2 Corinthians 10:5 - Thoughts Controlled by Christ!

2 Cor 10:5 (KJV)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Cor 10:5 (CWB)  By God's power, we will destroy all false arguments and
every device used by men against the knowledge of God.  His power is so
great that He can even change a man's thoughts and bring him into obedience
to Jesus Christ.

2 Cor 10:5 (TLB)  These weapons can break down every proud argument against
God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With
these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change
them into men whose hearts' desire is obedience to Christ.

The greatest battles of the Christian life are fought in the mind.
[Believer's SB]

God must be the commander in chief -- even our thoughts must be submitted to
his control as we live for him. [Life Application SB]

Jesus asks us to consecrate ourselves to Him.... If you will do this, He will
quicken your conscience, renew your heart, sanctify your affections, purify
your thoughts, and set all your powers at work for Him. Every motive and
every thought will be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ. 7BC909

The Word of God and prayer are the only effective weapons in this battle
against Satan (Acts 6:4). [Wiersbe Expository Outlines]

The weapons of the world are learning, personal influence, impressive
credentials (1 Cor. 1:26), rhetorical polish (1 Cor. 2:1), and the like.
These things Paul had discounted and discarded (Phil. 3:4-8). He did not
wage war as the world does or use their weapons. The weapons Paul used were
the proclaimed Word of God and prayer (Eph. 6:17-18), weapons with divine
power. In dependence on God (1 Cor. 2:4-5) these weapons, frail by worldly
standards, are able to demolish the arguments and every pretension of the
gospel's foes. [Bible Knowledge Commentary]

The heart that receives the word of God is not as a pool that evaporates,
not like a broken cistern that loses its treasure. It is like the mountain
stream, fed by unfailing springs, whose cool, sparkling waters leap from
rock to rock, refreshing the weary, the thirsty, the heavy-laden. It is like
a river constantly flowing and, as it advances, becoming deeper and wider,
until its life-giving waters are spread over all the earth. The stream that
goes singing on its way leaves behind its gift of verdure and fruitfulness.
The grass on its banks is a fresher green, the trees have a richer verdure,
the flowers are more abundant. PK233-4

What do you think about?  Does it matter what we think about?  Is it a
matter of concern to you to control your thought patterns?  As followers of
Christ we need to be very concerned about our thought patterns.  Our
thoughts need to be restricted, withdrawn from branching out and
contemplating things that will only weaken and defile the soul.
Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow
the springs of life." Jesus taught us that it is out of the abundance of the
heart (mind) that good or evil comes into our lives.  Jesus said that the
law was transgressed by the thoughts before the evil desire was carried out
in actual deeds.
For the Christian, there must be a constant, earnest struggling of the soul
against the evil imaginings of the mind.  There needs to be a steadfast
resistance of temptation to sin in thought or act.  And the secret is in
keeping the mind surrendered to God, who alone can keep it pure.
"By constantly contemplating heavenly themes, our faith and love will grow
stronger.  By beholding we are to be become changed, and as we meditate upon
the perfection of our divine Model, we shall desire to become wholly
transformed and renewed in the image of His purity.  The more our thoughts
are up upon Christ, the more we shall speak of Him to others, and represent
Him to the world." --Review and Herald, June 12, 1888. Pastor Don Dronen

We need the softening, subduing, refining influence of the Holy Spirit, to
mold our characters, and to bring every thought into captivity to Christ. It
is the Holy Spirit that will enable us to overcome, that will lead us to sit
at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary, and learn His meekness and lowliness of
heart.
We need to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit every hour of the day, lest we
be ensnared by the enemy and our souls be imperiled. There is constant
temptation to exalt self, and we must watch much against this evil. We need
to be on guard continually lest we manifest the spirit of overbearing,
criticism, and condemnation. We should seek to avoid the very appearance of
evil, and not reveal anything like the attributes of Satan that will
dishearten and discourage those with whom we come in contact. We are to work
as did Christ--to draw, to build up, not to tear down... The reason that men
have manifested these unpleasant characteristics is because they have not
been connected with God.  TM223

The world scorns the gospel and proudly sets up clever arguments against it.
God's people destroy such arguments knowing that true knowledge of God comes
only through faith, not through human reason. We should bring every thought
into relation to Christ. All of our thinking should have a consistent unity
which comes from having Christ at the center. Salvation is based not on
hidden or philosophical knowledge, but on relational and personal knowledge
of God which comes through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. [Disciple SB]

True knowledge of God makes men humble; false knowledge makes them proud.
[Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary]