Keys to Taking Thoughts Captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)
By Lynette Kittle
Today's Bible Verse: “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” - 2 Corinthians 10:5
What does it mean to take every thought captive? Often we believe it’s referring to those awful, unspeakable thoughts and temptations individuals get at times.
It is referring to those types of sinful temptations but also addressing everyday thoughts tempting us, ones that come while we’re at home cleaning or out shopping at stores.
Assuming we only need to be on the watch for very dark thoughts trying to drift into our minds, causes us to become off guard. We start missing all the other seemingly less troubling thoughts passing through to our hearts, ones that in our own estimation seem pretty harmless.
We begin to feel if we aren’t thinking of taking anyone out or setting something on fire, then we’re doing pretty well. It’s what the enemy wants us to believe, too, that it’s only the really dark, dangerous thoughts we need to be on alert for and concerned about.
He doesn’t want us to think the subtle thoughts we think are originating outside of us from his dark realm, but rather he wants us to believe they are our own ideas. But it’s those daily thoughts that come to mind on a regular basis where we have to keep choosing obedience to Christ day-in and day-out.
How the Enemy’s Strategy Works
His strategy is to keep us believing we’re doing okay, making our own decisions based on our own ideas, and not realize how we’re slipping further away from God’s truth and being led away to walk in disobedience.
As long as we think we’re doing okay, we won’t notice the direction our thoughts might be taking us. Usually, people slip away from God gradually, without really knowing at first what’s taking place.
Thoughts like beating out the other driver for the parking space, or racing shoppers to get the best place in line.
As well as, the thoughts that come at work when a supervisor criticizes our work or a co-worker takes credit for our achievements.
Likewise, the thoughts that come at home when our family is less than grateful for a meal we’ve spent hours preparing.
These kinds of thoughts may seem harmless to us, like we’re only thinking it and not saying or acting on it. But that’s where the deception starts coming in, when we think it’s okay to let these types of thoughts pass through our minds and into our hearts without capturing and correcting them with God’s Word.
It’s the kind of thinking where we feel justified to freely let them pass easily through our minds and into our hearts. Yet each one we let slip by without being captured, hardens our heart a little bit more, continually adding up to where we may be totally unaware of how much our hearts are being hardened over time.
Ephesians 4:18, describes the results of letting this happen in our lives. “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”
Keys to Taking Our Thoughts Captive
So what are the keys to successfully capturing our thoughts? How do we keep less than godly thinking from easily passing through our minds to harden our hearts?
Like 2 Corinthians 10:5 urges, it’s by studying and applying God’s word, His truth, to our daily thoughts. When a thought enters, we check it according to what Scripture has to say about the situation or attitude, letting it correct our thinking before it passes through our minds and into our hearts.
Doing so cultivates a softening of our hearts and turning towards God rather than a turning and slipping away from His truth. It brings a drawing closer to God rather than causing distance between us.
Likewise seeking God brings His peace, which offers protection over our thinking. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, iBelieve.com, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, Startmarriageright.com, growthtrac.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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