Capture Your Thoughts
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or to be used for a sermon group discussion. CLICK HERE to find a discussion group. Enjoy!
Sermon Title: Capture Your Thoughts (Make them Obedient to Christ)
Main Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Philippians 4:6-9
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
Last week, Pastor Ryan spoke about the big, overwhelming battles we are facing in our world, even those that can get close to home. This week, Pastor Ryan got even more personal. We learned how to battle the invasive thoughts of sin and anxiety that wage war in our minds. Romans 12:2 teaches us that our minds can be renewed or renovated as we seek God. We learned through the book of Psalms that our thoughts matter to God. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 taught us that we can even capture our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. Pastor Ryan gave us an example of what it may look like to confront and capture a sinful thought to make it obedient to Christ. We also learned how to capture anxious thoughts from Philippians 4:6-7. Lastly, Pastor Ryan encouraged us to feed our minds with things that are pure, holy, and righteous. These virtues are found in God, His Spirit, and His Word. Overall, we learned that our thoughts matter to God and He cares what we are battling in our minds. God’s desire is that we live with purity and peace of mind!
Notes:
The Bible talks about our minds and thoughts a lot because they are an important part of our whole being and worship of God.
Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 139:2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
What we think, often shapes what we believe, what we believe, often determines how we behave.
God cares about our thoughts.
The Battlefield of the Mind
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NLT
3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIRV
3 I do live in the world. But I don’t fight my battles the way the people of the world do. 4 The weapons I fight with are not the weapons the world uses. In fact, it is just the opposite. My weapons have the power of God to destroy the camps of the enemy. 5 I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God. I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ.
The context of this scripture is Paul confronting false teachers and those who wish to undermine not only his ministry but the truth of the gospel of Jesus. Paul’s war is fought not with physical weapons, but spiritual ones, like the truth of God’s Word. The strongholds are referring to human, carnal reasoning like philosophy, lies, and arguments becoming obstacles that stop people from knowing God. Paul was saying they go to the root of the issue, changing hearts and minds by capturing these thoughts and teaching them to obey Christ. Paul’s scope of teaching here isn’t just addressing thoughts, and leaving hearts unchanged; but renovating the heart of man through salvation, which results in people having the minds of Christ.
There’s a broader principle to this scripture for application to our thought life.
Paul says “every thought.” That can be thoughts of sin, like lust, hate, and greed. Thoughts of bitterness, fear, or despair. Thoughts of lies such as, “you’re not loved by God, you’re a failure, you are too messed up to fix, you’ll never change, you’ll always be this way so get used to it.” I’m sorry if that stirred up anything in your life today but this is real life for people. I have good news for you...
We are not helpless and defenseless to all the invasive and intrusive thoughts that come into our minds.
Even our thoughts are to obey and submit to the Lordship of Christ.
The truth of Christ helps us fight for our peace and purity of mind.
We are not captives, in this case, we capture! Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!
All thoughts, those not pleasing to God or hurtful to our peace can be captured and corrected by the truth of God’s Word.
How do you take a sinful thought captive and make it obedient to Christ? Here’s an example:
“God, I’m not sure why that popped into my head or God I am responsible for that thought. I’ve filled my mind with things I shouldn’t have. The hurtful thought towards that person is not of you, it’s not acceptable to you. My bitterness and hurt is something I need to deal with. I give this offense to you right now. Your word says to bear with each other’s faults, to forgive and be patient with one another. I choose to let it go. I choose to not let it occupy and form a stronghold in my heart and mind. I remember all the times you have been merciful to me and I don’t deserve it. I ask that you minister to that person’s heart in whatever way is needed. I don’t know what they are going through and I pray there will be peace between us, moving forward, amen.”
How do you take an anxious thought captive and make it obedient to Christ? Philippians 4:6-7 gives a great process…
Philippians 4:6-7
This scripture tells us that God cares about your peace of mind.
Look at the process, very similar to what we learned last week: Take your worry to God in prayer, focus on thanking God for all He does. Then you will experience God's peace.
God already inhabits his people because His Spirit lives in us. Praise and thanksgiving simply remind us that God is present. That’s how God inhabits the praises of his people.
Include v. 4 in this process: Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, Rejoice!
Philippians 4:8-9
We need to be mindful of what we deposit in our hearts and minds.
We store God’s Word and truth in our hearts so they can dominate our thoughts.
Scripture stored in our hearts is useful when we need to capture and correct sinful and fearful thoughts.
Takeaways:
What we think, often shapes what we believe, what we believe, often determines how we behave.
God cares about our thoughts.
Even our thoughts are to obey and submit to the Lordship of Christ.
The truth of Christ helps us fight for our peace and purity of mind.
Take your worry to God in prayer, focus on thanking God for all He does. Then you will experience God's peace.
We need to be mindful of what we deposit in our hearts and minds.
We store God’s Word and truth in our hearts so they can dominate our thoughts.
God cares if your thoughts are causing you to suffer or causing you to sin.
Surrender sinful thoughts to the truth of God’s Word.
Surrender anxious thoughts to God in prayer and thanksgiving.
Remember that God occupies your life through the Holy Spirit and He is the source of everlasting courage, peace, and joy.
Discussion:
What scripture verse did you find helpful today and why?
What was one big takeaway for you from today’s message?
What did you sense the Holy Spirit was saying to you during this message?
In what way will you apply this message this week?
How can we pray for your thought life?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed we encourage you to say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I see my sin and how wrong it is. I see how without Jesus I’m lost. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me from my sin, my past, this world, and your judgment. I repent, I turn away from that life and I put my faith and life in Jesus! Amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!