2 Corinthians 10:3-5, New International Version

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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.”

We live in a world where there are so many things that can influence the way we think, the way we speak, and the way we handle a situation. Those influences can bring negative consequences from those negative thoughts or actions. There is One who can help to change those negative thoughts and actions. His name is Jesus! In 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV) it says, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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.” Take captive our thoughts. Make them captive to Christ! That is the Word of God. So, we need to take a look at the thought that has formed in our mind. Does it have a negative connotation or a positive connotation? What kind of fruit will this bear?

Satan is the father of lies. Scripture tells us this about Satan: “…He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44, NIV) You see, when God created Adam and Eve, they were made for eternity. But when they were deceived and sin entered in, they died spiritually. That’s when God put His plan into action…Jesus, the second Adam. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, sinless. When He died and rose again and was seated at the right hand of God, our eternity was restored to us, if we accept Christ as Savior and obey God and His commands. With us being redeemed and saved by the blood of the Lamb, we are called to higher places. Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV) says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

So, what should we do? Inspect our thoughts. Where do they come from? If they are from the devil, we need to rebuke him and the ugly thoughts, take those thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. Instead of believing the lie, “I am not good enough to do anything or I can’t do anything right,” replace it with, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do,” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV) and (Philippians 4:13, NIV), “I can do all this through him (Christ) who gives me strength.” Or instead of believing “I am unlovable,” replace it with this truth, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness,” (Jeremiah 31:3, NIV) and John 3:16, (NIV), a scripture we all know so well, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

We can and should replace these lies, these negative thoughts with truth! And when we do, we must believe these truths! God is the God of truth! Do we believe, truly, that He is who He says He is and does what He says He will do? Then we must live like it! We must let our lights shine! We, as believers, are among the living! Live like we are alive, because we are alive, through Christ! It’s not always easy when there seems to be a battle in the mind…but God! Cry out to Him! Call on Him!  Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

God is filled with mercy and unchanging love! He doesn’t want to see us living in a negative life cycle that brings us down. Jesus came to give us life and life to the fullest!  Let’s embrace this life to the fullest!