Some situations cause me to hear my mom or dad’s voice telling me what to do, as if they were with me. My husband and I have been married a long time, and we often finish each other’s sentences. Our thoughts come from a lot of different voices in our lives.  

Paul’s words to the Corinthians taught me to “think about” my thoughts and consider their source. I coined a phrase for my life after studying 2 Corinthians 10:5. I call some of my thoughts “God thoughts.” 

I try to pay careful attention to those thoughts that float across my mind for no particular reason. Those thoughts often lead me to pray, send a text or an email, or make a phone call or visit. Sometimes the God thoughts encourage my spirit, direct my choices, or convict me of a sin I need to confess. The Holy Spirit speaks into our thoughts when we expect him to, and our lives are richer when we listen. 

There are other times when my thoughts are filled with worry, anger, frustration, or self-doubt. Sometimes, those thoughts are arrogant, prideful, or judgmental. It's during those times that Paul’s words have come to mean the most. I have learned to think about those thoughts and ask, “Who would have authored those thoughts?” 

It's easy to know whether a thought or an opinion is a God thought. It's just as easy to know when we need to take a thought “captive” and make it “obey Christ.” When you can determine the author of the thought, you will know what to do with it. 

Would Jesus have said that? What is the result of the thought? Does that thought build up or tear down? Does that thought line up with the truth of Scripture or the partial truth of Satan himself? When we know the thought stands against the knowledge of God, we know that God would never have authored that thought. 

God speaks through his Holy Spirit, but Satan speaks into our thoughts as well. Take captive those thoughts and submit them to God. He will tell you what to think instead!  

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and take captive any thought that disagrees with the perfection of Scripture. Think about your thoughts and determine their source. Obedience to the message of 2 Corinthians 10:5 will change your life!