Holy, Healthy, Whole: Growing Fruits of the Spirit for Weight Loss and WellnessSample

Take Every Thought Captive

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

Every day that you live on earth, you are engaged in a spiritual battle. Satan, the enemy of God, does all in his power to lead you astray from your faith. One way the enemy attacks is by attempting to shift your thoughts away from God’s truth.

When 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to take every thought captive, it means you need to be in control of the thoughts that go on in your mind.

Because Jesus lives in you, you have dominion over your thought life. This comes not from your own doing but by the power of the Holy Spirit at work within you.

Taking every thought captive is especially important in the area of food, eating, and fitness.

When you change your thoughts, you change your feelings, which in turn changes your behavior. The thoughts you think create the way you feel.

Understanding this, you can recognize that when you change the way you think, you will change the way you feel. Changing the way you feel helps you change your behavior.

Reflection: In what ways can you take your thoughts about food, your body weight, and fitness captive to obey Christ?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, guide my thoughts so that I take every thought captive to obey Christ. Help me change my thinking about food so that I can change my feelings and then my behavior. I trust you to do this healing work in me. Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.