2Co 10:3-5 says, “For though we walk (live) in the flesh (a body), we do not war after (according to) the flesh (this body): For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (physical), but mighty (powerful) through God to the pulling down (destroying) of strong holds (arguments); Casting down (demolishing) imaginations (reasonings and thoughts), and every high thing (elevated barrier) that exalteth (raises) itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought (intellectual perception and purpose) to the obedience (hearkening, compliance, and submission) of Christ.”

These verses of Scripture are fundamental in living the victorious Christian life. Many Christians think of salvation strictly on a spiritual level; so often their faith does not affect them on the soulish or physical levels. However, the Bible says Jesus came to sanctify us wholly (completely); spirit, soul, and body (1Thess 5:23). Our faith should not only affect our spirits in the born-again experience; but it should affect us now in how we think, how we act, how we talk, what we believe, who we vote for, what we do with our money, our views towards sex, marriage, life, family, politics, etc., etc.

Romans 8:6 says that to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Many Christians see a lot of “death” produced in their life because they are carnally minded. They are having spiritual intercourse with the devil, and he is planting seeds in them that will bring forth sin and then death. What do I mean by spiritual intercourse? Well, in the natural, when a man and woman have intercourse, the man’s seed is deposited into the woman’ womb. Then there is conception, and after nine months there is a birth.

In the spiritual realm, when you meditate and allow negative and ungodly thoughts to camp out in your mind, the devil’s seed is taking root in the womb of your heart. If you allow it to stay, it will eventually bring forth death to some area of your life when it has matured. So, what must we do to avoid this?

We must first know God’s Word. The only way to ever spot a lie, is to know what the truth is to begin with. If you don’t know the truth of God’s Word, then how can you discern when a thought is from God or from satan? But if you know the Word, you can quickly tell where it came from. Read the Word everyday. Meditate on it. Learn it. Know it.

When we have done the first step, we will be prepared for the next step: we must follow 2Cor 10:4-5. With the sword of Truth (God’s Word), we must destroy the strongholds (wrong ways of thinking, lies we believe) we have built up in our minds over the years. Replace those wrong thoughts with right thoughts. Replace those lies with truth.

Bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. Refuse to let the devil plant his seeds of lies and deception in your head. Rip those thoughts up immediately. The sooner you do, the easier it is. Before things become actions in our lives, they are first thoughts. If they are stopped at the thought level, they will not become actions. We must take control of our thoughts. No one can do this for us. Praise God, through The Holy Spirit, we have the ability!

Do you know what depression is? It is thoughts of discouragement that the devil sows, that a person allows to stay. Instead of speaking forth God’s Word and taking the thoughts captive, we allow them to take root - and it becomes depression. You can stop depression by not allowing discouragement to camp out in your mind. The world says to throw pills at it, but that won’t make it go away; it will just cover it up for another day. Real freedom comes when we know our authority in Christ and we take that authority.

Let the seed of the Word of God be planted in your heart. It produces life and peace. When it is full grown, you will bring forth a harvest of good fruit, like love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility, self control, etc. It will produce a harvest you actually want in your life - not a harvest you dread.

When you know the truth, the Truth will make you free - and whom The Son makes free is free indeed. Take your authority in Christ. Master your thought life. Don’t play the victim any longer. Don’t say, “I Can’t”. If you couldn’t, God would not have told you that you could. God is not a liar, therefore you can. The question is, will you? Until next time, rejoice in The Lord!