The other day, someone was telling me about coyotes running in their yard. He asked “Do you know how Coyotes prey upon dogs, especially small ones? They come in to your yard, playing with the dog, leading him further and further away from the safety of his master’s house, and then they pounce, kill and eat.” I never knew that! And this got me thinking about our own enemy. He doesn’t come as a big red man with a tail, pitchfork, goat hooves and horns, no he comes as something smaller, more benign, leading us away, playing with us, making us feel safe. We say “what’s the big deal,” and let things in that draw us further away from the safety of our master’s house, and that is where the enemy of our souls will strike.
There’s a verse in the Bible that tells us to take every thought captive (it’s found in the last part of 2 Corinthians 10:5). And why? Why should we take each and every thought captive? The answer is simple: every moment of every day is a battle. It’s a battle for a minds, which leads to a battle for our words, which leads to a battle for our actions, which leads to a battle for our souls. One preacher I listen to in a daily podcast says “fight the battle before the battle.” Think about it. The Enemy against us isn’t flesh and blood, but spiritual, which is why we’re told to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). The Enemy isn’t someone who wants to do us physical, financial, or even social harm, but the one who seeks to see our souls apart from their Maker for all eternity.
This is why the Scriptures warn us: don’t let the enemy even enter the gate, and the gateway is your mind. Paul writes (in Romans 12:1-2) that our Spiritual worship is to be living sacrifices, not conforming to the pattern of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds, that by testing, we may know the will of God. Don’t let the enemy past the threshold. Take every thought captive, because thoughts become words, and words become actions. The war for your soul begins there, and so our minds bust be transformed to reflect that of Christ’s mind-set. It’s why we’re to try and imitate Him, to have the same mindset as Him (Philippians 2:5-12). Loved ones, the war for our mind is real, it comes in benign ways, as seemingly harmless thoughts, actions, entertainments, but in the end, these exist to lull us in to a false sense of security, drawing us further and further away from our Maker. Put your armor on. Stand strong. Don’t even entertain the enemy one bit. Don’t let the enemy past the threshold, and fix your eyes on Jesus.
Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.
2 Corinthians 10:1-6
I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Philippians 2:1-11
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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