Take Every Thought Captive (Brianna England)

 This fall, I have the privilege of leading a small group with one of my good friends. We’ll be going through Jennie Allen’s study Get Out of Your Head.

Our theme verse is 2 Corinthians 10:5:

“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.”

This is one of those verses that, every time I hear it—and I’ve heard it many times—it stirs something in me. It makes me feel empowered. Do you have those verses that just make you want to kick the devil in the shins? That’s what this one does for me.

But until recently, I’d never stopped to really think about what it actually means.

As I was reflecting on it, I started picturing what it looks like to take something captive. For some reason, I always imagine myself with a lasso, whirling it around, catching my thoughts, and throwing them into a jail cell filled with God’s truth. (I don’t know why it’s always a lasso, but that’s the picture in my head!)

So what does it mean to take every thought captive?

For me, it looks like this: anytime a thought comes into my head—and if you know me, you know I’m an overthinker—I have to decide what to do with it. Sometimes my thoughts say things like:

 • You’re not good enough.

 • You’re a mistake.

 • You’re not a good mom.

 • You’ll never fit in.

Taking those thoughts captive means stopping them right there in their tracks and saying:

“I don’t have to listen to you. You have no authority over me. I have authority over you in Jesus’ name, and I say you must leave. This is what my Father says instead.”

That, to me, is taking my thoughts captive: stopping the lie, identifying it, and replacing it with God’s truth.

And what is the truth? It’s whatever God has spoken in His Word.

So here’s my challenge for you:

Write down the lies that weigh on you most. Then, next to each one, write down the truth of what God says instead. Open your Bible and let His Word remind you of who you really are.

Here’s the beautiful part: you are not fighting for victory—you are fighting from victory. If you are in Christ, you already have the victory. You already have authority over your thoughts. You don’t have to believe the lies the enemy whispers, because you, my friend, are already victorious.

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A little bit about Brianna...

Hello! I’m Brianna. I’m a wife to Byron and a mama to a gorgeous little girl. I work as a daycare teacher and am currently working on pursuing where ever it is God has called me to be. I’m also active in my church serving in a few different areas!