Just as we lock our doors and declare “No Admittance” to intruders, be vigilant about discerning where your thoughts come from. Take thoughts captive! Bar the door of minds and hearts against thoughts inconsistent with God’s truth.

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A few years ago, in the dark of night, security called to warn that an intruder had entered our premises. I remained calm and fully expecting to hear it was a false alarm. When the phone rang a second time to alert me that police were on their way, the potential for harm and for loss became very real.

My mind became as thick as cotton, making it difficult to formulate clear thoughts. My hands, clammy from perspiration, failed to hold the glass I had been drinking from. My stomach was acutely aware of the boulder that had quickly taken up residence. My feet held frozen to the floor, unable to move as I processed the dispatcher’s words.

Being burglarized does something to your sense of safety and security. It opens up the memory vault of every time you felt lost, abandoned, rejected, insecure, alone, and afraid. When someone forces themselves into your personal sanctuary and takes what is not theirs, the missing material goods are the least of the fall-out. They also steal your peace, kill your joy, and destroy your sense of safety.

From that night, I more self-consciously looked around me as I stood at my door unlocking it, always briefly wondering upon entering what I would find that didn’t belong, or what would be taken that was rightfully mine. I remained hyper-vigilant of where I was in relation to my surroundings…who was there as I unlocked my car at the end of the day? Who watched me come and go as I left work? How much could be seen from outside into my windows?

When we give access to a thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy

In the days and weeks that followed, I thought about how easily we regularly hand over our security without any thought.

Scripture warns, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Ephesians 6:12 explains, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Every day a thief comes in to steal, kill, and destroy from us, and he does so through the access we give him. We hand him the keys to the door of our thoughts. He causes us to think things that are not consistent with what God says in the truth of His Word: thoughts that bring on worry, fear, anxiety, bitterness, resentment, accusation, anger, jealousy, envy, rage, and more.

Scripture tells us to take captive EVERY thought and bring it into obedience with Christ Jesus. Basically, to determine what we will think and make sure it is consistent with God says. Yet how often do we allow the enemy free reign in our thoughts?!

When we are not vigilant about reflecting on those thoughts and either savoring those that are consistent with God’s truth, or rejecting the lies from the enemy, we hand over the keys to our peace, joy, confidence, and security.

Just as we never invited that thief in to burglarize our property, we should no more allow the thief to come in to our thoughts, take up residence in our mind, and steal our peace and joy.

Just as we lock our locks, we look out the window before opening the door to a stranger, and we ask “who is it?” Before answering, we need to be vigilant about paying attention to where our thoughts are coming from and not opening the door of our mind and our hearts to those that are not consistent with God’s truth.

“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.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

“Look to the Lord and His strength; Seek His face always.” (Psalm 105:4)

For example:

Take Your Thoughts Captive with these 6 Verses

When I think “I am afraid,” refute it with the truth of 2 Timothy 1:7 which says “I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”

When I think, “I can’t do it,” remember that according to Philippians 4:13, “You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.”

When I don’t think I am smart enough to handle a situation or task, God has instead declared in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that He will give us wisdom.

When faced with a situation and I think, “It’s impossible,” instead I must remember that according to Luke 18:27 that “All things are possible.”

When I feel weak and think that I cannot go on, I must replace that with the truth in 2 Corinthians 12:9 which affirms that His grace is sufficient for me.

When I think that I’m incapable of figuring something out, instead of feeling pressure, I can simply remember that in Proverbs 3:5-6, He promises to direct my steps.

Scripture: a weapon that keeps us in perfect peace

These truths, and so many more in Scripture, are like the deadbolts of our minds and hearts that will keep us in perfect peace when the enemy attempts his assault to steal, kill, and destroy. We have the weapons to declare, “No Admittance” and hold on to our safety and security in the Lord.

Even when the thief attempts his attack, we can keep our peace because Exodus 14:13-14 declares, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today… The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

Declare that your abode is off-limits to the enemy today.

Because of Him, #PeacePrevails!