Incarcerated: Taking Captive Toxic Thoughts

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

We are going to spend some time in this series looking at how we can transform our minds and take these toxic thoughts captive.

2 Corinthians 10:3–4 AMP

For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

"The weapons that we fight with, "they are mighty In GOD for pulling down strongholds

Dunamis—Explosive power of God! Dynamite!

Ochuroma— Military Stronghold

o cure roma

The stronghold is both a fortress (To keep God out) and a prison (You)

The devil, our spiritual enemy wants to attack your mind, and create strongholds of deception.

What does the devil do?

He tries to shape your thinking, one lie at a time until you become his prisoner (deception)

How does he do it?

Lies

You can’t trust anyone

Your a failure, and never succeed

You will alway be broke

Never good enough

Your marriage will fail

Your a terrible husband, wife, father, mother, etc.

God doesn’t hear your prayers

He Doesn’t care about you

You will Never make diff or amount to anything

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

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.

**Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest most dominate thoughts**

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV 1900)

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

The old saying: Thoughts ---> Words ----> Actions---->Habits---->Character --->Destiny (Direction of your life)

Negative or toxic thoughts produce negative actions/reactions

What we think determines who we become.

Science agrees with the Bible

Negative Thoughts—Change chemical makeup brain. (Dr. Caroline Leaf -Switch on Your Brain)

According to researchers, the vast majority--a whopping 75-98 percent--of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about truly affects us both physically and emotionally. In fact, fear alone triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses in our bodies, activating more than thirty different hormones! Today our culture is undergoing an epidemic of toxic thoughts that, left unchecked, create ideal conditions for illnesses.

Every thought creates a neurochemical change in our body.

Dopamine - “feel-good” neurotransmitter because it is associated with pleasure and reward.

Cortisol - Releases stress hormones --“fight or flight” response..

Neural Pathways—Billions pathways in your brain.

The more often we think that thought, the more the connection is there, and it's easier to think that thought again, and before long, whatever we have been thinking becomes our default thought (Stronghold)

Illustration: Deer pathways, train track.

Stronghold - when you believe a lie for long enough, you start to be impacted as if that lie were true.

Strongholds are lies that have become a truth that we defend and protect.

Identify the suspect.

The devil had trespassed and broke into your mind- Thief

Police Lineup

Eyewitness: Identify biggest stronghold (Suspect) holding you back—the thief. John 10:10

John 10:10 AMP

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

You cannot take captive what you cannot identify.

Going back to ...

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV 1900)

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;

Greek definition

Take captive—War term: Capture w/Spear, Sword.

Only one offensive weapon—Sword—Word of God! Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV 1900)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Assignment

Identify one toxic thought that is holding you back.

Don’t stay locked in a prison When Jesus holds the keys to set free

To think in a different way—Forge a new path in your brain- First identify the suspect (toxic thought)

Summarize lies

Next week we are going to take that lie and learn the process of taking it captive.

Next week....

Have a blessed week!

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