Since Satan has come into us and since the Lord Jesus has also come into us, it is possible for us to be in three kingdoms. If we live in our soul, we are certainly in the human kingdom. If we live according to the flesh, we become a part of the satanic kingdom. If we walk in the spirit and live according to the spirit, we are in the kingdom of God. However, it is very difficult for anyone to be in the human kingdom. The human kingdom in our soul has become very weak and fragile. With even a little smiting, it is broken and subdued. Thus, whenever we try to be human, we merely succeed in being devilish. Whenever we attempt to be good, we discover that we are bad. Whenever we try to be patient or kind and not to lose our temper, we inevitably lose our temper. Why is this? The evil one will not allow us to be a proper human being. Satan will always try to subdue us and have us under his control. It is difficult for the human kingdom to be independent. At best the human kingdom is a small colony in the satanic kingdom. The human kingdom is always under the control of the satanic kingdom. Practically speaking, there are actually only two kingdoms on the earth today: the kingdom of Satan, including the subdued human kingdom, and the kingdom of God.
The battlefield of these two kingdoms is our mind. The kingdom of Satan fights against the kingdom of God in the battlefield of our mind. The spiritual warfare between God and Satan is altogether in our mind. Although the Lord Jesus is now in our spirit, He has a big problem. He cannot easily penetrate our mind. Our mind is a stronghold, and it is hard for the Lord Jesus to come into it. Second Corinthians 10:4-5 reveals that there are strongholds within us, which are our rebellious thoughts belonging to our reprobate mind. Paul says that the spiritual warfare is simply to overthrow the thoughts, the reasonings in our mind. To overthrow the reasonings means to subdue the mind, to take over the mind. Many Christians today are under the control of Satan in their mind. The strongholds consist of the concepts, ideas, opinions, judgments, even the very way of thinking—all of which are elements in the mind. Many times people say, "I don't agree with that!" This simply means that they are clinging to something in their mind.
I like the word Paul used in 2 Corinthians 11:3. Paul said that he was very concerned for the Corinthians lest their thoughts be seduced from the simplicity that is in Christ. Although I have been in the Lord's work for many years, I have yet to meet a person who is truly simple. Yet I would say that the most blessed persons are simple people—very simple and single. The word "simplicity" may also be translated into "singleness." Most Christians today are not simple; they are very complicated because they have collected all kinds of doctrines. They think that more doctrines they have, the better, but actually the more doctrines they have, the more complicated they become.
The word "seduced" here is very meaningful. It is better to translate it this way: "that your minds would be corrupted by being seduced from the simplicity." This is not only a matter of seduction; it is also a matter of corruption. Whenever our thoughts are seduced from the simplicity and singleness that is in Christ, our mind will be corrupt. It is easy to fill people with teaching, but it is a difficult task to empty them of their teaching. It is easy to load people with teaching, but once the teaching has entered into them, it is exceedingly hard for anyone to unload it. However, as long as we keep the seducing teachings in our mind, our mind will be corrupted. For us to experience the riches of Christ and to enjoy Him, we all need to be simple. If we are not simple, we will be in our seduced and corrupted mentality. This is a dreadful condition. The spiritual warfare today is mainly to capture the mind, to cast down the strongholds in the mind. Spiritual warfare is primarily a matter of fighting the enemy in our minds.