English Devotion - Bringing Thoughts into Captivity

Bringing Thoughts into Captivity

2 Corinthians 10:5,6

 Bringing Thoughts into Captivity is the Christian's responsibility.

It is necessary, in capturing a fortress, after you have destroyed the walls and moved into the center of the fortress, to root out all the remaining pockets of resistance.

There will be enemy soldiers that have hidden away in the depths of the fortress, in the dungeons and obscure corners, and these must be rooted out and taken captive or else the whole job will have to be done all over again very shortly.

We cannot do the first thing in our own power for it takes God's power to get behind the problems of men and to destroy human pride.

First of all, we must destroy these arguments and this pride, to humble it by the preaching of the gospel, the manifestation of truth, love, righteousness, and faith-prayer.

The second one is given to us in the latter part of Verse 5, "and take every thought captive to obey Christ," (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The third  is given in Verse 6, "being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete," (2 Corinthians 10:6).

For these, we need more personal and individual application than we have for the others.

Up to now we have focused primarily on the great burning problems of our society.

But this effect, by its very nature, takes place within the mind. It is something we must experience in ourselves before we can apply it to society.

 

This is all done in the battleground of our mind, the thought life.

That is why our thinking is very important, why we must learn to confront our thoughts as a Christian, examine what you are thinking, pass judgment upon it and act in line with that judgment, either positively or negatively.

we cannot allow our mind to give itself to anything it wants to; it must be disciplined or our whole Christian relationship will crumble and be weak.

 

How do we capture our thoughts for Christ's sake?

Well, we do it by refusing to entertain the concepts which Scripture rejects and by resolutely acting on those that it approves.

We govern our thoughts. We do not let them run us; we run them.

We do not let our moods determine how we act or how we feel; we act upon facts regardless of your feelings.

That is what the Christian is called to do. That is what James means when he says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you," (James 4:7).

We must refuse to respond to these improper urges and turn at once, in weakness, to Jesus Christ; bring them to him and ask him to take them and to master them once again and thus allow you to act upon the power he has given.

In John's Gospel of the pool of Bethesda, and the impotent man who lay there.

Jesus found a man who had been lying there for 38 years. Jesus singled him out of this crowd and said to him, "Do you want to be made whole?" John 5:6

This was the most important question he could have asked this man, because it was very likely that he did not want to be made whole.

There are many people, you know, who do not want to be made whole.        

The man indicated that he did, but he didn't have anyone to help him get into the water.

He was still thinking in terms of some kind of human help. Our Lord immediately acted when this man responded in this way.

Jesus said to the man, "Rise, take up your bed and walk," John 5:8

Lets bring every thought in to captivity through obedience. Let us raise up and walk.

 

Prayer: Our Father, there are many deep-seated difficulties which we have been struggling with for a long time. By grace, you set them free, but we  have come right back into bondage because we did not bring captive every thought to the obedience of Jesus Christ. Make us willing and obedient sons and daughters, adoration to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Name. Amen