Take Thought Captive|From Heaven or Hell

Take Every Thought Captive

Have you ever thought about how easy we can be deceived through our five senses? We go to the mall to look for a jacket and see a leather one that catches our eye. When we go to try it on, it doesn’t feel quite like leather, so we look for the label. It doesn’t have that familiar smell of leather that would reinforce what we are thinking. All three senses are working to determine the genuineness of the article. We can similarly be deceived by what we hear someone teach—be careful! In the Bible it says the master of the party often uses the best wine first and the cheap wine last. Can you see any deception in that!

I must ask this question: Is deception from Heaven or Hell?

I say all this to forward the idea that perhaps the most sinister deceptions we entertain are through our thought life. It is true that most sin comes about by first entertaining a thought before we act on it. I present to you a truth for your consideration: The only way Satan, his devils, and demons, and workers of iniquity have to attack you is through lies and deception. Once you believe or entertain the lie or deception—you have opened the door for the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy your quality of life.

If there is a thief in the neighborhood it is best to secure your stuff! Guess what? There IS a thief in your neighborhood, and look at all the stuff he has taken from you over the years! Now, you aren’t going to go into denial of the truth are you? Is “denying the truth” from Heaven or Hell? So… you say, “I’m not convinced that everything always has to be from Heaven or Hell.” Remember, I am just asking you to consider what I am discussing with you here. I’m still open to learning myself, but I am no longer able to be passive about finding God’s truth. Instead, I have become passionate in sharing whatever nuggets of truth that come my way.

Let’s get back to my original point of interest. God used “words” to create the universe and everything in it. So we know words are very powerful. Now then, we string words together to create thoughts, right? God dictated His Word, the Bible, through the Holy Spirit to men—to write them down for us to live by. It is our manual for how to live. It is The Truth. The Bible says that Jesus was the Word, and the Word came to the earth—thereby becoming the Living Word. When you are reading the Bible without thinking, you are just reading words without having any meaning to you. But if as you read you are seeking the true meaning, engaging your mind, you most likely are being fed God’s very thoughts for your life. The Bible is called the Bread of Life. All these thoughts “rightly divided” are obviously from Heaven itself.

I need to use an analogy here: There is a genuine $10 bill in existence. There are also some counterfeit $10 bills. There is no such thing as a counterfeit of “nothing”. A counterfeit is a “fake copy” of the real thing.

So I went through the New Testament to see how the word “thought” was used and to see if I could determine it’s meanings. The Greek form of the words that became our English translation blew me away! I found 14 different Greek words that were in each case translated as the word “thought” in the King James Authorized Bible. To make it easy on both you and I for this article I will simply list a wide variety of the Greek meanings: perception, purpose, disposition, devise, intellect, conclude, determine, estimate, deem, regard, suppose, muse, reason, think, consider, dispute, reckon, deliberate, reflect, ponder, think, call in question, and to take inventory.

As we have thoughts that use or incorporate these Greek meanings it stands to reason that we use them in either a positive or negative way with out even being aware. Our feelings and emotions are going to get in on the words and thoughts that we are entertaining in our mind.

Here is what II Corinthians 10:5 Says, “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;”

The Amplified Bible says it this way, “refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),”
So as I see it, there is the true knowledge of God on one side and the counterfeit on the other; Light on one side darkness on the other; the authentic on the one side and the fake forged, phony, and imitation on the other. Let’s just say, “The Truth on one side and Lies and Deception on the other?”

If The Truth is from Heaven, then lies and deception are from Hell. Therefore it does not seem inaccurate to ask whether or not a particular thought or statement (based on the thought) is from Heaven or Hell. The first time I was asked that question for a statement I made, was when I was talking with Marjorie Cole. Ms. Cole is a teacher of God’s Word, a Christian counselor and also has a deliverance ministry. She only had to say it the first time for me to grasp the essence of her response to my statement—she asked me if that (my statement) was from Heaven or Hell. How utterly profound!

If I never learned anything else from her—learning the deep and insightful implication of this question was Revelation Knowledge to me. Try it, you’ll like it!

Take every thought captive and ask, “Is that from Heaven or Hell?” Shall we give it a try? A trial run? Ok, here we go. After each statement I make, answer the question—is it from Heaven or Hell?

1. I can’t find a job.
2. I can’t make enough to pay my bills.
3. I will never understand my wife.
4. The pastor really doesn’t, care about me.
5. I’m not very good around other people.
6. I think suicide might be better.
7. No matter what I just can’t win.
8. My dad told me I’d never make it in life.
9. I know I’m not very attractive.
10. I’m a Bozo, and should go work in a circus (just kidding).

Have you had enough already? I don’t need to make a positive list as I’m sure you get the point. But just start using this concept when you hear statements made by others, or even ask it of yourself when you make what may seem like a confounding statement. I not only believe you will find it helpful and refreshing, but if you begin to make a mental (or written) notation of your “It’s from Hell” list—you will be able to identify the strongholds and open doors that the devil is using to torment and injure you emotionally. If you continue to believe the lies and deceptions, your responses and behaviors will be harmful and sinful.

So, how do be break the devils hold on us in any one area? You have to replace the lie or deception with the truth. If you don’t find the truth on your own, ask for help. You cannot change any one but you, and you can’t change your life unless you change your behavior and your responses. You can’t change your behavior unless you change your belief system. God wants you to have the mind of Christ. If you do not have the mind of Christ on any given matter,

You Need To Change Your Mind!!!!