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. (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV)
Last week I briefly talked about the power of our words with our children. I have been taught all my life to be careful with my words. However, recently I have heard over and over again of the power of our thoughts.
I have always believed that I might think bad things but as long as I didn’t speak them it was alright. This is the best place to exercise control. James compares our tongues (our words) to a bit in a horse’s mouth. The bit in the horse’s mouth controls his whole body, telling him where to go, directing his path. Such a mighty, powerful animal is controlled by the direction of such a small thing. So our words direct the course of our lives. (James 3:3-6)
It is true that our words direct our paths, But Jesus said “those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man”. (Matthew 15:18) We do not speak what we have not thought. Our thoughts have power in them. Some say our thoughts, as much as our words, have a frequency and are released into the heavenlies. If we can think it we can be it. This is evident even in the old testament at the Tower of Babel “…And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” (Genesis 11:6) They could have whatever they imagined, or put their thoughts to. (The reason He put a stop to this was because they were using this for evil.) Proverbs 23:7 says “For as he thinketh in his heart, so [is] he…” Jeremiah 6:19 says God will bring to the people the fruit of their thoughts .
We can only be what we think we can be. We can only have what we think we can have. We can only do what we think we can do.
I know what you are thinking… 😉 “Oh Lord I am in trouble!”… right?
The scripture above (2 Corinthians 10:5) I have put to memory since I was a little girl. My dad has told me many times when I would have conflicts with others to pray for them because “(For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” (Of course as a young girl I would roll my eyes and go on to plot my revenge, but this is not the point) Though I had heard this scripture so many times, as I read this scripture Sunday it leaped off the page as if I were reading it for the first time! We can “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”. I do not have to allow thoughts to run amuck in my head, controlling my stress level, my emotions, and my life…I can determine the thoughts that I think. I can choose to think about things that are pure, lovely, edifying, and praiseworthy, and I can choose to have a better life.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. Phillipians 4:8