Every morning we are given a fresh new sheet of life to write upon. From the moment we rise to the moment we lay our heads back down; we are given choices as to how we are going to conduct ourselves. We do not have control over the actions of others, but we DO have control over our own actions, and this is where I find it is important to be prayed up mighty much.
We are in the middle of a spiritual war, and we have an enemy who studies us and knows how to “poke the bear in us.” Sometimes we are successful in taking our thoughts captive through prayer, other days not so much. I find that taking my thoughts captive is a consciousness effort that on some days is harder than others. Some days it feels as though I am exercising my spiritual muscles as I push through battles recognizing what the Word has already told me in Ephesians 6:12:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
We have an enemy who hates us and hates that he has lost us in this battle to God. He will try anything to war against us in his fury. He will throw every weapon he has in his arsenal to discourage us, make us feal defeated and hard pressed. But 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 tells us:
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 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.”
Whatever you are going through – you are not going through it alone. God sees you. He knows your heart and He sees the battle and will strengthen you by His Holy Spirit to endure. Our job is to bring every thought captive. Beyond our feelings, beyond our hurts, beyond our fear, even beyond everything we know to be ourselves. To take every thought captive and examine where it comes from. The enemy knows that the battle begins in our minds. Philippians 2:12 tells us:
“Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.”
This morning, as I was brushing my hair, my brush came to a tangle, and I had to work harder to get it to become undone. My hands were growing tired with the diligent work of getting rid of that tangle and Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, “sometimes we encounter battles that take more prayerful effort than others and we need to hold fast to our faith and pray it through – not giving up but giving it over to God. Some battles require fasting and deepening of prayer, but we are not to give up or give in but to press forward in Him.” As I continued to brush out that tangle it smoothed out. I was diligent in my efforts, even when it got harder, and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to work it out. I thanked Holy Spirit for the visual.
It made me think that sometimes the warfare around us can feel so thick that i feels like we are laboring against it. But when we recognize that it is as in Zechariah 4:6:
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”
This is when we cry out to the Father:
“Father, I praise Your Holy name and thank You that I can come before Your throne and bring my requests to You. Forgive me for my sins. If there be any evil within me, I pray that You would forgive me and remove it. Anything that is displeasing to You. I NEED YOU. Send forth help from on high. Send forth my warring angels to combat the forces of darkness around me. In Jesus name. Send forth help. In Jesus name. I plead the precious blood of Jesus over this situation, and I pray that YOU who have already one the victory will help me to walk forward IN that victory. In Jesus’ name by Your Spirit Father, combat those forces around me that would try and bring me down. In Jesus’ name. Bless me Father. Lift me on high and protect me. Shield me. Guide me. Be victorious in this situation. I thank You that Your Word tells me in that: “And greater is He that is in us than He that is within the world.” (1 John 4:4) That I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. Strengthen me Father. Help me Lord to submit ALL my thoughts before You. Tear down those that are not of You and help me to walk in the light. Thank You for giving me guidance in all that I go through. Thank You for being an ever-present help in times of trouble. The Lifter of my head. Victorious in You who have called me. Help me to capture every thought and bring them to you so that I can have the mind of Christ in ALL I do. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
We are to remember who we are in Christ. We are not alone; He is with us. He sees us. He knows. He has given us Holy Spirit to guide us. Bring EVERY thought captive, ask Holy Spirit to help you on this. It is hard when you are in the middle of warfare not to be led by your emotions but choose instead to be led by God. The battle is HIS it is not ours and He has ALREADY won the victory. Let us remember that, in Him “we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28.
As we go forward today, let’s remember who it is we belong to; let’s remember that “the steps of the righteous are ordered by God.” Let’s remember that He is with us, we are NOT alone. And most of all – let’s bring EVERY thought captive and go forward in Christ, who has called us by name. Let’s glorify Him. In Jesus name may it be so, Amen.
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