Battle of the mind

Posted by admin on February 14, 2010

While struggling with my own thoughts, I knew in my heart that something had to change, I needed a deep peace within me. God revealed to me that I need to take every thought captive, stand firm on the word of God, not to let the enemy get a foothold and what God has started in our lives he will carry it out to completion.

Take every thought captive

In 2 Corinthians 10:5 it says “ We demolish arguments and pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

There are times in our life, when the thoughts we have are not godly thoughts. When the enemy attacks our mind with thoughts that are not constructive. We let the thoughts in our head run away with themselves. When we may be angry, afraid, hurt, may be other things as well. But we have a choice to make how do we want to be thinking, do we want to be living obedient to God or to Satan the father of lies. If our thoughts do not line up with God’s word then we are letting the enemy have a foothold in our life. We need to re-focus our attention on what we know and believe God has told us. If we take every thought captive we are re-aligning our thoughts with God, so the arguments and pretension become void as we are now following God’s will for our life instead of listening to the lies that the enemy is pouring into our mind. The thoughts in our life can become a stronghold if we do not take our thoughts captive.

To take captive every thought implies that our mind is a battlefield, not a physical battle but a spiritual battle. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesian 6:12)

What are our thoughts that we need to take captive?

Anything that is impure, deception ,unclean thoughts, our sinful nature and self ambitions to name to a few. In Matthew 15:18 and 19 it says “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” And in Galatians 5:19 – 21“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” They are the thoughts that may be we have, but must be bought into line with God’s word.

What thoughts are pure, holy and clean?

Thoughts of peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the fruit we can see in our lives if we are obeying God, his words and if we are seeking to do God’s will (Galatians 5:22 and 23). Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 and 9 Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

God understands our thoughts

God asks us to serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understand every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9

So God knows our every thought before we have even before we have thoughts it. He knows our motivation behind the thoughts we have. He knew from the time we were conceived to the moment we die, he knows us so well. He knows the choices we will make when we are faced with them but God has given us free choice, so we may choose to let our minds be filled with the lies the enemy put in us or we can choose to believe the truth that God places inside us.

How do we take these thoughts captive?

We can not use weapons of the flesh such as mental imagery or positive thinking will not bring us victory that God has for us. People who use these tools and claim that have seen results but are deceived, as we are focusing on ourself instead completely on God.

We can use spiritual weapons, God reveal himself to us through

• A testimony of witnesses

• He will speak to us through other people

• By reading the bible we God

• In our spirit we can sense God

We can take these thoughts captive

• by constantly reading his word daily,

• listening

• praying to God.

When we hear the thought that are not from God

• to take action,

• we need to seek God

• ask him to reveal more of himself to us.

• Asking for forgiveness.

• Read more from his word, the more our mind is filled with godly thoughts the more we can fight back and claim what God has given us.

God has told us in his word who we are in him so we do not need to deceive ourselves of the lies the enemy place in our minds.

Conclusion for taking every thought captive.

God has placed in us, to know, what is right and wrong. He will reveal to us and we can bear witness to what is happening. If we find ourself trying to justifying our action then we are more than likely not in God’s perfect will for us. God has given us free choice. Our actions are our own choosing, so we can either follow God or not. God allows us to choose and if we fall then hopefully we learn something through our experience and do better if another opportunity arises. God places in our hearts and mind the way we should go.

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