2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 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.
These verses are talking about what happens in our minds, because that is where our warfare takes place, and it influences every aspect of our lives. Whether we know it or not, every Christian is at war and in a continual struggle against Satan and his kingdom. The enemy goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8). When we resist him, we will see him flee (James 4:7) but he will devour us if we don’t actively fight against him. This battle starts in our thought life.
The King James version of the Bible uses the word ‘imaginations’ instead of arguments in verse 5 and it is translated from the Greek word LOGISOMOS, which literally means calculates, reasons, reflects, and thoughts. The mind is where these activities take place and where our ideas about many aspects of life are conceived. Indeed, we don’t do anything without first having thought about it. Our emotions and actions follow our thoughts.
Did you ever think that you can intentionally affect your life by choosing which thoughts to think? There aren’t many people who grasp the fact that thoughts are intentional, and it is more usual to assume that thoughts can’t be controlled. These verses clearly show us that our thoughts play a vital role in our Christian walk and that we can take them captive to make them line up with the word of God. If a thought doesn’t agree with the Word of God, then it is a lie of the enemy.
Toxic thoughts can lead to toxic emotions such as depression, self-pity, anxiety, being fearful, discouragement, frustration, feeling overwhelmed, and having a low self-image. Unless we see ourselves as God sees us and believe what the Word says about us, we can find ourselves struggling, specifically around health and weight management. An example would be having the thought that ‘I can’t do this it's too hard’ when the truth is that ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13). By taking the thought captive we won’t just go on to have a bad day automatically, but we can exchange that thought with the truth, and let the true statement influence our behaviour. This is being led by the Spirit, instead of being carnal.
How do we detox toxic thoughts?
1. Identify the thought.
2. Ask yourself, ‘is this true?’
3. Answer yourself. Compare the thought with God’s word. If it doesn’t agree then it is a lie.
4. Discuss with yourself. Decide why you believe what you believe and replace the thought with the truth from God’s Word.
I would like to finish with a quote from Andrew Wommack’s Living Commentary because it is one of the best descriptions I have come across regarding this topic, and also the easiest to understand.
‘The mind is the battlefield in which thoughts and reasoning contrary to God’s Word are to be captured and submitted to Christ, our commander. Just as enemy soldiers are captured in war, so rebel thoughts must be taken captive and made to submit to Christ.’
Komentarze