Take Every Thought Captive

I feel like ideas swirl around my head.  All day long, I brainstorm projects or remember forgotten tasks.

Not only am I trying to remember things, but I ebb and flow through the range of human emotions.  We all know what it is like to jump from one emotion to the next in a moment.

If we could see a picture of what the inside of our brains looks like, it would look chaotic.

What do you do with all the thoughts that consume you throughout the day?  How do you deal with anxiety?  How do you combat stress?  When regret takes over, how do you handle those feelings?

Take a moment to read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

For though we live in the body, we do not wage war in an unspiritual way,  since the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.  -2 Cor. 10:3-5

We cannot take up physical arms to fight spiritual battles.  We must learn to fight these battles on our knees.  Through the weapon of prayer, we can demolish strongholds that the Devil is trying to construct in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

What are your greatest struggles right now?  What kind of stronghold could Satan be attempting to establish in your life?

The struggles are real.  Instead of testing out all physical options, attempting frivolous arguments, or garnering all the professional help we can find, have we honestly prayed that the dominion of darkness would be thwarted?  Have we prayed that these strongholds be broken down in the name of Jesus?

Can I make a confession to you concerning how I deal with all these swirling thoughts around my head?

I sometimes actually visualize myself grabbing them out of the air and placing them into the hands of Jesus.  Not in a mystical way by any stretch of the imagination.  But I tend to act like those unhealthy thoughts don’t exist.  My avoidance of the issue actually makes matters worse and stretches out the inevitable.

One day I finally realized this about all my sinful thoughts:

  1. I’m aware that those thoughts exist.
  2. Jesus is aware that those thoughts exist.
  3. And when I become aware that he is aware, I’m on the path to victory.

When sinful thoughts swarm my subconscious, I acknowledge their presence in God’s presence.

“Jesus, I am aware they are here.  You are aware they are here.  And I hate that we both are aware of them.  So I am taking these thoughts out of my head.  I am grabbing them down and wrestling them out of my mind.  I won’t let them run wild anymore, and so I am taking them captive.  I’m putting them into your capable hands.  Will you take over from here?”

It’s amazing what can happen when we stop trying to handle things of which we are incapable.

Take time today to pray for spiritual victories over these spiritual strongholds.

Therefore, submit to God.  But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.  -James 4:7