Scripture:

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.

Context:

OK. So that’s the assignment. “Take your thoughts captive”. What does that even mean? How do I go about doing it? And what am I supposed to do with these thoughts, once I take them captive?

Personal Story:

For most of my adult life, I had constant thoughts of past failures, fears of the future, my thought life was A MESS. What God has shown me in the last few years is how to WIN the battle in my mind. So many of our “thoughts” are not even our own. They are lies of the enemy; designed to steal, kill, and destroy our peace and our purpose. When a thought keeps pestering at me and circling in my mind, whether it’s self-shaming, fearful, a forecast of doom, whatever.. I visualize it written out. “Seeing” it vs “hearing” it makes it more concrete and pins the enemy down to that one tactic. I search the Word of God for a verse that either supports that thought or proves it to be a lie. As recently as this fall, I was struggling with persistent thoughts that I am made wrong. Some things that are easy for other people, are hard for me- like “rest”. I don’t know how to do it, so I just generally don’t. I go and go and I rarely wear down or get tired. I’ve felt like I was pre-wired to run in overdrive. Over the last year, I’ve been given SO, SO MUCH correction and counsel to slow down (by people that love me) but I couldn’t receive it. No matter how kindly or gently they stated it, what I kept hearing was that I’m made wrong, that my nervous system is broken. So I took that thought to the Word. Psalm 139:14 tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

THEREFORE, I cannot be made wrong. Once you hold up the lie to the truth, it loses power. I

repented of the lie, bound it in Jesus’ Name, and sent it back to hell where it came from, and I asked God to show me more truth. The truth is He tells us to Sabbath. When I choose to rest, I am blessing the Lord with my obedience and becoming more like Him, because He modeled rest for us on the 7th day of Creation. The plain fact is I’m not made wrong, I have been CHOOSING to be disobedient, because I like feeling competent and helpful more than I like slowing down and living God’s Way. Now that I’m able to see the truth, I am asking the Lord for help with the actual problem…. Which I never would have seen or addressed as long as I was wallowing in a lie about my identity. That’s just one example, but the process works.

Romans 8:1 tells us “There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”.

Isaiah 26:3 promises  us “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”

-Mary Tovar

Application:
Any place you are feeling condemned or a lack of peace, I encourage you to closely examine your thoughts. Dig into the Word and stand on His Truth. Repeat it to, and over yourself, sew it into your heart. He came to give us a life of freedom, peace, and joy.. NOT for us to live wrapped up in chains. So quit giving ear to the enemy and GRAB WITH BOTH HANDS all of the peace and joy Our Good, Good Father has portioned out for you.