Bringing or Taken?

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..."

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Much warfare in the life of a Christian takes place in the mind.  It is in the mind where the battle is often won or lost.  By subtle suggestion or by unceasing assault, Christians can be tempted away from Christ and into all manner of sin.  The world offers its dainties, Satan attacks our weaknesses, and a undisciplined mind wavering from the onslaught without looking to Jesus is doomed to failure.  All have been in this place.  Unbelievers relish the pursuit of their sin until it destroys them.  But my focus is primarily on Christians who know they are supposed to have victory in Christ but have fallen short of realising it.  Because of continual failure their minds are beaten and their bodies cave into temptation.  It is as if they lie on the ground hogtied in sin, and have given up bothering to resist.  The freedom Christ has promises seems a vain fantasy better left for others to obtain.

I draw your attention to the phrase Paul uses to describe how Christians are to confront everything contrary to Christ in their minds:  "...bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."  Memories or visual suggestion can lead our minds down the path towards bondage.  When we embark on an evil train of thought, we give the enemy of our souls a foothold in our minds.  Christians can give Satan the opportunity (which he is happy to oblige) to place us into sinful bondage.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd, but that does not mean His sheep cannot chose to willfully wander.  Wandering sheep are sheep which place themselves at great risk.  They can be attacked and killed by predators, or be trapped in sharp brambles, tumble over precipices, and be caught in deadly currents of fast-moving streams.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 reads, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."  All can be taken by the snare of the devil "having been taken captive by him to do his will."  When we are not faithful to bring sinful thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ, we are taken captive into all manner of sin.  The first rule of taking captives is you must first be free!  If I am in bondage to sin, how can I begin to take thoughts captive?  Freedom is found only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  It is only when I repent, flee from temptation, and submit to God trusting in Him that I can be made free.  Then I must use my freedom not as an opportunity for the flesh, but to obey God.  Even my thoughts I should carefully monitor.  Every thought which is not obedient to Christ must be brought into captivity to rot and the key turned over to Jesus.

We can be duped into focusing on our physical sin as the problem.  When we stumble by fornicating, telling lies, being drunk, or judging others, we feel guilty when we act out in these areas.  Our conscience makes us painfully aware of our transgression.  We know we are wrong.  Therefore we say, "I will not fornicate, I will not tell lies."  We may even take extra steps to reduce our opportunity to repeat the sinful act.  But in the end, we will fall again and again.  Why?  It is because we have not addressed the core issues:  the divided allegiance of our hearts, and the corruption and bondage of our minds.  When the mind is brought into bondage, the body will eventually follow.  And during all the time outward sin is abstained, the pride of our flesh grows.  "It's been three months since I fornicated or got drunk!"  Then comes the inevitable fall.  We start over at zero and realize our confidence was sadly misplaced in ourselves rather than God.

Take courage in Christ!  Let me remind you:  "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds..."  Carnal weapons are corruptible.  Guns rust and jam, and even nuclear warheads have a limited shelf-life.  But the weapons Jesus Christ gives to Christians are incorruptible, might for pulling down strongholds of all kinds.  A fortress in the mind built of hell's strongest stuff can be pulled down by Christ's nail-pierced hands in an instant.  Demons cannot stand against Jesus Christ, and all the lies of Satan are vanquished with the truth of God's Word.  It is time for us to come to our senses and appropriate the victory and power God has given us to free our hearts, minds, and bodies from the snare of the devil.  Jesus came to set the captives free, and His hand is not shortened that He cannot save.  Repent and trust in Him and be free, o man and woman of God!  Let us decide in Christ's strength to bring all thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ and aid others in doing the same.