Day 26: Take Captive Every Thought
2 Corinthians 10:5
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”.
Take a deep breath. Breathe in and out slowly. Take a minute to notice what thoughts you have been dwelling on lately. What is dominating your mind space? Are they dreams and wishes, or regrets, arguments, or fears?
Our thoughts have extreme power. What we dwell on affects our personalities, our emotions, our actions, and our behavior. Oftentimes, we allow certain thoughts to be on repeat. These have created pathways in our brain like a well-traveled mountain trail. As we continue to walk these harmful or negative paths, our beliefs and actions are affected. What if we could change those negative patterns and create a new trail? What if we could take our thoughts captive, wrestle them to the ground, and replace them with life-giving thoughts? How would that change our responses, relationships, and actions?
Scripture is full of encouragement that we can! “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”(Colossians 3:2). In Romans 12:2 we are challenged, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminded the believers not to adhere to false teachers or lofty arguments that went against the knowledge of God. These negative thoughts and lies are to be taken as prisoners of war to become obedient to the truth about Christ. We have been given the authority to change the way we think.
Science confirms this as well. Dr. Caroline Leaf, neurologist states, “As we think, we change the physical nature of our brain. As we consciously direct our thinking, we can wire out toxic patterns of thinking and replace them with healthy thoughts.” The Holy Spirit has given us the power and authority to change our realities by changing our thoughts.
Today is a new day – our destructive thoughts do not have power over us. By the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s take the arguments of our mind, the lies that have intruded, and make them obedient to Christ.
For what we think determines who we are.
Listening Prayer:
Come Holy Spirit. I ask you to gently reveal what thoughts are dominating my mind lately. What destructive thoughts are on repeat in my mind? What are the lies I am believing that need to be taken captive?
Prayer:
Father God, you knit me together in my mother’s womb. You know my thoughts from afar and each one before I even think it. You see where negative thoughts have dominated, the lies I am believing. Please replace lies with truth from your word. Holy Spirit, I ask you to empower me to take them captive right now, in the name of Jesus. I pray for a renewed and transformed mind that is fixed on you. Please help me to focus on whatever is true and lovely and pure, setting my mind on things above, not on earthly things. Thank you! In your powerful name, Amen!
Resource: Bible Verses on Renewing Your Minds
Proverbs 23:7
“As someone thinks within himself, so he is.”
Philippians 4:8
“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”
2 Timothy 1:7
“God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.”