The phrase “taking every thought captive” comes from 2 Corinthians 10:5, which says “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” This verse speaks to the importance of evaluating our thoughts and beliefs in light of God’s truth and taking control over the thoughts and ideas that influence us.
To understand what it means to take every thought captive, we first need to understand the context. In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul is defending his authority as an apostle of Christ in response to some in the Corinthian church who were questioning his motives and criticizing his speaking skills and abilities. Paul counters by saying that though he lives in the physical body, he does not wage war according to the flesh. The weapons of his warfare are not physical or worldly, but spiritual and powerful for tearing down strongholds and arguments against the knowledge of God.
A stronghold refers to a faulty thinking pattern, incorrect assumptions, or any mindset that sets itself up against the truth of God’s Word. These strongholds act as fortresses for lies, falsehoods, and arguments that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. Paul says the way to combat these strongholds is to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. In other words, we are to evaluate every thought and belief we have to see if it lines up with biblical truth and discard or reject any that contradict or undermine God’s Word and His commands.
Taking every thought captive involves several key things:
- Monitoring our thoughts – Being aware of what we are thinking and allowing into our minds. Examining our assumptions, ideas, and reasonings.
- Evaluating our thoughts – Assessing whether our thoughts align with God’s truth and represent His values and priorities.
- Rejecting lies and falsehoods – Refusing to accept or dwell on thoughts rooted in deception, unbelief, pride, or sin.
- Replacing lies with truth – Countering sinful thoughts with Scripture and training our minds to think biblically in every area – relationships, speech, work, entertainment, etc.
- Renewing our minds – Allowing God’s Word to thoroughly transform how we think. Rejecting the influences of the world and our old nature.
- Bringing every thought captive – Recognizing that our thoughts belong to God. Submitting even our thought life to Christ’s lordship.
In essence, taking every thought captive means being intentional about what we allow to shape our beliefs, values, and priorities. It involves vigilance, self-control, discernment, and a deep knowledge of Scripture so that we have a standard for evaluating thoughts that come into our minds. We must learn to recognize thoughts that are untrue, unhelpful, impure, ungodly, or unwise and take them captive by submitting them to Christ. Instead of being passive, we take aggressive action to remove those thoughts and replace them with thoughts grounded in God’s truth.
Here are some key reasons why taking every thought captive is so important:
- Our thoughts influence our actions – Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” If we allow sinful thoughts to take root, they will inevitably influence our behavior.
- Thoughts reveal the state of our heart – Jesus said evil thoughts and desires defile us (Mark 7:20-23). Our thought life is a window into the condition of our hearts.
- Thoughts can lead us into temptation – Sinful thoughts that are indulged make us more vulnerable to acting them out when tempted (James 1:14-15).
- Thoughts become habits and strongholds – The more we allow a thought pattern, the more engrained it becomes. Wrong thoughts can prevent us from knowing and obeying God.
- Our minds are a battlefield – The mind is one of the main areas where spiritual warfare takes place. We are to resist enemy attacks against our thought life.
- We can’t be transformed without renewing our minds – True Christlikeness requires having the mind of Christ. This means retraining how we think (Rom. 12:2).
In many ways, the battle for sin and godliness is won or lost in the mind. That is why Scripture urges us to carefully guard our thought life:
“Be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom. 12:2)
“Set your minds on things that are above” (Col. 3:2)
“Take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5)
How can we take thoughts captive on a practical level?
Here are some practical tips for taking thoughts captive:
- Ask God to reveal sinful thought patterns and remove any harmful strongholds.
- Study Scripture daily to renew your mind with God’s truth.
- When doubtful or sinful thoughts come, take them captive by submitting them to Christ.
- Counteract lies by speaking truth – either Scripture or declarations of who you are in Christ.
- Limit influences that stir up mental “junk food” like gossip shows or immoral entertainment.
- When faced with temptation, quote Scripture that contradicts the thought urging you to sin.
- Capture anxious thoughts by bringing them to Christ in prayer and entrusting your cares to Him.
- Identify triggers that stir up unhealthy thought patterns and avoid those triggers or prepare to capture those thoughts.
- Confess and renounce any harmful or ruminating thoughts that lead you into sin or sadness.
- Seek accountability and share your thought life struggles with a trusted Christian friend.
It takes much prayer, discipline, and practice to effectively take thoughts captive. But the rewards are great freedom and transformation into Christ’s image. One helpful tip is to memorize key Scriptures on the mind and meditation that can be recalled when needing to take thoughts captive in everyday situations:
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Why is it so challenging to take thoughts captive?
Despite our best intentions, taking every thought captive can be very difficult. Some reasons include:
- Our sinful flesh – Our minds and thoughts are naturally inclined toward sin and darkness due to our fallen sin nature (Rom. 8:5-8).
- The world’s influence – Being surrounded by ungodly influences brings a constant assault of tempting thoughts.
- Satanic attacks – Satan inserts destructive thoughts and continually accuses believers (1 Pet. 5:8-9).
- Old thought habits – Ingrained thought patterns are not easily broken. Our minds often default to former ways of thinking.
- Self-deception – It’s easy to delude ourselves that sinful thoughts are not that damaging or dangerous. Or to justify wrong desires.
- Busyness and distraction – The hectic pace of life often keeps us from careful examination of our thought lives.
For these reasons, we must be vigilant and aware that taking thoughts captive will be an ongoing struggle. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power and saturate our minds in Scripture to counteract our tendencies toward sinful thinking. But the reward of freedom from bondage to wrong thoughts makes this battle worth fighting.
What are some signs we may be losing the battle to take thoughts captive?
Here are some signs that our thought lives may be getting off track:
- Increasing temptation to sinful actions
- Rationalizing or excusing sinful thoughts
- Spending less and less time reading the Bible
- Justifying immoral or inappropriate entertainment
- Drifting from Christian fellowship and accountability
- Decreased concern over sinful thought patterns
- Being easily agitated, angered, irritated, or annoyed
- Compulsive behaviors driven by uncontrolled thought patterns
- Growing secrecy over thought life and temptations
- Inability to turn from worrying or anxious thoughts
These signs indicate areas where the enemy has gained a foothold in our thought lives. The remedy is to reestablish a firm foundation in Scripture, prayer, obedience, and accountability. Taking sinful thoughts captive must become a consistent discipline.
What are practical ways to change our thoughts?
Here are some key strategies for changing sinful thought patterns:
- Identify triggers – Determine what situations, circumstances, or emotions stir up unhealthy thought habits.
- Avoid unhealthy triggers – Make wise choices to limit exposure to things that open the door to wrong thoughts.
- Fill your mind with truth – Reading, studying, and memorizing Scripture renews your thinking.
- Take every thought captive – Recognize harmful thoughts and intentionally submit them to Christ.
- Replace lies with truth – Counteract sinful thoughts by speaking aloud God’s truth from Scripture.
- Pray for transformation – Ask God daily to renew your mind and help you think His thoughts.
- Practice thought discipline – Refuse to dwell on unhealthy thoughts. Redirect your mind elsewhere.
- Live obediently – Obeying God in actions and habits trains your mind to righteousness.
As we faithfully pursue these things, the Holy Spirit gradually transforms us through the renewing of our minds. Taking every thought captive becomes more natural as our minds are saturated in God’s truth and trained in righteousness.
What are some benefits of taking thoughts captive?
Here are some benefits that come from learning to take thoughts captive:
- Greater victory over temptation and sinful habits
- Increasing freedom from plaguing, unhealthy thought patterns
- More control over thoughts rather than being controlled by them
- The ability to discern truth from the lies we are presented with
- Transformation into Christlikeness as we think God’s thoughts
- More intimacy with God as we draw closer through taking thoughts captive
- Stronger defense against spiritual attacks aimed at our thought lives
- Peace and joy as our minds are set on God’s truth rather than anxiously controlled by our circumstances
- Confidence and hope as our thoughts are trained to trust in God’s promises
Learning to take every thought captive brings profound spiritual maturity and an incredible tool for combating temptation and the lies of the enemy. That is why Paul emphasizes the importance of this discipline.
How should we respond when we fail to take thoughts captive?
Since taking thoughts captive is a process, we will sometimes fail and fall short. Here are some healthy responses when this happens:
- Repent and ask God’s forgiveness when we become aware of wrong thoughts.
- Avoid condemnation but learn from failures how to gain more victory next time.
- Ask God to continually renew our minds and strengthen us in thought discipline.
- Keep a record of when and why we fall into unhealthy thoughts in order to identify patterns.
- If particular thought strongholds keep tripping us up, confess them to a trusted friend or counselor.
- Look at what scriptural truths we need to better internalize to counteract unhealthy thinking.
- Express gratitude and praise to God for his mercy and grace when we confess failures.
The key is maintaining vigilance and persistence. Failures should produce humility and greater dependence on the Holy Spirit – not discouragement. As James 1:2-4 explains, they play a vital role in our maturity and development of Christlike perseverance.
Conclusion
Taking every thought captive is a powerful spiritual weapon for overcoming temptation, resisting the enemy, walking in freedom, and pleasing God with our lives. It allows no area of our lives to remain unconquered by Christ’s lordship. Though challenging, the rewards of gaining control over our thought lives far outweigh the cost in discipline and vigilance required. By God’s strength, persistence in taking thoughts captive will produce increasing victory and spiritual transformation. May this vital practice become a consistent part of our Christian walks as we seek to glorify Christ with all that we think and do.