The first part of her book, Battlefield of the Mind focuses on our thoughts as she states clearly here, "If we have a negative mind, we will have a negative life." The mind is the battlefield. Who are we warring against? "The devil" whom bombards us with "nagging thoughts, suspicions, doubts, fears, wonderings, reasonings, and theories."
Joyce discusses that we have strongholds. These are usually negative, destructive thoughts that begin at some defining moment. When I was younger I had an emotionally abusive boyfriend. He would boss me around and I would do whatever he said. He would call me names and put me down. This hurt so bad but I put up with it. After we broke up, I said that I will never be pushed around or put down ever again. Now, in my current relationship, I am overly sensitive. If Nate (my boyfriend) suggests a spice for a meal I'm making I assume he's putting me down and letting me know that I am incompetent of cooking or if he suggests I clean a pile of papers I assume he's telling me what to do and bossing me around. I get mad and fight against his suggestions because I have this thought that I will never be put-down or told what to do by any man every again. I have played this message over and over again in my head. Joyce calls this a stronghold; a repetitive negative thought that influences our actions and reactions.
The only thing is that this stronghold creates in me an overly sensitive reaction which is causing fighting in my relationship. The point is that these are two unrelated experiences yet I'm acting out my response from the first to the latter which is only causing damage. This is what "the devil" loves, to destroy peaceful and loving relationships by keeping the stronghold (negative repetitive thoughts) in our lives. What strongholds do you have? Just notice your thoughts in certain situations and your reactions. Why are you reacting that way?
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