"Take every thought captive" is such a great visual picture. In my thought life, I think I have it all under control and then a 'thought' will 'get away' from me. It seems to have a life of its own. It stirs stuff up, puts words in my mouth and the mouths of others, and soon there is war going on in my own head and heart. It affects how I feel about others and it leaks out.
So how do I take every thought captive? Learning to do this is a work in progress. Once I recognize my thoughts are out of control, I put on the brakes in my thought life. Then I try to assess where the thoughts went wrong and if I have crossed lines of wrong thinking. If so, I confess and repent of any "sin" that I have been a participant of. If it happened in my heart, it counts. Second, if I 'see if there is any wicked way in me'(psalm 139:24). I ask myself what fueled the thought? Pride, anger, insecurity, confilct murmuring and complaining?What is at the bottom of it, what is in the basement? What base need do I have that became the fuel the fed the thought? Was it insecurity, lack of love, lack of provision, lack of importance?
By dealing with the sin, then allowing the Lord to heal my perceived base need I find victory in Christ. He is my All in All. I am hidden in Christ. Take captive the thought and make it obedient to God's word. The process is good to get the bottom of the stuff in my life that needs to be transformed to the image of Christ.
