Take Every Thought Captive

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NLT
[3] We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. [4] We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. [5] We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. [6] And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.

https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.10.3-6.NLT

Our battle is not with our flesh, but with every thought that enters our heart in an effort to take up space in our minds and attempting to control our actions, making us do whatever the flesh and human nature want. The flesh wants what it wants, but I’m no longer a slave to my flesh with its lusts and desires, because I’m filled with and walking in the spirit. If I belong to Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me through the Holy Spirit. He loves me and gave His life for me. Now my fitting response is to offer myself; heart, mind, soul and strength, to Him as a living sacrifice. Daily denying myself, taking up my cross and following Him.

Taking every thought captive; bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. My sinful thoughts need not control me. In Christ, it’s the other way around. Walking in the Spirit, I have the authority to tell my thoughts what to do. When a thought  comes my way, in an effort to give birth to temptation, and eventually sin, I don’t have to obey it. Wisdom, discernment and discipline are God given gifts. I will know the truth and reality of what comes next. His light in me allows me to see the dark corners in my soul, and to expose and extinguish those fiery darts aimed at my soul. The enemy’s efforts to take me down from the inside is where it starts. Before the actions of sin are completed, the thoughts were conceived and gave birth. We often don’t even think much in our sinful nature. We just act on impulse. But with the living power of God’s word within us, we come to know the truth that sets us free from the wiles of the enemy, Satan, the master of deception and trickery.

When we walk in the Spirit, we are able to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ within us. He gives us a spirit of wisdom, of understanding and knowledge, to know and obey His word, the scriptures, as Christ, the living and eternal Word of God lives in and through us, and we yield daily to His abiding presence.

The shield of faith is our weapon against the fiery darts of the enemy, along with the full armor of God, with which we are able to stand firm. Walk in the Spirit and you will not carry out the lusts of your flesh. (Galatians 5:16-18) This way you can truly live your life as a living sacrifice to God, honoring Him who loves you and gave His life for you .