conquer all challenges life throws their way?
Daniel Moore: 1:19
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Daniel Moore: 2:47
I'm Daniel Morrier, host for this podcast. Thank you guys for joining me once again. We got a brand new episode coming your way. We are in part six of our series on the battle within dealing with spiritual warfare, and I hope that you guys have so far enjoyed this series. We've got a long ways to go. You can visit my website at connectingthegapnet for everything about our ministry. Our transcripts for every episode of this series is also there as well. And make sure that you visit our merch shop. We now have t-shirts, sweatshirts, cups, mugs, hats, all different kinds of things that you can purchase, several different designs and more designs to come. That's a good way to spread the word about our podcast and our ministry here at Connecting the Gap and to help support this ministry. Thank you so much for checking all of that out and hopefully you'll find something there that you will like and you can buy it and wear it around and share a little bit of love for Connecting the Gap. As I said, we're going to continue our series this week the battle within overcoming the invisible war, and this week we are going to be getting into part six.
Daniel Moore: 4:01
In a fake, quaint little town there lived a skilled but machivious wannabe mechanic named David. David had always been fascinated with the inner workings of machines and loved pushing the boundaries of what was possible. He constantly sought to create something that would surprise and challenge the status quo. One day, while rummaging through an old junkyard for spare parts, david stumbled across a vintage car stereo and an abandoned set of headlights. A machivious grin stretched across his face as an idea took shape in his mind what if, he pondered, he could cross-wire the car stereo to the headlights? While bringing the peculiar combination of components back to his garage, david carefully began dismantling and rewiring them. Ours turned into days, but his determination was never wavered. After countless experiments, david's tireless efforts finally paid off. The radio crackled to life, but only when the headlights were turned on.
Daniel Moore: 5:02
Excited by his unusual creation, david took to the streets one evening His car adorned with his marvel of engineering. People looked on bewildered by the sight of a vehicle blaring out music only when its headlights shone brightly. Some laughed, others shook their heads in disbelief. But no one could deny the uniqueness of David's invention. As David cruised through the town, he realized that this peculiar creation symbolized something much grander. In an instant, an analogy struck him with intense clarity Just as he had cross-wired the car stereo to the headlights, humans too needed to rewire their minds to achieve victory in the war that raged around them and within them.
Daniel Moore: 5:46
The war in our minds, david pondered, was just as real as any physical battle. Negative thoughts, self-doubt and fear relentlessly attacks our psyche, threatening to consume our potential and happiness. In order to overcome this internal struggle, one must pursue a journey of personal inventory in our life and reprogramming. David discovered that the radio, functioning only when the headlights were on, represented the notion that our minds too must be set on the right path and wired correctly to attain success. By activating the headlights symbolizing positive, godly thinking, we could then tune into the frequency of our dreams, ambitions and hopes through the radio representing our hidden potentials.
Daniel Moore: 6:32
David's creation became a metaphor for human transformation. The people around him, intrigued by his invention, starting questioning their own mental wiring. They realized that victory could only be achieved by embracing a positive mindset and actively rewiring their thoughts to match the plans God had for their life. Soon, a wave of transformation sparked throughout the town. People no longer allowed negative thoughts to hinder their progress. They actively practiced gratitude, affirmation and a belief in God, rewiring their minds to achieve greatness in their respective endeavors. It was as if each person had their own tailored radio frequency broadcasting their unique, god-given talents to the world. David the mechanic had inadvertently become an inspiration for change, reminding everyone that the most important war was not fought with swords and guns, but within the depths of their own minds. Through his ingenious creation, he had empowered his community to rise above their inner battles, unlocking the limitless potential that lay dormant within them. And so, as the car with the cross-wired stereo and headlights roamed the streets, illuminating mines while blaring tunes, the town celebrated the triumph of a peculiar invention that sparked a revolution of self-renewal in Christ. With their minds rewired and hearts full of unwavering determination, they ventured forth to conquer their dreams and inspired others to do the same.
Daniel Moore: 8:06
You know, that was kind of a dumb little analogy, but it does seem to spawn a question about us. When our wires seem crossed in our mind, why does it seem like our lives aren't working when we need it to work? Why do we lack the power to live the way that we want? Why do we often make so many irrational and self-defeating decisions? Why do we try so hard to change but end up doing the things that we hate? Well, we have crossed wires, and we all do it.
Daniel Moore: 8:38
In the vast, rugged land of Alaska, there are two seasons winter and a brief little period known as July. With temperatures rising, snow-covered landscapes quickly transform into muddy terrains, creating a challenge for those navigating the roads. However, there was one road in particular that held a peculiar sign, and that sign said choose your rut carefully, you'll be in it for the next 60 miles. And the sign was not to be taken lightly, for it was very accurate. As cars traversed this road, their wheels left impressions deepening the ruts. Those ruts became the only viable path, guiding vehicles for miles ahead. It was said that if one were to align their wheels within the rut perfectly, they could let go of the steering wheel and the car would navigate itself along the winding road. This unusual phenomenon presented a unique comparison to our lives.
Daniel Moore: 9:36
At times, we find ourselves stuck in ruts, facing situations where it seems impossible to steer our lives in a new direction. We often feel trapped, longing for change, beheld back by circumstances or our own subconscious resistance, just like the car on that Alaskan road. Getting caught in unhealthy patterns or unfulfilling routines can make us feel trapped, as if we've relinquished control of our destinies. We repeat the same actions, travel the same path and yearn for something different, but find ourselves locked within the constraints of our own ruts. But what if we were to learn from that Alaskan road sign? What if we were to choose our rut carefully, knowing the significance of the path that we follow? By consciously and deliberately aligning ourselves with positive and godly patterns, we can begin to release our grip on the steering wheel of our lives. Similarly to the car's ability to navigate itself when aligned in the rut, we too can find our own path of least resistance when we consciously choose habits, mindsets and relationships that support our growth and well-being.
Daniel Moore: 10:44
In our walk with God, it starts with mindfulness and self-awareness, recognizing the ruts that hold us back and purposefully choosing the ones that lead us towards our aspirations. While it may feel daunting at first, breaking free from a rut is possible. By harnessing our determination and through prayer, we can gradually shift our mindset. Taking small steps outside of our comfort zones, finding new perspectives, seeking guidance and surrounding ourselves with positive influences can also help us break the cycle of stagnation. As we slowly steer ourselves out of the ruts that have held us captive, we can begin to experience the exhilaration and freedom of charting our own course. We might encounter obstacles and setbacks along the way, but persevering through these challenges reinforces our ability to change and adapt. Just like Alaska's ever-changing seasons, our lives hold the potential for transformation. By acknowledging that we have the power to choose our ruts and navigate our own paths, we can liberate ourselves from the rutted patterns that keep us confined. Embracing change, seeking growth and embracing the unknown, we discover the capacity to steer our lives towards fulfillment, purpose and boundless potential. The question is why do we allow ourselves to get into the ruts? How does that happen.
Daniel Moore: 12:13
But first of all, we need to understand how our brain works. Here's a little bit of scientific data about your brain. Listen close and follow along. Our brains are incredibly complex and amazing organs that enable us to think, learn and experience the world around us. Every thought, feeling or experience we have produces a cascade of electrochemical events in our brains. When we have a thought, it triggers the release of various neurochemicals, such as dopamine, serotonin or adrenaline, which interacts with different parts of our brain.
Daniel Moore: 12:51
Neurons are the fundamental building blocks of the brain. They are the nerve cells responsible for transmitting information electrochemically through our nervous system. These neurons link together through intricate networks and create electrical signals, known as action potentials, to communicate with one another. When we have a thought, these neurons form connections called synapses, and electrical signals are transmitted across these synapses via specialized chemicals called neurotransmitters. These signals travel along a neural pathway, creating pathways for the information to flow through our brain.
Daniel Moore: 13:29
The more often a particular thought is repeated or a particular neural pathway is activated, the stronger the connection between the associated neurons becomes. This process is known as synaptic plasticity or neuroplasticity. Essentially, our brains constantly rewire and reorganize themselves based on our experiences, thoughts and behaviors. Neuroplasticity is responsible for our ability to learn, adapt and change. It allows us to form new neural pathways, strengthening connections and creating new associations between ideas or skills. This is a well-worn path, and the wilderness becomes easier to tread over time. The more frequently a neural pathway is used, the more efficient and automatic it becomes.
Daniel Moore: 14:18
However, it is important to note that not all neural pathways are beneficial or positive. Negative thought patterns or unhealthy habits can also strengthen neural connections, leading to detrimental outcomes. For example, repeated negative self-talk can reinforce feelings of self-doubt or loaths self-esteem. Fortunately, neuroplasticity also offers a potential for personal growth. By consciously directing our thoughts, engaging in positive behaviors and actively challenging negative patterns, we can create new, healthier neuro pathways in our brains. With persistence and practice, we can effectively rewire our minds and transform our thoughts, emotions and behaviors. This concept of rewiring our minds is akin to consciously choosing and strengthening positive neuro pathways, much like consciously choosing which rut to follow on the Alaskan Road. Just as repeated messages sent along particular neuro pathways strengthen their connections, repeated positive thoughts, behaviors and actions can form new neuro pathways and reshape our thinking patterns.
Daniel Moore: 15:31
We have a dog named Mr Wilford. He's a little mini golden doodle that weighs around 35 pounds. Our son has an 85-pound golden doodle named Blue. They are very full of energy and it's very hard to keep them trapped inside the house very long before they get all kinds of anxious and just want to tear the house apart. So we'll go the back door and we'll open the door and as soon as that door is open, they're fighting to be the first one out the door and they take off 100 mile an hour running around our yard. What's crazy about our two dogs? Every time they run around our yard they take the same path they run out, they go to the right, they hit the fence, they follow the fence all the way around to the other side and back up to the patio and they'll repeat these circles until they finally decide that they're done. Well, if you go back behind the corner of our shed, back in the back of our yard, you're going to see that there is a rut dug in the ground back there where they have ran around that so many times following that same path that they've created a huge rut and a path around my shed in the yard.
Daniel Moore: 16:37
Well, in a similar way, repeated thoughts make paths like that in our brain. Narrow pathways are brain ruts. If you think you are a victim who never has a steady job or that no one likes you and you can't keep a relationship. You are programming your brain to look for evidence to support that thought about yourself and filtering out the evidence that says it isn't true. You are falling into what they call a victim rut. Your brain is looking for patterns and creating pathways that help you think the things you are thinking and doing the things that you keep doing. That's why it is so hard to do new things, sometimes like riding a bike or learning an instrument. When they say practice makes perfect, that means you are repeatedly doing something over and over to train your brain to eventually help you perform the action of riding the bike or playing the instrument. As you have that thought or perform that action over and over, it becomes effortless to do so. The more you do something, the more natural it becomes.
Daniel Moore: 17:42
Feelings of thinking that stem from feelings of victimhood, emotional spending, emotional eating or spreading gossip can indeed perpetuate a harmful cycle in our lives. While our brains have the capacity to create these negative neural pathways, it is important to recognize that we also have the ability to break free from them. If you have a cycle of sin in your life or you partake in a comfort due to a sin to try to make you feel better. It can put you in a cycle of feeling guilty. It may also have a tendency to give you a volt of pleasure for the moment. That's the release of dopamine causing that in your brain. That little natural high in your brain is saying that was fun, let's go do that again. You were designed to smoothly, efficiently create or fall into habits or neurological ruts. That can be helpful for brushing your teeth, but it can be very bad for overeating.
Daniel Moore: 18:39
If you find yourself stuck in a rut, there is a way out. Using myself as an example, as I've gotten into my married life, paying bills sometimes is a major stress for us. When my wife and I get paid each week we automatically have a line of bills set up on a piece of paper that needs to be paid before we can do anything else. It's a continuing cycle. Every month, the first paycheck comes, it pays these bills. Second paycheck comes, it pays these bills. So on and so on, as the month continues until we start over, all over again.
Daniel Moore: 19:15
If I'm not careful, if we are short money, quite often I can let myself start to think negative about that and either push blame on myself or make myself think that I need to do more and I'm not doing enough to help support my family. The thing is, I know that God will provide for us, but yet a lot of times, whenever I'm paying my bills, I have a tendency to let that anxiety get to me and I forget to bring God into the equation at all. So now I have a lie that is leading me into a mental rut. What should I do next? We must recognize the lie and the rut that it is creating in our life. And how do we do that? Well, we ask questions Like why do I believe this lie and where did this false belief start? Well, when I find myself worrying about money a lot of times, it will cause me to think back to the times of when I was younger.
Daniel Moore: 20:13
When I was growing up, my family was very poor. My dad worked three to four jobs all the time that I can never remember. My mom worked occasionally. For the most part she was a stay at home mom, but we always struggled to pay the bills. I vividly remember several Christmases where we received used presents wrapped in newspaper that came from economic security. That's something that I really didn't go willingly share with all of my friends. I remember going to McDonald's was like going out to Logan's first steak Just getting an ice cream cone was a treat, because we could never afford to go out and eat. Well, as I think about all of that in my childhood, that process in some ways has carried over into my adult life and now I feel that it's up to my wife and I to pay the bills, and if we fall short because of falling into hard times, we're going to be in lots of trouble, just like my parents.
Daniel Moore: 21:10
My question is why don't we rely on God, who is our provider? If we make conscientious, wise choices and allow God to give us biblical wisdom on how to spend our money, he is there to help us with that. Well, what about you? What is your right? Maybe it's food.
Daniel Moore: 21:29
As infants, we rely on our caregivers, usually our mothers, to meet our needs and provide comfort Food, especially in the form of bottles or soothing snacks like ice cream. They can become associated with comforting experiences during stressful or upsetting situations. You know, when you have a baby and they start crying, the first thing you do is give them a bottle to quieten them up. Or maybe your child is having a bad day in a bad situation and there's a lot of negativity going on in their mind at the moment. Give them a bowl of ice cream. That'll make them feel better. Well, what happened? Well, during the early years, our brain is highly malleable and forms neural pathways based on repeated experiences and associations. Your brain establishes a connection between negative emotions or distress and the act of eating comfort food. This creates a learned behavior or habit where food becomes a coping mechanism for dealing with difficult emotions or situations. As we grow older, these early neural pathways can persist and the association between food and comfort becomes ingrained. So when faced with stress, sadness or other negative emotions, our brain automatically triggers the desire for comfort food as a subconscious response to seek peace or temporary relief.
Daniel Moore: 22:48
Or maybe you're at school. You're excited to join a game of kickball during recess. However, as teams are being chosen, you find yourself standing there, overlooked and not picked by any of the team captains. This experience evokes a wave of emotions, possibly reminding you of other moments when you felt invalidated or excluded, even reminding you of the times that maybe you were mistreated by your parents, as you head home after school still feeling the sting of rejection. You encounter a tense atmosphere at home. Your parents inform you they're getting a divorce, which shatters the stability and security that you have known. Suddenly, the weight of these events becomes overwhelming and an emotionally charged thought emerges Bad things are always happening to me. I must be cursed. Well, what happened there? Well, these experiences and thoughts can generate a sense of victimhood in your mind. The brain, aiming to make sense of the world, tends to create narratives based on our experiences. In this case, the combination of being overlooked in kickball and the subsequent news of your parents divorce reinforces a narrative that reaffirms the perception of being continuously subjected to unfortunate circumstances. This pattern of thinking can solidify itself into a neuropathway where the brain automatically scans for evidence to support the belief that you are a perpetual victim. It becomes a self-perpetuating cycle as the brain filters and selectively focuses on instances that confirm this narrative, furthering reinforcing the victimhood mindset.
Daniel Moore: 24:28
Or maybe you came across a picture of a partially clothed body on a website. You felt guilty and you closed it. Later you decided to go back and try to find that website, and you do, and you notice, this time around you felt a little guilty of looking at the nude pictures, but because of the jolt of dopamine raising the excitement of looking, it wasn't as bad as the first time, even though you know it is wrong. What happened here? Well, when individuals encounter stimuli that they find pleasurable or exciting, including explicit imagery, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with reward and motivation. This dopamine release can create a positive and pleasurable feeling, which might be why you experienced the jolt of excitement upon encountering the content. Over time and with repeated exposure, the brain can develop neuropathways that associate the behavior, in this case, seeking explicit content, with pleasure and reinforcement, leading to a sense of decreased guilt. This process is referred to as reinforcement, learning or conditioning. However, it is important to recognize that feelings of guilt can still arise due to personal values, religious beliefs or a sense of moral responsibility or conviction. Individual reactions to explicit content can vary significantly, and it is crucial to understand your own boundaries, values and personal well-being in order to make informed decisions about online behavior.
Daniel Moore: 26:05
God's original intention for you to have a pure mind was violated and you began thinking thoughts you were never intended to think. In all these examples, including the example I gave for myself, wires got crossed. Normal life events happened, fair and intentional or not, and we turned the opportunity into a bad connection that formed an unhealthy connection that created a toxic rut In my memories of how my parents had to live when we were growing up. I could have taken the things they went through and used them as a learning experience of what not to do instead of worrying about making my own ends meet as an adult. And as for Mr Wilford and Blue, well, they continue to run out the back door and follow the same rut and path around the yard every day. Unless we decide to break the patterns that we create in our lives, we will continue to go down the same path and never change. We will always be going in the wrong direction in circles, because it's easy to stay in the same old rut. But, just like me, I would guess that you want something different, something better.
Daniel Moore: 27:12
As my kids have moved out and started their own lives, I have seen some of them become a stingy with their money, holding onto it like it was their very life. I sometimes wonder if my stinginess with money created some of that as an after-effect of what I have created some of that as an after-effect in my kids. I have come to learn as I have grown older that we can and have to rely on God. He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. We have to believe that and hold on to His promise that he will provide. We have to start a new rut.
Daniel Moore: 27:47
A little bit later on, in a different episode, we're going to get into how to create those new ruts, but for the moment we're going to take a break. I'm going to give your brain a little bit of a relief here to think and comprehend all of this and put it together, and we're going to take a break and we come back. We'll continue this week's discussion on connecting the gaps. We'll be back right after this. Have you ever felt lonely, alone, like no one understood or cared about you.
chataboutjesus.com: 28:24
Have you ever hurt yourself because of that? We all try in one way or another to cover up one painful issue with another, only to find those feelings of emptiness return. God knows your pain and wants to help. Jesus died for your sins and offers a way out of this hopelessness. If you're interested in learning what it means to be forgiven and how you can love yourself as much as Jesus loves you, call 888-Need-Him or go to chataboutjesuscom.
Daniel Moore: 29:07
Welcome back to this episode of Connecting the Gap. We're in part six of our series, the Battle Within overcoming the invisible war. I'm Daniel Moore and, as I stated as I went to the break, we have a lot of scientific information about the way our brain works. In this week's episode we're going to come back to that in a different episode and continue on how we can start those new ruts and create a different lifestyle, a new path in life. We'll get into that in later episodes.
Daniel Moore: 29:34
As the year 1945 approached its end, the world had already witnessed the tide turning against the Axis powers in World War II. Germany had surrendered in May and the Allied powers were inching closer to securing victory in the Pacific against Japan. All eyes were now focused on the Japanese mainland. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, followed by another on Nagasaki on August 9. The unimaginable devastation left the Japanese leadership reeling. Emperor Hirohito, understanding the horrors of these new weapons and, with the urging of the remaining government officials, decided to surrender. Japan's formal capitulation was announced on August 15, 1945, known as Victory over Japan Day, or VJ Day.
Daniel Moore: 30:27
News of the surrender reached the majority of Japanese military forces stationed in various theaters of war. Soldiers and sailors laid down their weapons and the fighting ceased. In most parts of Japan's vast empire, Japan began the process of demilitarization and reconstruction. However, in some isolated areas, scattered Japanese forces remained cut off from the rest of their military and had not received word of the nation's surrender. Without contact or communication, these pockets of Japanese fighters and even civilians continued to engage in combat with the Allied troops. One such example was a small island of Inna Tahan in the western Pacific. A group of Japanese Navy members, unaware that the war was over, entrenched themselves on the island and continued their resistance for an astonishing 16 years. It was not until 1960, when a priest, Father Arnold Janssen, accidentally came across the survivors, that they became aware of Japan's defeat and the surrender. Another famous example occurred in the jungles of Mandendinayo, a Philippine island. Haru Inota, a Japanese intelligence officer, along with three other soldiers, maintained their guerrilla activities for nearly three decades. They dismissed documents dropped from the sky, believing them to be Allied propaganda or trickery. It wasn't until 1974, when a former commanding officer was brought into, formally relieved Onoda of his duties, that the reality of Japan's defeat finally reached him.
Daniel Moore: 32:03
That's a picture that captures where we are in the Invisible War. The victory is already accomplished. Only nothing is at stake in terms with the ultimate outcome of Satan's rebellion against God. What continues to be at stake, however, are the lives of those that are still fighting. Satan is a fallen angel who rebelled against God and continues to oppose his divine plans. Satan persists in his efforts to wreak havoc every day in human lives. Satan knows the war is already over.
Daniel Moore: 32:34
Through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, God is triumphed over the powers of sin and evil. The sacrifice on the cross accomplished salvation and secured victory over Satan's sin and death. Satan and his demonic forces, though aware of their ultimate defeat, remain active to tempt and deceive humanity, seeking to undermine our faith and disrupt God's plans. They use real weapons seeking to destroy the people of God. They use challenges, trials and temptations that individuals encounter in their daily lives. Holy spiritual battles create a constant struggle to resist sin and align us with God's will. While Satan may continue to wage spiritual warfare, Christians are encouraged to rely on the power of Christ's victory and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to resist and overcome the enemy's attacks. Jesus already won the war when he died on the cross and resurrected from the dead for our sins.
Daniel Moore: 33:34
In the Christian tradition, the phrase Put on the Armor of God comes from a passage in the New Testament, specifically Ephesians 6, 10-18. It is they called to believers to equip themselves with spiritual armor to withstand the challenges and spiritual battles they may face in their lives. The armor of God is often understood as a metaphor for adopting and embracing a certain lifestyle or mindset, rather than a literal checklist of physical items. Each piece of the armor mentioned in the biblical passage represents a spiritual virtue or characteristic that aids believers in their spiritual journey. The Belt of Truth symbolizes living in alignment with truth, honesty and integrity. It means seeking and adhering to the truth as revealed in Scripture and aligning one's thoughts, beliefs and actions with it. The breastplate of righteousness represents moral and ethical living. It involves pursuing righteousness, justice and living a life characterized by upright behavior, moral integrity and adherence to God's commandments.
Daniel Moore: 34:40
The shoes of the gospel of peace symbolize readiness and willingness to share the message of God's peace and salvation with others. It speaks to the lifestyle of actively seeking opportunities to spread the good news and promote reconciliation and harmony. The shield of faith signifies trust and reliance on God's promises and protection. It involves nurturing and strengthening one's faith through prayer, study of scriptures and cultivating a personal relationship with God. The helmet of salvation represents assurance of salvation and a steadfast mind grounded in the hope and confidence of eternal life. It involves understanding and holding firm to the truth of God's love, grace and the redemptive work of Christ. And the sword of the Spirit symbolizes the power of God's Word, the Bible. It refers to studying, meditating on and applying Scripture in all aspects of life. It is through the knowledge and wisdom of God's Word that believers can discern truth, combat falsehood and overcoming spiritual battles. The message behind the metaphor of the Army of God is that believers are encouraged to actively embrace these virtues and live out their faith daily. It emphasizes the importance of cultivating a lifestyle characterized by truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the Word of God.
Daniel Moore: 36:04
Putting on the armor is a continuous and intentional process that requires ongoing dedication and spiritual growth. The priority of taking up the armor of God is emphasized by the tense use in the Greek verb, because it implies an urgent and immediate action. This urgency is due to the impending arrival of an evil day or a time of spiritual warfare and adversity. Taking up the armor of God is a priority because it equips believers to stand strong against the schemes and attacks of the enemy. The armor serves as a spiritual protection, enabling individuals to withstand and overcome the challenges and temptations they may face in their faith journey. By emphasizing the immediacy and urgency of taking up the armor, the verse shows the need for believers to be prepared and equipped at all times. It serves as a reminder that spiritual battles can arise unexpectedly, and being spiritually armored up becomes crucial in order to battle against the spiritual forces of darkness. The priority of putting on the armor of God is to ensure that believers are ready and equipped to face the challenges and spiritual warfare that may come their way, standing firm in their faith and relying on the strength and power of God.
Daniel Moore: 37:22
The battles are not all the same. The enemy will attack us every day with different methods. There are times when you are on top of your game and he sits and watches and waits. He waits until he sees a moment of weakness or a crack. When you are tired, when you are in an argument with your spouse, when you are in the ICU with one of your children and you wonder if they are going to make it, he waits for the seasons and cycles of your life and at your lowest moment he will pounce. It's in those moments of weakness that he can try to convince you that God isn't good. That's why the call for the armor is urgent. We have to be ready to use it when we are at our highs and when we are at our lows and when we don't even feel like it.
Daniel Moore: 38:07
We must not give up what we have already gained in Jesus, because it represents the foundation of our faith and the transformative work that has taken place in our lives. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we experience forgiveness, redemption and a new identity in Christ. However, it is possible for believers to fall into negative patterns of thought and behavior, known as bad mind ruts. These can be characterized by doubt, fear, discouragement or complacency, which can hinder our spiritual growth and effectiveness in living out our faith. To overcome these bad mind ruts and start a new path, we need to actively engage in renewing our minds and aligning our thoughts and actions with God's truth. This involves seeking His guidance and wisdom through prayer, studying His Word and surrounding ourselves with fellow believers who can encourage and support us In this journey. We must also recognize the importance of protecting the newfound path that we are on, Just as a soldier wears armor for protection and battle, we need to guard our hearts and minds with the spiritual armor that God has provided While putting on for protection. With this armor, we fortify ourselves against the temptations, doubts and spiritual warfare that may threaten to pull us away from what we have gained in Jesus. He helps us to maintain a strong and unwavering faith, enabling us to continue on the path of righteousness and remain steadfast in our commitment to follow Jesus. We should not give up what we have gained in Jesus, because it represents the transformative work in our lives To overcome negative patterns and start a new path. We need to renew our minds and protect the journey with the spiritual armor that God has given us. By doing so, we can continue to grow in our faith and live out the abundant life that Jesus offers.
Daniel Moore: 40:00
As we get onto the following weeks of this episode, we're gonna continue talking about how to get out of these mind ruts. How do we create new pathways in our minds to make us focus on God instead of the bad and the negative things that Satan wants to try to push into our minds 24-7? And a lot of that has to do with the actual armor of God. As the weeks come along, we're gonna be getting into a deep dive into the armor of God and what it means for each item as we apply it into our lives for protection against Satan and the warfare that he tries to impose on us each and every day. Well, that's gonna do it for this week, for this episode of Connecting the Gap. We'll be back next week to continue this study on the battle within overcoming the invisible war and we'll continue to dive deeper into how to fight against Satan and his tactics in trying to take us down.
Daniel Moore: 40:52
Don't forget to visit my website, connectingthegapnet, for a transcription of this, or you can see where you can subscribe all the different platforms that we are on. Also, check out our merch store. Again, that's at connectingthegapnet. I'm outta here till next week. I'm Daniel Moore. Thank you for joining me this week. Until then, don't forget that God's word never fails us. God's word has stood the test of time and, through Jesus' death on the cross, he has connected the gap.
Daniel Moore: 41:19
You've been listening to Connecting the Gap podcast. I'm Daniel Moore, the host for this podcast, and I personally thank you for listening. Each week In this world, there are many disconnects that cause chaos in our lives. This podcast is birthed from the desire to share hope and restoration of the power of the gospel by being transparent and open in our biblical walk with God. Each week we take a few moments as we navigate God's word and peer into other people's testimonies and encourage each other to connect the gap.
Daniel Moore: 41:45
We upload a new audio podcast every Thursday and a video version of it on YouTube and Rumble. We are also on the Christian podcasting app Edify. You can subscribe to our podcast on many of the available podcasting platforms, such as Apple Podcast, Deezer, Spotify, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TuneIn Radio and many more. We are also available on your Alexa enabled devices. If you would like to give us feedback or would like to contact our ministry for any reason, including prayer, visit our contact page at wwwconnectingthegapnet and send us a message. We hope you are blessed by this ministry. This is a production of Connecting the Gap Ministries.