Dr. Rick Mandl - July 2, 2020
Take Every Thought Captive
Take Every Thought Captive
Thursday July 2, 2020
In 2 Corinthians 10:5 it says that... “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” What does it mean to take your thoughts captive? It simply means gaining control over what you think about yourself and life. It means that what you put in your mind has an effect on what you think.
Do you remember how, when you were a kid, you’d watch those scary movies, and then you’d have nightmares? It didn't take long to realize that the way to avoid the nightmares was to stop watching that kind of movie. God has provided a way to overcome unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, and gain the self-control you seek. It's a matter of taking charge of your mind - His way.
A pastor friends of mine was sharing about what a Stanford University professor said about the thoughts we think. This professor was taking about the internet and he said, “It’s like we’ve developed a whole new blood supply in our culture. And like any other blood supply, in can deliver nutrients or it can deliver toxins. He said, “We have to learn that every thought you happen to have is not necessarily correct or true, but… Your emotions will take your thoughts and run with them, like a boat down a stream.” Again, these insights come from a Stanford Neurologist, sharing how our neural system is impacted by the thoughts we think – whether those thoughts are true or not. This is why it’s so important to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” But how do you do that?
Let me encourage you that one of the best ways is to run your thoughts through a filter. We’ve looked at one filter that scripture gives us in Philippians 4:8 where Paul writes... “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Embrace the thoughts that meet that criteria and reject the ones that don’t.
Maybe you could ask yourself some screening questions when it comes to the things you think about. We’re all familiar with screening questions. Living in the time of a global pandemic, there are certain questions that you’ll get asked again and again. I’ve been asked them when I’ve gone to the dentist. I’ve been asked them when I’ve gone to an appointment with my doctor. These are the same questions we ask of those coming to worship on Sunday mornings in our live service. We ask “has you or anyone in your household experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours: Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches, Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting, Diarrhea. We use this as a filter, checking those who enter in to worship for any dangerous symptoms,
In the same way I’d encourage you to use a filter when it comes to your thoughts in order to see if there are any untrue or dangerous things in your thoughts. Ask some questions about the things you’re thinking about.
Questions like...
- Is this even true?
- And even if it is true – is it helpful?
There are a lot of things that are true, but they’re not necessarily helpful to dwell on.
- And does thinking about this, lead me to become more like Jesus – and if so in what way?
Put your thoughts through that screening process and I believe that will help you to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – and that’s the goal
From Series: "Daily Devotional Videos"
Find daily inspiration and motivation with our video devotionals!
Signup for our e-newsletter if you would like to receive these in your personal email account. Or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter to be notified when we post a new devotional on any of our social media accounts.
