Propaganda/Winning the Battle for Your Mind - BEWARE ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Military strategists may use propaganda to undermine morale and weaken the fighting spirit.  They may induce enemy soldiers to fight among themselves or fool them into isolating themselves from the main fighting force.  A German general, it has been said, admitted that one reason for defeat in World War I was that the people "were hypnotized by the enemy propaganda as a rabbit by a snake."  Satan uses similar tricks in his attempts to divide and conquer, trying, for example, to stir up contentions among Christian brothers and sisters or to induce them to isolate themselves from Jehovah's organization because of some perceived injustice or grievance.

Do not be deceived!  Let God's Word guide you.  For example, in the matter of maintaining unity with your brothers and sisters, the Bible encourages you to continue "forgiving one another freely" and to be quick to resolve matters of dispute.  (Colossians 3:13, 14; Matthew 5:23, 24) It strongly warns us  against isolating ourselves from the congregation.  (Proverbs 18:1)  Test your defenses against satanic propaganda. Ask yourself:  'What governed my thinking the lat time I faced such a situation?  Was it the world's spirit or God's  spirit. -Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:2, 3. 

DO NOT ALLOW YOUR CONFIDENCE TO BE UNDERMINED

A soldier whose loyalty to his leader is weakened will not fight well. So propagandist attempt to break bonds of confidence and trust between a solider  and his commander.  They may use such propaganda as:  "You cannot trust your leaders!" and "Do not let them lead you into disaster!"  To add weight to these attacks, they may cleverly exploit any mistakes those leaders might make.  Satan does this.  He never gives up trying to undermine your confidence in the leadership that Jehovah has provided.

You defense?  Be determined to stick to Jehovah's organization and loyally support  the leadership he provides -no matter what imperfections may surface.  (1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13)   Do not be "quickly shaken from your reason" when face  with what appears to be damaging  attacks by apostates or other such deceivers of the mind-however plausible their charges may seem.  (2 Thessalonians 2:2; Titus 1:10)  Follow the advice given to the young man Timothy. Stick to the truth you learned, and remember where you learned it.  (2 Timothy 3:14, 15)  Surely there is ample evidence to show that you can trust  the channel that Jehovah has used  for nearly a hundred years now to lead us in the way of the truth. -Matthew 24:45-47; Hebrews 13:7, 17. 

Next time: Propaganda/Winning the Battle for  Your Mind -DO NOT LET TERROR TACTICS WEAKEN YOU

From the jw.org publications