Devotionals

Hold Every Thought Captive

Luke 10:19
(ESV)
19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall hurt you.

We have authority in the name of Jesus. As followers of Christ and children of God, we have authority to tread on serpents and scorpions because in the name of Jesus all authority has been given (Matthew 28:18)

Our thoughts often wander a lot. We suffer from depressing thoughts, anxious thoughts, perverted thoughts, jealous thoughts, envious thoughts, thoughts filled with comparison and competition, and thoughts filled with hatred but what should we do when these thoughts come to mind?

2 Corinthians 10:5
NKJV
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Paul gives us a guide to this. He says we need to cast down these thoughts and hold them captive in the obedience of Christ. When thoughts of condemnation come, our response shouldn't be to mope and believe it but to use the word of God as our sword and hold these thoughts captive, knowing they are lies. We declare in the name of Jesus that though we have fallen short of the glory of God when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us(1 John 1:9).

We shouldn't just allow these thoughts to dance around our minds and our faces to fall. Embracing the lies of the enemy as if they are what defines us but we should spot when our faith is being weakened. We can cast away spirits of fear, perversion, and depression and declare that we are set free. That we aren't in bondage and slaves to sin but we are children of God (Romans 6:5-11)

When we allow these thoughts to wander in our minds we give the enemy a gateway to enter and plant more seeds of envy, doubt and fear. When we shut these doors using the word of God as our weapon.

When we resist the devil he will flee from us (James 4:7) when he sees that we aren't going to give in to his lies then he will give up. He isn't omnipresent like God, unlike God, the enemy isn't everywhere all the time, he wanders around this earth (1 Peter 5:8) and seeks whom he can devour. When he sees that someone isn't easy to devour (doesn't have a sober mind), he moves on to another target with the same demons.

We should guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23) and we should protect ourselves from falling prey to the enemy. His target is the mind, if the enemy can make you ponder and meditate on the wrong things then your faith will be weakened but when we see these thoughts that tell us the opposite of God's truth, condemning or causing us to sin in our mind with thoughts that aren't honourable, we should hold these thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ that they cannot escape to our actions causing us to be further from God.

Comment below some chains and thoughts the enemy could be repeating in your mind and write down a verse and declare the word of God over your mind by holding each thought captive. Comment that even with these thoughts of comparison, I won't compare! I hold every thought of hatred captive in obedience to Christ and that God can shut every open door, whether from previous sin or from my own sinful nature that has allowed the kingdom of darkness to plant such thoughts in my mind.

-etty