Bringing Those Captivating Imaginations Into Captivity!

Bring Those Strongholds Down!

I can testify that my stronghold has been my imagination running wild when it comes to those things that concerns me!

I truly believe that because I have experienced so much of this particular area not working for me, so it seems; into captivity, I have allowed my imagination to convince me that it won’t ever work for me! Even knowing The Power of God!

On Wednesday - We entered into a teaching that God has instructed me to expound upon - You have imagined the less more than the greater, and that imagination has captivated you and is keeping you from realizing who we are and The Power we have, most of all, that Yes and Amen is for you - It will happen to me!

How is it that Paul, Peter, and the Apostles realized The Power and was able to heal and rebuke, but yet we cannot imagine that same power being extended to us - Revelation 22:8-9 “8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

Even John, being captivated by The Holy Spirit - could not imagine that he was worthy to be shown these things and bowed down!

Imagination = Thoughts, opinions, motives, reasonings; doubts, questions; arguments, disputes, deliberations, conclusions, speculations.

Luci Shaw - Imagination is seeing at a level different from the purely physical pictures of things not present with you right now - LaVonne Neff, Practical Christianity, ed. LaVonne Neff, et al. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2007), 371.

As you can see from this definition, your imagination may contain various thoughts - We have all heard the term, “Don’t let your imagination run wild. . .” This is true, and it will bring you into a place of stagnation, if you allow it!

The reason many of us struggle is because we allow our imaginations to run wild!

You cannot imagine that, even though God said your next level will allow you to see further than before! That He is doing a new thing and you are to forget the former things. . .

Because your imagination has ran wild, you have allowed you to be captivated by the current state, therefore you won’t imagine seeing further!

Paul says it best; “Philippians 3:13-14 “13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Some of us are so wrapped up in the memory of a thing, we allow our imagination to go to can’t before we realize the can!

The memory of what you been through - where you came from - the pain you experienced thru that, you cannot imagine that God brought you to this!

Thus the reason many of us do not rejoice and be glad - We imagine that this won’t last because we have been captivated by those things of our past and how this did not happen for me, and how is that happening for them!

You have to bring that imagination into captivity - you have to push every thought that attempts to bind you and confine you and only allow The Holy Spirit to fill that space!

Psalms 10:4 “4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.”

Remember, I said Wicked is thinking outside The Will of God for your life!

You must confine yourself to That Mind of Christ - and rest in The Image of God!

Christ Jesus rebuked the Disciples because of their lack of faith - They could not cast out the demons - Christ testified “Mark 9:23 “23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” If you can bring that imagination of can’t into captivity of CAN, you will be able to do greater things because you will realize that because I am with you, I am The Greater in you that is doing it all!

The reason Paul and Peter could do greater is because I believe they brought their own thinking into captivity, confining it and only allowing The Mind Of Christ to guide them!

2 Corinthians 10: 4-6 “4 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, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”

You are trying to fight a battle with weapons of your previous self - Thus the reason your imagination has brought you to a conlusion that leads you to thinking you can’t when God says; Yes You Can!

The imagination spoken of in the Bible, often referred to opinions, motives, conclusions, arguments, disputes, primarily thinking outside The Mind Of Christ that should be in you!

How many of us realize that our imagination can take us to higher heights and deeper depths?

At the same time, your imagination can cause you to become futile in your own understanding, if you do not keep that imagination in check with The Holy Spirit!

Romans 1:20 - 23 “20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”

Your thinking is paramount to your relationship with God - The Mind - Romans 8:5-10 (NKJV) 5  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Don’t you allow that thinking to move you - We are created in His Image - Them - We have The Power of Them in us and with us!

The enemy wants to captivate your thinking, and confine The God in you, so that you won’t realize The Power that lives in you!

John 4:24 “24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.””

God is invisible, and He created us in “Our Image, according to Our likeness. . .” In the Likeness and Image of Them - God is not limited because He is Spiritual - He is not relegated to space - He can extend to the uttermost parts of the earth - at the same time!

When you allow your mind to be limited by thinking less than, rather than realizing The Greater Than is in you, this is what causes our imagination to lead us to a state of confinement!

Thinking that we cannot be free because of our own thinking - Case in point - The religious leaders were so confined by religion that because Jesus told them that He is God - The Christ - The very One they preached, in the flesh - They refused to believe it and rather than bringing that imagination into captivity, they released Barabbas!

God is asking us today - Who do you want to free? Christ or Barabbas?

We must have The Mind Of Christ in order to hear and see - A Barrabas mindset causes you to continue on in the enmity - which is why we experience the see-saw affect!

A mind that has been cleaned - Renewed By The Holy Spirit - will realize that we serve a limitless Father - Who has illuminated us in all things!