Battlefield of the Mind (12 page)

Criticism, opinions and judgment all seem to be relatives, so we will discuss them together as one giant problem.

I was critical because I always seemed to see what was wrong instead of what was right. Some personalities are more given to this fault than others. Some of the more jovial personality types do not want to see anything but the "happy or fun" things in life, so they really don't pay much attention to the things that could spoil their enjoyment. The more melancholy personality or the controlling personality often sees what is wrong first; generally, people with this type personality are generous in sharing their negative opinions and outlook with others.

We must realize that we have our own way of seeing things. We like to tell people what we think, and that is exactly the point—what I think may be right for me, but not necessarily right for you, and vice versa. We all know, of course, that "Thou shalt not steal" is right for everyone, but I am speaking here of the thousands of things we encounter every day that are neither right nor wrong necessarily but are simply personal choices. I might add that these are choices that people have a right to make on their own without outside interference.

My husband and I are extremely different in our approach to many things. How to decorate a house would be one of those things. It isn't that we don't like anything the other one chooses, but if we go out to shop for household things together, it seems Dave always likes one thing and I like something else. Why? Simply because we are two different people. His opinion is just a good as mine, and mine is just as good as his; they are simply different.

It took me years to understand that there wasn't something wrong with Dave just because he did not agree with me. And, of course, I usually let him know that I thought there was something wrong with him because he did not share my opinion. Obviously, my attitude caused much friction between us and hurt our relationship.

PRIDE: AN " I" P ROBLEM

...I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself
more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his
own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each
according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. Romans 12:3

Judgment and criticism are fruit of a deeper problem—pride. When the "I" in us is bigger than it should be, it will always cause the kinds of problems we are discussing. The Bible repeatedly warns us about being high-minded.

Whenever we excel in an area, it is only because God has given us a gift of grace for it. If we are high-minded or have an exaggerated opinion of ourselves, then it causes us to look down on others and value them as "less than" we are. This type of attitude or thinking is extremely detestable to the Lord, and it opens many doors for the enemy in our lives.

HOLY FEAR

Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any
sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by
the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without
any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive
eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also.

Bear (endure, carry) one another's burdens and troublesome moral
faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ
(the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it].

For if any person thinks himself to be somebody [too important to
 
condescend to shoulder another's load] when he is nobody [of
superiority except in his own estimation], he deceives and deludes and
cheats himself. Galatians 6:1-3

Careful examination of these Scriptures quickly reveals to us how we are to respond to the weakness we observe in others. It sets forth the mental attitude we are to maintain within ourselves. We must have a "holy fear" of pride and be very careful of judging others or of being critical of them.

WHO ARE WE TO PASS JUDGMENT?

Who are you to pass judgment on and censure another's household
servant? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he
shall stand and be upheld, for the Master (the Lord) is mighty to
support him and make him stand. Romans 14:4

Think of it this way: let's say your neighbor came to your door and began instructing you on what your children should wear to school and what subjects she felt they should take. How would you respond? Or, suppose your neighbor stopped in to tell you that she didn't like the way your maid (with whom you were quite satisfied) cleaned your home.

What would you say to your neighbor?

This is exactly the point this Scripture is making. Each of us belongs to God, and even if we have weaknesses, He is able to make us stand and to justify us. We answer to God, not to each other; therefore, we are not to judge one another in a critical way.

The devil stays very busy assigning demons to place judgmental, critical thoughts in people's minds. I can remember when it was entertaining for me to sit in the park or the shopping mall and simply watch all the people go by as I formed a mental opinion of each of them: their clothing, hairstyles, companions, etc. Now, we cannot always prevent ourselves from having opinions, but we do not have to express them. I believe we can even grow to the point where we do not have so many opinions, and those we do have are not of a critical nature.

I frequently tell myself, "Joyce, it's none of your business." A major problem is brewing in your mind when you ponder your opinion until it becomes a judgment. The problem grows bigger the more you think about it until you begin to express it to others, or even to the one you're judging. It has then become explosive and has the ability to do a great deal of harm in the realm of relationship as well as in the spiritual realm.

You may be able to save yourself future problems by simply learning to say, "This is none of my business."

Judgment and criticism were rampant in my family, so I "grew up with them," so to speak. When that is the case—as it may be for you—it is like trying to play ball with a broken leg. I was trying to "play ball" with God; I wanted to do things His way, to think and act His way, but I couldn't. It took many years of misery before I learned about the strongholds in my mind that had to be dealt with before my behavior could change.

Remember, your actions won't change until your mind does.

Matthew 7:1-6 are some of the classic Scriptures on the subject of judgment and criticism. When you are having trouble with your mind in this area, read these and other Scriptures. Read them, then read them over aloud, and use them as weapons against the devil who is attempting to build a stronghold in your mind. He may be operating out of a stronghold that has already been there for many years.

Let's take a look at this passage and I will comment on each part of it as we go through it.

SOWING AND REAPING JUDGMENT

Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may
not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.

For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be
judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the
measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to
you. Matthew 7:1,2

These Scriptures plainly tell us that we will reap what we sow.

(Galatians 6:7.) Sowing and reaping do not apply only to the agricultural and financial realms, they also apply to the mental realm. We can sow and reap an attitude as well as a crop or an investment.

One pastor I know often says that when he hears that someone has been talking about him in an unkind or judgmental way, he asks himself,

"Are they sowing, or am I reaping?" Many times we are reaping in our lives what we have previously sown into the life of another.

PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF!

Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in
your brother's eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam
of timber that is in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out
of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?

You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your
brother's eye. Matthew 7:3-5

The devil loves to keep us busy, mentally judging the faults of others.

That way, we never see or deal with what is wrong with us!

We cannot change others; only God can. We cannot change ourselves either, but we can cooperate with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to do the work. Step One to any freedom, however, is to face the truth the Lord is trying to show us.

When we have our thoughts and conversation on what is wrong with everyone else, we are usually being deceived about our own conduct.

Therefore, Jesus commanded that we not concern ourselves with what is wrong with others when we have so much wrong with ourselves. Allow God to deal with you first, and then you will learn the scriptural way of helping your brother grow in His Christian walk.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Do not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and
do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them
with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. Matthew 7:6

I believe this Scripture is referring to our God-given ability to love each other.

If you and I have an ability and a command from God to love others,but instead of doing that, we judge and criticize them, we have taken the holy thing (love) and cast it before dogs and hogs (demon spirits). We have opened a door for them to trample on holy things and turn and tear us to pieces.

We need to see that "the love walk" is protection for us against demonic attack. I do not believe the devil can do much harm to someone who really walks in love.

When I became pregnant with our fourth child, I was a Christian, baptized in the Holy Spirit, called into ministry and a diligent Bible student. I had learned about exercising my faith for healing. Yet, during the first three months of the pregnancy, I was very, very sick. I lost weight and energy. I spent most of my time lying on the couch, nauseated and so tired I could barely move.

This situation was really confusing to me since I had felt wonderful during my other three pregnancies. I hadn't known much of God's Word then, even though I was in church, and did not actively use my faith for anything. Now, I was very familiar with God's promises, yet I was sick—and no amount of prayer to God or rebuking the devil was removing the problem!

One day as I lay in bed listening to my husband and children having a good time in the backyard, I aggressively asked God, "What in the world is wrong with me? Why am I so sick? And why am I not getting well?"

The Holy Spirit prompted me to read Matthew 7. I asked the Lord what that passage had to do with me and my health. I kept feeling that I should read it again and again. Finally, God opened my remembrance to an event that had taken place a couple of years earlier.

I had led and taught a home Bible study to which a young lady came whom we will call Jane. Jane attended the course faithfully until she became pregnant, but then it became very difficult for her to join us regularly because she was always tired and feeling bad.

As I lay in my bed that day, I recalled that another "Christian sister"

and I had talked about, judged and criticized Jane because she "just would not press through" her circumstances and be diligent in coming to Bible study. We never offered to help her in any way. We just formed an opinion that she was a weakling and was using her pregnancy as an excuse to be lazy and self-indulgent.

Now, I was in the same set of circumstances that Jane had been two years earlier. God showed me that although I had been healthy during my first three pregnancies, I had opened a huge door for the devil by my judgment and criticism. I had taken my pearls, the holy thing (my ability to love Jane), thrown it before the dogs and hogs, and now they had turned and were tearing me to pieces. I can tell you, I was quick to repent.

As soon as I did, my health was restored, and I was fine throughout the remainder of my pregnancy.

From this incident I learned an important lesson about the dangers of judging and criticizing others. I would like to be able to say that after that experience I never made another mistake of that nature, but I am sorry to say that I have made many such mistakes since then. Each time, God has had to deal with me, for which I am grateful.

We
all
make mistakes. We
all
have weaknesses. The Bible says that we are not to have a hard-hearted, critical spirit toward each other, but instead to forgive one another and to show mercy to one another just as God for Christ's sake has done for us. (Ephesians 4:32.) 

JUDGING BRINGS CONDEMNATION

Therefore you have no excuse or defense or justification, O man,
whoever you are who judges and condemns another. For in posing as
judge and passing sentence on another, you condemn yourself,
because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things [that you censure and denounce]. Romans 2:1

In other words, the very same things that we judge others for, we do ourselves.

The Lord gave me a very good example once to help me understand this principle. I was pondering why we would do something ourselves and think it was perfectly all right, but judge someone else who does it.

He said, "Joyce, you look at yourself through rose-colored glasses, but you look at everyone else through a magnifying glass."