Taking Captive Thoughts

March 30, 2020 by Joy McLaughlin

“I cannot function without coffee! Don’t talk to me or expect breakfast before liquid fuel is in my body. I literally cannot parent well or be a nice person until I’m caffeinated.”

This may seem a little extreme, or it may hit home to you. Many people jokingly accept the lie that they cannot function without coffee. I don’t have a problem with joking about things in general, but let’s look at this example and see the other belief systems it’s putting into place.

Because I believe that I NEED coffee to make breakfast, parent well, or be a nice person, I create excuses for how I act if I haven’t drank coffee yet. Is it physically realistic that I cannot cook up some eggs or cut up some fruit before I drink coffee? No. What about snapping at my kids or being unkind to others? Is not having coffee a legitimate excuse to treat people poorly? Absolutely not! Yet because, to some degree, it is believed, it is accepted as ok.

If I believe a lie, it becomes my reality. Everything I do is based on what I believe whether it is true or not.

Believing I have to have coffee to function well can lead me to lack love, joy, and peace, because I believe I need something other than God to create those feelings within me. This wrong belief also leads me to not be as effective as I could early in the morning. I can change this belief to: I enjoy my coffee in the morning. It is not what gives me life, but it is a gift from God that gives me pleasure and extra energy.

Whatever I surround myself with or put within me will become part of me unless I’m proactive about separating truth from lies.

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. 2 Corinthians 10:5

Demolishing arguments and pretensions that go against the knowledge of God and taking captive my thoughts and making them obedient to Christ is more than just recognizing a bad thought.

We can all point out negative thoughts, but can we point out what the lie is? Do we catch thoughts that go against the knowledge of God? Do we know what’s true? How can we figure out if something is a lie if we don’t know what’s true?

It is vital for us to know who God is, what God thinks about our circumstances and us. If we don’t know what He thinks, we will live in bondage. Lies keep us in bondage. Truth sets us free.

So what does taking our thoughts captive actually look like? When a thought comes into my head I check it with what I know of God, His character, His heart for me, and His thoughts of me. All these can be found in the Bible. So, if a thought comes into my head contrary to what God would agree with, I need to grab the thought, REJECT the lie, and then REPLACE the lie with what God thinks, the truth.

It’s very easy to want to push away negative thoughts, and the general idea behind that seems good. But if we don’t replace it with truth, there is opportunity for it to keep trying to pop back up and torment us. We need the truth from the Word of God to battle the lie and kick it out.

Let’s look at some examples:

“My opinion doesn’t matter. No one cares what I think.”
Lie: I shouldn’t talk. I have nothing to say that’s beneficial.
Truth: I have words that will bless others. What I speak gives grace and builds people up. (1 Peter 3:9, Ephesians 4:29)
-I do have value to bring to conversations. God has given me a brain to think and has taught me things that can be beneficial to others.
“My body is ugly. I don’t look like _________.”
Lie: I was created without thought.
Truth: I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I was created in God’s image (Psalm 149:13, Genesis 1:27).
-I was created by the Master Craftsman, and not only that, I was created in His image.
“I can’t do this. I’ve failed at this in the past. It’s not going to be different this time.”
Lie: I’m a failure. I shouldn’t try again. Fearing this is reasonable.
Truth: I was created for good works that God has prepared for me to do. I can do all things through Christ Jesus, because He gives me strength. I have not been given a spirit of fear, but power love and a sound mind. (Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 1:7)
-I can do this. The past does not define me. I have messed up before, but it has given me understanding of how to do this better.

Continuing to believe lies no matter how insignificant they may seem to us creates a place of bondage in our lives. We won’t confidently pursue what God is leading us into if we aren’t actively pursuing truth in our lives. God gifted us with a powerful mind with intent. Let’s use it by filling it up with truth, so we are prepared to follow the Lord and do what He’s asked us to.

Reginna Luna

When she comes across a "mom break" (aka sleeping children), Reginna will most likely be found snuggled up to her husband, cooking, or reading. Being a co-founder of The Renewal Project, she loves the opportunity to minister life, love, and hope found in Jesus.

When What We Know about God and What We See Don't Match up

January 07, 2020 by Joy McLaughlin

“God is good.” I hear this all the time, and full heartedly agree with it! I’m so glad there are many recognizing the blessings in their lives and giving credit to the one whom every good gift comes from.

My thoughts then go to the ones who are going through hardships or tragedy. What is our stance on God during those times when fresh wounds, hard life circumstances, or devastations are happening? Will our minds change on the nature of who God is?

Let me clarify something, God is big enough to handle your questions for the difficult things in life. You can ask Him about them. You can seek out His Word. And I pray you get clarity. But if you don’t right at that moment and maybe not even for years, will you still believe that He is who He says He is?

Our Healer

Our Deliverer

Our Peace

Our Protector

Our Provider

Always with us… the list goes on.

I’ve heard a pastor say that when we don’t see the breakthrough we were praying for, it should humble us and move us into the place of recognizing we need more of God. We should be so moved to seek out time in the secret place with God and let Him teach us, correct us, fill us, love us, heal us, or whatever it is we may need. To stand on the Word of God, the promises of God, and the nature of God is never wrong. If we don’t see what we have contended for, we cannot let it create a division in our hearts to step away from the truth of who God is, but we have to let it draw us to a place of humility that says,

“God, this is who You say You are and this is what happened. I don’t understand why, but You do. Please lead me into greater intimacy with You so that I will see You for who You truly are in this life. I want to co labor with You to see Your promises fulfilled. I humble myself before You and ask You to lovingly teach me, correct me, fill me, heal me, and guide me. In Jesus name, Amen.”

And then I encourage you, wait for the Lord to renew your strength. He will.

YOU KNEW WHAT I WAS WHEN YOU PICKED ME UP

November 11, 2019 by Joy McLaughlin

Several months ago, a speaker at church started his sermon by telling a story. Such a simple story with a profound message. I’ve found myself reflecting on it many times since I first heard it.

Here’s the story: A boy went down to a creek to go fishing. As he was standing on the bank, he noticed something rustling in the brush. He turned and saw a snake coming towards him. The snake rose up and spoke, asking the boy to take him across the creek. The boy refused, afraid the snake would bite him. The snake assured the boy that he wished him no harm. He just needed to get across the water.

After much pleading, the boy was finally convinced to carry the snake across the creek. The boy cautiously picked up the snake and took him across the water. Just as he placed the snake on the ground, the snake rose up and bit the boy on the arm.

The boy winced in pain and questioned the snake. “I thought you said you weren’t going to bite me. You promised!”

The snake, with a smug expression on his face, responded as he slithered away, “You knew what I was when you picked me up.”

Wow! Doesn’t that make you pause and think?

I’ve thought a lot about things that I’ve “picked up” in my life. Things that I knew that had the potential for harm, but I justified allowing them in my life.

I Peter 5:8 tells us to be alert to the schemes of the devil. We know his sole mission is to kill, steal, and destroy. There is no good in him. He loves no one but himself and will try anything and everything he can to cause us harm.

So what about the things in our lives that we have picked up?

Is it okay to “pick up” witchcraft and wizardry in the name of entertainment?

You knew what I was when you picked me up.

Racy pictures?

You knew what I was when you picked me up.

Gossip?

You knew what I was when you picked me up.

Occult practices such as horoscopes, Ouija boards, and tarot cards?

You knew what I was when you picked me up.

Even with the best of intentions, opening doors to destructive influences in our lives can have devastating results.

Just because the boy believed that the snake was harmless didn’t change the fact that the snake was still a snake and did exactly what snakes by nature do.

Can you think of any “snake” in your life that you’ve “picked up?” Ask God to reveal it to you.

If you have identified anything, now what?

Thankfully, God has provided a way for us to get rid of the “snakes” in our lives. It’s called repentance. To repent means to ask for forgiveness, turn, and go the other way.

Every door we’ve opened in our lives to the enemy, with God’s help, we can shut.

If God has brought any “snakes” to your mind, ask Him to forgive you for allowing those things in your life and then stop doing it. According to Philippians 4:13, you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. He will not leave you alone in the process, but will empower you.

Thank you, God, for your love and your power to do what is right!