April 23
Taking Every Thought
Captive
2 Corinthians 10:5
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.
Daily Steps
The battle for inner peace is first and foremost a battle fought in the mind. For a new believer, this verse provides the clear, military-style strategy for maintaining a peaceful daily mindset: take captive every thought.
The peace in this command is found in its active, disciplined approach:
Demolish the Arguments: "We demolish arguments and every pretension." This refers to the inner voice of doubt, fear, and lies that rise up against the truth of God (the knowledge of God). Peace requires actively recognizing and tearing down these mental fortresses of negativity and lies.
Take the Thoughts Captive: The crucial action is to "take captive every thought." You don't ignore destructive thoughts; you arrest them. Once captured, you interrogate them: Is this thought true? Does it align with the Bible? Does it lead to peace or to panic?
Ensure Obedience: The final goal is to "make it obedient to Christ." A captured thought must be replaced with a truth from Scripture. If the lie says, "You are a failure," the truth of Christ's obedience says, "I am accepted in the Beloved."
Your daily peace is secured by establishing this active guard over your mind, refusing to allow any thought to set up camp that does not align with the reality of who God is and who you are in Christ.
Reflective Question
What is one negative, persistent thought (an argument or pretension) that you've allowed to run free in your mind today? How can you consciously take that thought captive and replace it with a specific truth from the Bible?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess the chaos that often reigns in my mind. I pray for the spiritual discipline to take captive every thought that sets itself up against Your truth. Give me the strength to demolish the lies and make my entire mindset obedient to Christ. May this discipline secure my inner peace today. Amen.
