Many moons ago I remember reading this particular scripture - 2 Corinthians 10:5: "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;" (KJV). I used to think, yeah right, like I can just tell my brain to shut up and don't think. But, in time, this scripture made sense.
Casting down imaginations is truly doable. You can control what you think. How? Here is what I've learned. When a thought comes into my brain, I choose whether to dwell on it or reject it. I remember not too long ago when a thought came into my mind that I wasn't enough. My auto reaction was to call the devil a liar and tell myself who I am and more importantly whose I am. I called myself the King's Daughter and reminded me that I am made in His image thereby I am wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I am a living testimony of God's grace and love. I am His and He is mine. See the lies that scatter around in our head are the things that exalt themselves against God. He made me. He made you. He makes no mistakes. He created you the way He wanted you. And, I'm not talking about your physical appearance. I'm referring to the inner you. The one that goes to sleep with you every night and is the first to know when you open your eyes. The one that knows your private thoughts - good and bad. That you!! He didn't make a mistake when He created you. We make mistakes as humans thinking that we aren't good enough, pretty enough, woman enough, man enough, black enough, etc. When we don't capture these thoughts - these destructive thoughts - we act on them.
How many times have you thought less of yourself and then go out to either live in that less than feeling or live to proof that feeling wrong? These scattered thoughts are lies. Excusing no one’s actions, but if we truly look at what people do, then we have to look at the motivating factors. I've sat back and tried to figure out why people hurt each other. Some are pure evil and agents of Satan. Yet, others are acting on their hurt. Think about it for a minute. Every child is born innocent. It’s what they are taught, feel, see, and think that molds them into the person that they become. If you grow up being called ugly, then you will think that you are ugly until you are proven wrong. If you grow up being called worthless, then you will think that you are worthless.
Here is where we have to make the decision as adults. How do we act on those feelings? Do I hurt people because I am hurt? There was a period of time in my life that I didn't care about the feelings of people that were not in my inner circle. Why? Because I had been hurt by people. But on one particular Sunday, God poured His love all around me and a chain of hurt was broken. My pastor at the time, said that it was like a steel wall around me. He was right. I had built a wall so that no one could get in to hurt me anymore. I was tired of being hurt - emotionally. Tired of giving and not getting back. Tired of being talked about. Tired of trying to live life only to have it slap my face. Just tired. So, up went the wall. This isn't the way. When God brought down that wall, an emotional tidal wave came with it. I thank God every day for the break - for being Gracefully Broken. When He broke the wall, He replaced it with His love, grace, mercy, kindness, compassion, and oh so much more.
I began to understand that being subjective to God meant that my thoughts had to obey Him as well as my heart and body. It wasn't just a part of me. He wanted all of me. That breaking of the wall was His way into Nakya. Trouble still comes my way, but it doesn't stop me. Just the other day, I encountered an issue. After taking a breath, I remember saying, "Oh this blessing coming is going to be ggggoooooooooooddddddd!!" and I praised God for it. The devil is still busy - always busy - but that doesn't mean that God has stopped providing grace and mercy. God is still on the throne. He's still speaking but your mind can't be full of thoughts that will impede you from correctly dividing the Word of God for yourself (2 Timothy 2:15).
Train your brain to cast down thoughts that would hinder your progression. Don't allow wayward thoughts to distract you from the messages that God is trying to download into you. How do you train your brain?? Don't laugh but the same way you would train your child or pet. When my son was young and he did something wrong, I would tell him no first and then show or tell him what he should do. You can do the same thing with your brain. When a thought comes in that isn't right, tell your brain "No" and then feed yourself positivity. Here's an example. With COVID about to ramp up again, many people will be anxious and have thoughts of what will happen. When those thoughts come into your brain, tell it or them "No" and that "God is in Control; He created the heavens and the earth, He can handle COVID". Find a scripture that feeds you positivity and feed it to your brain daily, hourly, weekly, minute by minute if you need to. I keep scriptures on my phone and there are some on the whiteboard in front of my desk. I used to have post it notes all around my desk. Use the method that works for you to reign in those scattered thoughts so that God's messages can take their place.
2 Corinthians 10:5: "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;" (KJV)
Be A Blessing and Not Just Blessed
- - Nakya