Taking Thoughts Captive

The Bible has quite a few scriptures that tell us to do things that I have often not understood. Let’s take this verse for example:

“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

I have always struggled with the idea of taking “every thought captive.” How can I grab hold of my ideas and make them obey me? How can I grab an idea and get rid of it? It isn’t tangible. It isn’t something I can pull out of my head and throw in the trash. 

God created us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. There’s a reason that He tells us to take our thoughts captive. He knows the science behind the idea of taking every thought captive. He knows how it benefits the body!

Did you know that your mind controls your brain? It’s not the other way around. Our brains are a physical part of the body. The physical body is controlled by the mind.

I have been reading a book titled, Switch on the Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf. What I have learned is that when we think negative thoughts, we actually harden the proteins in our brain. We change our brains. However, when we don’t allow the negativity to consume our minds, when we replace the negative for the positive, we soften the proteins in our brains. Our brain becomes more malleable. That’s a good thing. 

I believe this is why satan so often goes after us in our own heads. If he can get to our minds, he can harden our brains. The harder those proteins become, the harder it is for us to focus on God which allows satan to pull us away from that hope we have in Christ.

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” Lamentations 3:21

If he can prevent us from calling to mind the promises that God gives us in scripture, we can lose our hope.

What can we do about it? We can take back our minds. We can take those thoughts captive by speaking God’s truth to ourselves. Whatever lie satan has used to get a foothold in your mind, find a scripture that refutes it and memorize it today! The next time he starts to whisper that lie, you can tell him, “not today, satan.” Grab that thought and speak God’s truth over it. 

Take those thoughts captive so that you never forget who created you, who you belong to, and who promised you eternal salvation with Him in Heaven!