2 Corinthians 10:5

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

            This verse is contained in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In this particular passage, he is giving the church a clearer picture of what his ministry is and encouraging them to keep going even though Paul isn’t with them in the flesh. He is encouraging the church to press on sharing with those who have not repented and don’t believe in Christ. Paul encourages them in this verse to immediately get rid of any thought that isn’t from God and take their thoughts captive so that they can obey Christ.

            When I think of taking my thoughts captive, I think of a verse in Psalm 139. In verse 23 it says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!”  David was asking God to know every single part of him. To know every thought that came into his head, good or bad. We want to have a pure heart and mind before God, sin doesn’t have to be outward, for a lot of people, it’s the inward thoughts and feelings that get them into trouble. We should strive to be like David where he wants God to know all of his thoughts. I want my thoughts to be pleasing to God. I want to take any thought that isn’t pleasing to God and get rid of it as soon as it comes. The only way I can take thoughts captive is with Christs’ help. I can’t do it on my own. This is where pride comes in, we can think that a small thought is fine as long as we don’t actually do it, but it says in the Bible that even our thoughts are just as sinful as the action.

            My life isn’t my own, therefore my thoughts are not my own. Taking your thoughts captive means to take the thoughts of the Lord and cage them in while taking every thought that isn’t from God and making sure it can’t get in. I find myself not having my cage locked tight enough and then I start to sin in my heart and in my mind. We can look all perfect and shiny on the outside, but be filled with gunk within ourselves. I am in a time where God is teaching me to lock my cage tighter as He cleans out all the gross stuff. He is teaching me that I can’t keep my cage locked, only He can. The process of being cleaned out isn’t fun, but the Lord does it so we can glorify Him in all we do. He is helping me to keep him at the forefront of my mind and not letting things of the world and distractions get in the way. He is helping me to learn to obey Him not just in my outward actions, but also in my heart and mind My application for this is to go to my Uganda team when I’m not having a good day and have them pray that God would point my thoughts toward Him and not how I’m feeling that day.