Capturing Thoughts
(September 25, 2000)

      By Fern Horst

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (II Cor. 10:3-5)

We often think that it is our natural "flesh" that we battle most in living obediently to Christ. But Scripture makes it clear that it's far more than our fleshly appetites. We have an Enemy who is warring against our souls, and using our own flesh against us. In the above verses, God gives us three weapons to use in this battle.

"Casting down imaginations" is the first weapon. Imagining how we could satisfy a certain fleshly appetite is the first step in actually doing it. When we "cast it down" we give up that fantasy, and replace it with something else. The Bible gives us an excellent list. When a wrong imagination tempts to consume our minds, we need to immediately replace it with "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

The second weapon, "Casting down...every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God," could include getting rid of or avoiding any magazines, movies, TV shows, books, and so on, which make fleshly sins look like a better idea than obeying God. Remember that even subtle "knowledge" (such as advertisements) can infiltrate our thinking and cause us to eventually believe that giving into our flesh is better than what God requires of us in His Word.

The third weapon, "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" encompasses the other two, but is also a weapon in itself which we must learn to exercise without hesitation and with a vengeance. Whenever any thought comes into our minds which would tempt us to give into our flesh, we must capture it immediately and ruthlessly, and replace it with thoughts of what Christ asks of us instead.

A proverb in the Bible reminds us that, "as he thinketh in his heart, so is he". Examining our thoughts is crucial to winning the battle: Are our minds filled with thoughts that will weaken us and cause us to give into our flesh? Or are our thoughts filled with those things that are true and pure and will help us to obey God without a second thought? That which consumes our thoughts and our minds will determine our future actions.

© 2000 Purposeful Singleness
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