Understanding Mental Strongholds Part Four: Take Every Thought Captive

Understanding Mental Strongholds
Part Four:
Take Every Thought Captive

“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God.”  Romans 8:6-7 (NIV)

Your mind must learn new ways of thinking. Habitual patterns of thought must be overcome so that Christ can be built in you. You must tear down any thought, attitude, belief, motive, or perception that reflects the world and opposes the knowledge and truth that is in Christ Jesus. This is a life-long process.
Renewing the carnal mind is paramount. The carnal mind is every thought and belief that is contrary to the Word of God. These are thoughts you have developed based on experience. Your thoughts and reactions often block you from hearing God. If He tries to show you something contrary to what you believe, your brain will systematically remove the information. Your continuing transformation is hindered unless you allow every function of your mind to be examined by the Holy Spirit.
You must die to personal judgments and beliefs and allow God to change your opinions, and stop your reactions and behaviors that are a response to ungodly attitudes.
Jesus said, “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
John 5:30 (NAS)

It is no easy or quick task to transform your mind so that it lines up with the Word of God. You are commanded in the Word to seek and you will find, to knock and the door will be opened for you; pushing deeper into God takes effort on your part.
One of the names of God is Wonderful Counselor. You can sit at the feet of your Wonderful Counselor anytime you are willing to humble yourself and be searched. He knows everything about you from the day that you were conceived. Who better to reveal to you messages that you believe, and the thinking patterns and behaviors that have ensued from these messages.
This involves your engaging in personal spiritual battle, both externally and internally beginning in your mind and then affecting your behaviors. The last enemy to die within you is your carnal mind. Jesus came to provide you with a way to spend eternity with Him, but His sacrifice did so much more. He purchased wholeness through the cross, and He removed the sting of death. He came to deliver you from everything that hinders you, including the fear of death.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV)
It is not just the knowledge of the Word that restores your soul, but the planting of truth in your minds, destroying previous beliefs, and replacing worldly thoughts. The restoration of mankind was accomplished through the cross. Jesus died so that you could be born anew. Your salvation experience imitates Christ, and you are to die to self and live in Him. Therefore your healing and restoration is through crucifixion and rebirth. He doesn’t put your brokenness back together; your carnal minds can neither be adjusted nor taught. No, your carnal minds can only be slain and made new through Him.
Give God permission to sift you and reveal every thought to submit. Choose to Christ take those thoughts captive. Jesus desires for you to experience His fullness, and fruit in your life so get that which entangles you out of your way by choosing to agree with God in all things.