“Worry causes brain damage.” Those words struck deep when I heard them as I listened to a teaching from Dr. Caroline Leaf. Dr. Leaf is cognitive neuroscientist with a PhD in Communication Pathology specializing in Neuropsychology. Even more importantly, she loves Jesus and studying the way He created the human body, specifically the mind. Her professional study has shown the precision of God’s plan of mind renewal from a scientific perspective. (You can find one of her teachings here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_j7-vnTMr4).
The American Institute of Health estimates that 75 – 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems. Time magazine’s June 6, 1983 cover story called stress “The Epidemic of the Eighties” and referred to it as our leading health problem; there can be little doubt that the situation has progressively worsened since then. The enemy of our soul generously sows thought seeds of fear and worry. While the Bible clearly teaches us to “not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself” (Matthew 6:25-34), why do so many of us still struggle with fear, worry, and anxiety?
I believe that a key truth to our victory is found in Romans 12. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Paul exhorts us to have our thinking transformed through the renewal of our mind. Mind renewal comes through a variety of ways such as regular reading and meditating on the Word of God, dynamic and relational prayer, and taking thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Taking thoughts captive means we need to neutralize the enemy’s voice in our lives. How do we do that?
- Surface the enemy’s lies. We must expose the deceptions we have been believing about God, others and ourselves. We must surface every accusation that we have been believing. We must acknowledge the temptation he is putting before us in order to live victorious. In short, we must expose them for what they are. “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). A good question to start with is, what lies have I been believing?
- Expel the Enemy’s Voice. What we overtly or subtly agree with will control us. When we realize that we are in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6), and we surface the deceptions we have been believing, it is important now to disagree and expel them. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion…”, by disagreeing with the arguments we hear the enemy whispering into our spirits. To take something captive is not a passive concept…it is a deliberate act. Question: How deliberate have you been taking thoughts captive?
- Agree with God. We are all agreeing with many things right now if we realize it or not. Before Jesus was arrested, he told the disciples what was going to happen and that they all would betray him. Peter protested and the Bible tells us he “rebuked” Jesus. Jesus’ response to Peter was, “Get behind me, Satan!” It became abundantly clear that Peter was not in agreement with Jesus but had his mind on the things of man (Mark 8:32-33). After Jesus’ resurrection and a fish barbeque on the beach of the Sea of Gailiee, Jesus pulls Peter aside and asks him three different times if he loved him. I believe this was a defining time of Peter coming into agreement with Jesus.
What we agree with will have control in our lives, good or bad. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us, “The Lord is singing over you with gladness; quieting you by his love; exulting over you with loud singing.” Jesus has the sure word over you. Take some time today to hear what He is saying over you. Revisit the words He has spoken over your life previously. Read the Word and hear the amazing truths He speaks over you today. Then, HOLD FIRM IN AGREEMENT TO THEM!
Romans 8:37 (AMP) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us].
