Friday... We can take them captive.

Friday... We can take them captive. I mean, we can take thoughts that come into our mind that are there to discourage us, to get us off track, to cause hurt, to cause harm, we can take them captive.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5b (NIV), "And we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

You realize, don't you that you don't have to say everything that comes into your mind? You don't have to dwell on every thought that comes into your mind? That is where so much distress comes from.

Over in chapter 11 verse 14 Paul says, "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." Just because it comes into your mind, it doesn't mean it is right. And so many times we speak it out like it is right. Again, we must take captive our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.

So how do we do it? Well, when we say something without thinking and you then realize that it isn't right, that it was hurtful then we must stop, humble ourselves and admit that we were wrong. You don't let it run free, you capture it through an apology. Pride is not the way to take captive your thoughts.

Also it is important to stop, to be quiet and to reevaluate what you are thinking. Is it selfish? Is it hurtful? Is it what God would say? Is it unwise? There are so many questions to help you take it captive. And God to help you. His Spirit will prod you. Just ask Him and then listen. And also stop and contemplate what will happen when you say it.

We also must take hold of our emotions. So much that comes in and comes out flows through our emotions.

Please understand that if we say everything that comes into our minds then we are going to have to repeatedly apologize or if we don't then there will be a lot of people who are hurt and who will be angry with us. Let's strive to take our thoughts captive before we say them. And also make sure that we don't dwell on thoughts that are wrong. That can bring damage too.

Remember, Psalm 119:11 (NLT) says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Fill you thoughts with God's Word and then the Holy Spirit will bring it to mind when you need it.

The MESSAGE says, "Fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ." That is what we want, isn't it? Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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