Don't Believe Everything You Think

When 2nd Corinthians 10:5 says to "take every thought captive" it really means it. Don't believe everything you think. Many Christians debate whether Satan has the ability to enter our minds, control our minds, or read our minds. I don't wish to get into any of those debates here, but one thing is certain... Satan does have the ability from outside of our mind, to place unwanted thoughts into our mind. This isn't a theory, it's Scriptural. Paul called these unwanted thoughts, "fiery darts" in Ephesians 6:16 and plainly identified the source of those attacks to be from "The Wicked One". We're not talking about mind-control, this is more subtle. The tools Satan uses to place unwanted thoughts into our mind are often emotional. Unwanted feelings will generate unwanted thoughts. All of the defenses listed in The Armor of God are defenses against unwanted emotions such as doubt, guilt, anxiety, disbelief, confusion, low self-esteem, etc... From those unwanted emotions come unwanted thoughts which is why Paul calls them, "fiery darts from the wicked one." Despite Biblical evidence from Genesis to Revelation of Satanic bombardment upon the human mind, many Christians don't believe Satan can place thoughts into our minds. But he does it all the time and I can prove it to you. How many of you have ever gone somewhere alone with a Bible to pray, got away from all the noises and distractions, started praying a selfless, God-centered prayer and then out of nowhere, all of a sudden, you find yourself thinking some twisted, evil, wicked thought while right in the middle of trying to talk to God? In the communications sciences, that's known as hostile interference or hostile jamming. The last thing Satan wants is a Christian praying. Well, if that can happen while you're praying, then it can happen anywhere, under any circumstances, at any given time. It's a subtle tactic of disinformation from the enemy that's camouflaged as our own thoughts. Once we've become sensitive to Satan's tactics, then he resorts to using our friends and family. Privately, we may have taken some unwanted thought captive before a loved one releases it again with a statement of doubt or criticism. A song on the radio might unlock a once captive thought. Satan knows that we'll believe our own thoughts before we believe his, so we often get Satan's lies disguised as our own thoughts. This is why Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 10:5 to take every thought captive and lead it into the obedience of Christ, because if you don't take your thoughts captive, then your thoughts may take you captive. Don't believe everything you think. Those aren't always your thoughts.