Pastor Fred reminds us that we are called to take captive every thought in 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NASB) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

But what exactly are we capturing???

SPECULATIONS: Demonic thoughts that start with WHAT IF...

ie. What if…God doesn’t provide…the washing machine/car/house breaks…we don’t have enough to cover/can’t afford...God doesn’t protect…I, kids, spouse gets hurt…a tornado, fire, famine, virus comes...I’m not who He says I am…God doesn’t love me like…I’m not good, strong, smart, fast enough...I cannot overcome my thought life, my sinful tendancies, habits, this obstacle, etc...I’m not close enough to God…I can’t hear His voice like…I don’t experience His presence like…I don’t work in the gifts like…

LOFTY THINGS: Demonic thoughts that says "Devil big….God little" about all of our situations...

ie. I will never overcome this addiction, habit, sin...Not even God can help me with this…I will never get out of debt, be free, able to fix this relationship, be healed, be loved, own a home…

THOUGHTS: Random Ideas (Impulses that go entirely counter to who we are and what we would normally do…)

ie. Drive your car into that tree...Hit that person...stab yourself with that knife...Go have an affair

These are not your thoughts. Truth: I am a new creation, these thoughts are counter to my new nature

When confronted by these thoughts the choice is to be Captured by the thoughts so that we cannot function effectively In Him, deflect the thoughts or Capture the thoughts.

To be Captured is to not know the truth or know the truth but choosing not to believe it. Either way it is Believing someone else’s/your own truth(lie) (false god). When we let thoughts capture us (when we choose to believe them) we cannot function effectively IN Christ. According to Romans 8 the fruit of our choices will be various forms of death and bondage.

To deflect thoughts involves knowing, believing, acting upon the truth just long enough not to get past a temptation, a situation, an interaction but remaining vulnerable to the same lie/attack over and over again. It keeps coming back and we cannot deflect consistently, therefore it often leads to discouragement and cycles of giving up, finding brief victory, giving up again, finding victory. Leads to a feeling of instability because we are sometimes believing the lies, and sometimes not. James 1:5-8 (NASB) 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. We have times of instability without being unstable…though they could be convince they are unstable from time to time.

Capturing the lie…involves knowing, believing, acting upon truth until the lie is captured and no long has a hold on you. If the lie comes back, you easily move past it. This is what is available functionally in Him.

Be encouraged as you listen to the entire message and Pastor Fred lays out the PROCESS for taking our thoughts captive!

"Ingredients for Success", by Senior Pastor Fred Garcia

ARC AudioBy Frederick Joseph GarciaMar 13, 2022