What on earth does it mean to destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God and how do we capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ?

Let’s look deeper into the meanings of these words. Turning to the Amplified Bible, where the concept of the ancient words is translated instead of just replacing one Hebrew or Greek word with an English word, we see:

We refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ.

This all starts in our own minds. We hear and see arguments against God and against Christ. We see people follow those arguments and miss their opportunity to know God through His Son. It’s up to us to help remove those arguments – obstacles – to people knowing Jesus as the Way to God the Father.

But Faye… I don’t like to argue. I’m not that smart in the Bible. I…. I just can’t.

Dear One, I understand, but God, through Paul, said to do it, so… yeah, you can. You don’t have to be an expert in apologetics. You don’t have to know Calvinism vs. Arminianism. You don’t have to understand Greek or Hebrew. All you have to do is dive into the Word and let it change you, mature you, grow you into the person God died for you to be. Then, keep your answer for how that happened – your salvation change – handy for when people ask about this all-new you.

I mean, you can tell about the trip to the hair stylist who changed the way you look, right? Why not share about the One who changed the whole trajectory of your life? Same difference. Same. Difference.

And taking thoughts captive? What mind protection this is! When we hear the arguments, the arrogant thrusts against our God, we must not let them into our minds. We must grab those things and show them the Truth of Jesus.

If you must, imagine yourself grabbing that thought by the throat and shoving its ugliness into the Word where it says that God is one, that Jesus is the Way, Truth, and Life and that no one goes to the Father except through Him. Look that thought in the eye and tell it what God has done for you, then chunk it into the nearest landfill and see it crushed.

Of course, that means you must know the Truth so that you’ll recognize the lies and half-truths.

There you go. It’s time to dive into the Word, not just brush our fingers across the surface. It’s time to pray before we read and ask God to reveal Himself to us. It’s time to ask Him to show us the things we need to change. It’s time we make those changes.

Are you ready?

Coffee, Bible, Journal.