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 agaist the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor. 10:3-5
I have learned more intensely in this past month the imoprtance of this verse than in the rest of my entire life. I used to rationalize, “One bad thought = one request for forgiveness,” not realizing that it’s never just one thoughts; it’s not even about the one thought. It’s about the stronghold that it will inevitably lead to. I’m not different now just because I don’t like thinking or planning evil schemes, it does make for a pretty good time. And it’s not because I feel so guilty when I do give in that I am just trying really hard not to sin (what a bogus idea). No, I have experienced a more intense satisfaction than anything this world has to offer. When I go back to the Lord, He fills me up. He becomes my drive and the love of my life.
Taking every thought captive is one of the greater disciplines. The lesser the discipline it takes to accomplish something, obviously, the easier it is. But I am realizing with greater understanding, the more I seek the Lord and love Him, what Steve Basden was talking about at training camp: “What we see in the physical is just a manifestation of the spiritual.” These little thoughts about why I’m better than someone else, the way a girl looks particularly fantastic, the way another person is so annoying… they’re all the Devil planting them in my head. When I decide to dwell on them, I own them. But taking them captive and submitting every thought to the Lord takes away the weapons of the enemy; after all, all he has are words.
I find that it is not only easier, but more desireable to do this when it’s hard for Satan to plant these thoughts in the first place (i.e. when I’m seeking righteousness).
I have all this written out, but no time to type it now. Hence the part 1. Oh the suspense!
