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2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - How to Take Every Thought Captive.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV) The weapons we 
fight with are not the weapons of the world. On 
the contrary, they have divine power to demolish 
strongholds. 5 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 10:4-5 (NLT) We use Gods 
mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down 
the strongholds of human reasoning and to 
destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud 
obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We 
capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to 
obey Christ.  

INTRODUCTION

Jesus Can Only Help Us With Our Consent. God 
wishes us to have the mastery over ourselves. But 
He cannot help us without our consent and 
co-operation. The divine Spirit works through the powers 
and faculties given to man. Of ourselves, we are 
not able to bring the purposes and desires and 
inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we 
are "willing to be made willing," the Saviour 
will accomplish this for us, "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 
Corinthians 10:5.  {AA 482}  

COMMENTARY PEARL

   Have you noticed your mind doesn't always 
do what you tell it to do? 
   Sometimes your mind has a mind of its 
own. Sometimes your thoughts go off in directions 
that you don't intend. When you need to pray, 
your thoughts stray. When you want to ponder 
Gods Word, your thoughts want to wander.  
   The Bible says, when this happens, you 
need to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 
10:5). What does that mean? The Greek word used in 
that verse literally means you take thoughts 
prisoner. You conquer them. You bring them under 
control. 
   Thats only possible when you use the 
two weapons every believer has available to 
them: the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  
   First, you need to recognize the power of 
God's Spirit inside you. Without him, you are 
defenseless. Romans 8:6 says, Letting your sinful 
nature control your mind leads to death. But 
letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life 
and peace (NLT).  
   You need Jesus in your life because, 
without the Holy Spirit, your sinful nature controls 
your mind and will always lead you in the wrong 
direction. But when the Spirit controls you, you have 
the power you need to take every thought 
captive. 
   Second, you need the Word of God. Jesus 
says, If you obey my teaching, you are really 
my disciples; you will know the truth, and the 
truth will set you free (John 8:31-32 GNT). 
   People like to quote the second part of 
that passage. In fact, its posted on 
university buildings all over the world. But very few 
people quote the first part, where it says you have 
to learn and obey Gods Word. People want the 
freedom without Gods truth. 
   In reality, there is no freedom without 
truth. And there is no truth without God's Word. 
God has given you the direction you need for 
life, and you can trust every word the Bible says. 
The more you get to know Gods Word and fill 
your mind with his truth, the easier it will be 
to direct your thoughts where you want them to 
go. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]  

COMMENTARY

   Paul uses military terminology to 
describe this warfare against sin and Satan. God must 
be the commander-in-chief - even our thoughts 
must be submitted to his control as we live for 
him. Spirit-empowered believers must capture 
every thought and yield it to Christ.  
   Like Paul, we are merely weak humans, but 
as believers we don't need to use human plans 
and methods to win our battles. God's mighty 
weapons are available to us as we fight against the 
devils "strongholds." Paul assures us that God's 
weapons - prayer, faith, hope, love, God's Word, and 
the Holy Spirit - are powerful and effective 
(see Ephesians 6:13-18). These weapons can 
overcome proud human arguments against God and the 
walls that Satan builds to keep people from 
finding God.  
   When dealing with people's proud 
arguments that keep them from faith, we may be tempted 
to use our own methods. But nothing can pierce 
these barriers like God's weapons can.  
   Are you depending on your own strength 
and clever strategies to overcome the world's 
resistance to God? Instead, deepen your dependence on 
God by obeying him. In the process he will shape 
you into a soldier guided by his Spirit. [One 
Year NLT SB re 2 Cor. 10:3-6] 

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 

Importance of the Holy Spirit in This Process

   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 

Importance of Gods Word in This Process

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 

CLOSING THOUGHT

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 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - Bringing Your 
Thoughts Captive to Christ. 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2017/20170319-1058.html 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - Reversing the 
Addiction Curse. 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200904-1021.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/