Nearly twenty years ago, I went to prison.
How’s that for an opening? 🙂
I hope I have your attention, but I promise it’s not click-bait. I really did go to a prison. It was around 2007, I believe. I was pastoring a church in Ohio, and apparently it was “Take Your Pastor to Work Day” :-). Yes, I know there’s no such day (at least I don’t think so), but one of the members of the church I was serving at the time was a corrections officer with the Ohio prison system. He invited me to come visit his place of work.
As I entered the building, the tall prison walls with the barbed wire along the time let me know this wasn’t an ordinary pastoral visit. Within minutes, I was through the reception area, through the metal detectors, and inside the compound. I got to interact with several inmates and corrections officers that day, as well as the prison chaplain. It was actually a wonderful experience.
But whenever I read or reflect on this verse…
“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.” (II Corinthians 10:5, KJV)
I think of my visit to that prison.
Paul originally wrote this in the context of spiritual warfare. The Corinthians were being influenced by false teachers, and Paul urged them to reject deceptive ideas that stood against the truth of Christ. The phrase “bringing into captivity every thought” is a military term, meaning to seize and control enemy forces. Paul is saying that every argument, philosophy, or idea must be examined under the light of Christ’s authority.
I believe Paul’s exhortation also can apply to our struggles with worry, fear, and anxiety.
Troubles are real, but our thoughts can become our worst enemy. Worry distorts reality and can add to our emotional and psychological burden. Fear and anxiety can, if we’re not careful, cloud out the voice of God in our lives–and actually draw us further away from Him.
But we are not powerless. The Bible tells us that in Christ, we can take every thought captive.
Captives — whether people found guilty of crimes or combatants taken as prisoners of war — are locked up. They are confined. They are restricted. The same can be done for our thoughts — our temptations, worries, and anxieties.
When your mind starts running and your worries start to overwhelm you…. start praying. And as you lay out your burdens before God in prayer, picture putting them in a prison cell.
Think of it like this: you’re putting them in confinement to await trial by the Judge. When the Judge hears their case, a determination can be made whether they are worthy of your attention or not. If so, then the Judge will give you instructions. If not, then back to the prison cell they go!
This applies to personal worries, political worries, professional worries, and relational worries. Whether we’re talking about your job, your paycheck, what you see on the news, what Donald Trump is doing, what Congress is doing, what Elon Musk is doing, whatever…
Take every thought captive to Christ.
Now, those thoughts won’t always go quietly. Sometimes, they’ll run. Sometimes, they’ll argue, fuss, or fight. Sometimes, even after you’ve confined them, they will yell and scream at you to let them out. But you’re not the judge. Christ is the Judge. You’re not taking them captive on a whim. You’re taking them captive so they answer to Christ.
Bottom Line
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t let your thoughts run wild. Take them captive. Bring your fears to Christ. Replace worry with His promises. Choose to focus on what is true, good, and eternal.
God doesn’t leave us to battle anxiety alone. Through His power, we can reclaim our minds and find peace—even in troubled times.
Thank you for Reading!
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