Taking every thought captive

This morning I had what felt like a block in my prayer time and it got to a point where I was getting frustrated. Finally, I gave in and I just asked God what is this feeling, what is this frustration, what is this WALL!

After a few minutes of practicing the discipline of listening for the voice of the Lord, I was given the answer.

First I was given the scripture 2 Cor. 10:7 then I was given a few thoughts of my own.
2 Cor. 10:7 "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"

It's a verse I preached on often in Rwanda and one that I pray over myself fairly often. I believe in being an active participant in the battle of my mind. There are so many scriptures that speak on our mind and our thoughts. I know in my own mind there is a battle for who the thoughts will glorify. Will my thoughts glorify God or the enemy. Will I think things that line up with "knowledge of God" or knowledge of me, life, society, etc.

I want to be able to say (Philippians 4:8) I think on things noble, pure, things right, honorable, lovely, etc.

This is what I find happens. The enemy speaks a lie into your thoughts and we have the responsibility to "take that thought captive and put it into obedience with Jesus Christ". This is actually exactly what Jesus did when He was tempted. The enemy spoke a lie and Jesus casted that lie down with the Truth of the Word of God.

Thoughts that do not line up with the Word will come, but we must put them into obedience of the Word of God.

The Lord revealed a thought that I had been believing for over a week and I had to take that thought captive and put it into obedience.

Who rules your thought life? The enemy or the Word of God. We have the responsibility to monitor our thoughts and line them up with truth. Believing lies of the enemy will always have negative impact on our walk with God. Sometimes it seems small, but many times these lies will snow ball and cause a lot more strife than we bargained for.

I guess I think of it like I think of a cold. Someone can catch a cold (relatively small and harmless), but if not taken care of it can turn into bronchitis (more pain than the cold, but also treatable). If the bronchitis is not taken care of it can turn into pneumonia (much more painful, but still treatable with a little more effort). Pneumonia can eventually lead to death if not taken care of.

It is the same thing with our thought life. A lie (seems somewhat harmless) if not put into obedience with Christ will breed more lies and as you believe more lies our thoughts will become farther and farther from truth, which may result in our actions straying farther and farther away from truth, which may result in one great heap of backsliding down fall.

Let's take up the battle of our mind and take every thought captive that doesn't line up to the knowledge of God and put it into obedience of Christ.
Don't let the enemy rule your mind.

Be Blessed,
J. Tate