TAKE EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

How many fears, doubts, and lies do we let ourselves ponder every day? Sometimes, they don’t seem destructive. “I wish I wrote as good as [insert name].” “I wish I didn’t take so long to finish [insert thing].” “I wish I was thinner.” “I wish I wasn’t so stupid in [school subject].” “I don’t want to do this because I might fail.” “I don’t want to do this because people might think I’m silly.”

Let’s be real. If something matters to us, it is easy to compare ourselves to others, or doubt our abilities, or strive for perfection. If God has given us a gift, it only makes sense that Satan will try to break it in us and take it away. Why? Because God has given us those gifts to praise Him, glorify Him, and lead others to His Love. What better way for Satan to destroy the world and keep our voices silent than by making us doubt God’s ability to use us? 

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long. – Psalms 35:28

We all have little doubts about ourselves. We all allow lies from Satan to enter our minds. And guess what? Those lies can and do enter our spirit, too. That nagging fear in your soul? It isn’t that Satan pounded his way into your heart–you let him in. It is that easy. There’s no magical age we reach where we stop those voices. No Christian magically never has these lies from Satan stop entering their mind.

Choosing to live by faith is a choice. We choose every day to love Jesus. We choose every day to do a good thing instead of let our flesh win. And we can choose to listen to God’s voice… or listen to those ‘harmless’ little voices.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 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; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. – 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

What happens when we listen to the wrong voices? We start having fears. Maybe they don’t seem big. “What if I never reach my dream? What if it is too big?” “What if I am not hearing from God?” We start doubting ourselves, but more importantly, we start doubting God. We doubt His faithfulness, mercy, and LOVE.

I strongly encourage you to dig into the Bible and find some of God’s promises. Whenever the smallest doubt or fear enters your mind, take it CAPTIVE. You are in control of your mind. You do not have to be defeated or tempted by Satan. Even the smallest voice can set up a wall in our spirit and a wall can block the Lord out. We don’t want that. So fight those voices with God’s Voice. Fight those voices with the Holy Spirit. Fight those voices with praise and worship.

Because after a time, a lot of small voices build up. A lot of small doubts or fears can weigh you down like chains. And the Lord says in Isaiah 61:1-3 and 61:10-11…

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified…. 

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

I hope you read all that, because there is the Voice of the LORD. Why should we doubt our worth or abilities when the Lord has already told us the TRUTH? We are not to believe the lies of Satan, that we’re not enough, that we’re stupid or slow, that we’re pathetic, that we’re pointless, that we’re unloved, that we have no future, that we have no meaning in the bigger picture–we will rejoice in the LORD because our future is in HIS hands. 

Whenever a doubt arises, remember God’s promise. Whenever you face fear, praise the Lord. This is such an important thing to do, yet no one does it. I’ve really been pressing into the Lord lately because I don’t want to just survive. I want to praise God! I want to help others, touch their hearts, encourage them to see God’s love. I don’t want to feel like my fight is worthless, or that the blood on my hands and knees from dragging myself through rocky paths will be in vain!  It won’t be because GOD IS FAITHFUL.

Remember what God has done for you! Remember every blessing. Make a list of things you’re thankful for today, or remember those moments where God’s love was like a crashing wave! Remember the things that shine light on being alive. And hold on to them. Because they matter. You matter. Satan cannot change that, ever, no matter how many little lies he slips into your head. Say it aloud: “Jesus has won.” Again and again, say that, and trump the lies away.

I don’t want to feel like I’m weak and hopeless or powerless. Because none of us are. We are strong in Christ. We have eternal life in Christ. We have strength and power given to us by Christ if we follow His words… and not follow Satan’s. The time of listening to Satan has come to an end. The time of pressing into Jesus and choosing to life in victory has come. What do you choose?

God bless,

Ang