“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.” (2 Corinthians 10: 4-5, ESV)
My husband likes to watch documentaries about World War II. I’m amazed how anyone survived the war, considering how they fought in those days. Or that anyone survived once captured by the enemy. As captives, their freedom was completely controlled by their captors. They didn’t have free movement to walk around, eat, or sleep. They could only do what they were allowed by the ones in control.
When Paul is writing this passage to the church in Corinthians, he is imploring them to take their thoughts captive – to make every thought a prisoner to Christ.
Just like a prisoner doesn’t have free reign of their life – our thoughts should not have free reign in our mind (and ultimately control our lives). Unhealthy thoughts and perceptions that contradict the true knowledge and nature of God are the strongholds he’s referring to. We cannot battle these thoughts by carnal methods -which was what the Corinthian Christians relied on. Methods such as manipulation, images of success, smooth words, and perceptions of power.
In Ephesians 6, Paul lists the spiritual weapons we are to use. To rely on these weapons requires us to have faith in God (not in ourselves).
At any moment a thought can pop into your head and that thought can evoke feelings that can lead you to do things against God’s will for your life. It can be hard to let go of thinking that values the things of this world but with Jesus, it can be done.
Most of our thoughts are triggered by past life experiences, and the harder our lives have been the easier the negative thoughts may flow. But even if we’ve had a perfect life – the enemy is still “seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Always ready to pounce by speaking an untruth into our mind.
Eve is a perfect example of this. She had not experienced heartache – she only knew a perfect life with God. Yet, the enemy spoke and caused her to doubt God. Instead of stopping the thought of “did God really say?” Eve gave it freedom in her mind which led to feelings of insecurity. As a result, she acted in disobedience. She chose to believe a snake over God.
Eve didn’t have the luxury of going back to the printed Word and challenging her thoughts with truth (taking them captive) – but we do. Ladies fight with truth!
“Father, thank You that we do not have to be helpless victims of our thoughts. Help us to choose to stop our thoughts and filter them through the truth of Your Word.”
For His Glory
Laura Holmes (www.ephraimministries.org)
TRBC Women’s Life
trbccoffeebreak 
Leave a Reply