The Tangle - Taking Thoughts Captive
Hi Friends,
God is Good! We are blessed to know him. He makes himself known, to those who love him, who call upon him, for he is faithful! This morning as I was praying, I received what I believe has been the best vision of all. I saw the numbers: 1 1 1 There is only one interpretation to this. It is God himself. The three ones, represent God as he is, a Trinity, a triune God. He is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! He is the Great I AM. He is the creator, the provider, the healer, the deliverer. He is our salvation, our hope, our song, our joy and our delight.
God is everything that is noble, pure and praiseworthy. He is light, and in him, there is no darkness. He is the way the truth and the life. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the bright morning star. He is the Prince of Peace, He is Faithful and True. Holy is his Name. He is the Name that is above every name, and at the Name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. He is Lord over all!
I am in awe of his greatness and his mercy,
“Surely goodness and mercy shall will follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!” Psalm 23:6
After receiving this first vision, I was sitting alone with God, acknowledging all that he is to me, when I received this next vision:
Nail Clippers
I saw nail clippers in the air, come to a hand and clip off a corner of one nail. The clipper made its correction and the nail became perfectly rounded. There were no hands holding the clipper. It was just one tiny effortless snip. I believe that God is showing us that he is still molding us and shaping us into his image. He loves us and corrects us. He is gentle. He wants us to be perfect. “Be holy for I am holy.”
“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Leviticus 11:45
The Lord said that he will never leave us nor forsake us. He gives us his Holy Spirit, so we can be holy, so that we can become the righteousness of Christ. He gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can overcome the obstacles that hinder our faith.
The Tangle
In this vision, I saw thread from a spool, in a tangled mess, wrapped around a sewing machine power cord. I did not see a foot pedal, so I don’t know if it was a split cable that powers both the machine and the foot pedal or whether is was a single cord for the machine alone.
The power cord of course runs the machine. The foot pedal provides the control for speed and stopping and starting, just like the gas and brake pedals on a car. But neither of these units can be used if they are all in a tangled mess.
Thread is normally placed onto a bobbin below the throat plate, and a spool of thread above which passes through the needle. These two threads intertwine to join fabric pieces together in a sewn seam. But if either thread, on the bobbin or on the spool, is not put away properly, it can become unwound and make a tangled mess. This wastes thread, and wastes time trying to undo the tangle.
I believe that our thoughts are like a thread that serves a useful purpose. However, if our thoughts are not managed well, we can lose control. Our thoughts can turn into fear making us worry or feel overwhelmed. Bad, negative thoughts can lead to depression, anxiety and fear. Some people become petrified, frozen, or unable to act. Rather than having thoughts that are healthy, productive, and useful, having negative thoughts can become tormenting. Some people become easily unwound and blow up emotionally. Their relationships become a snarled mess, and they do not know how to get free.
In the vision, the thread became wound around the power cables, tying them up. In this case the fastest way to de-tangle the thread and the cables is to cut the thread in several places and just pull them apart. The thread is just tossed in the trash and the cables are then free to be used.
People are similarly bound when they commit sin, refuse to repent, refuse to forgive, or just give way to fearful thoughts. Sin opens the door to demonic activity, oppression, possession and bondage. People who are bound can be tormented by the thoughts that come not from their own minds, but from the wicked one. That is why it is so important to confess our sins one to another, so that the devil is given no place, or has no hold on us. It is also imperative to take every thought captive, so that we do not open a door to the wicked one, or entertain thoughts that lead to bondage.
Jesus made it perfectly clear that for a man to lust after a woman was to commit adultery in his heart. Our thoughts are where sin begins. To covet something that someone else has, is sin, but it can lead to even greater greater sin. Coveting can lead to stealing or as in King David’s mind, it led to murder. He coveted another man’s wife, and so to get rid of this man, he had him sent to the front lines in a battle. Then as was anticipated, the man died and David took the man’s wife for himself. And it all began with lustful thoughts that were not taken captive.
“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
The mind is called the devil’s playground, because he plays mischief with our thoughts. The mind is where we entertain ideas, think, make plans, designs and judgments. If we do not discipline ourselves in our thought life, we can allow the devil to entice us to engage in harmful thinking. Bad thoughts corrupt our consciences. If our consciences are no longer working, we do not have the need to justify our sin, and we lose our desire for God.
The devil is called the great deceiver. Jesus called him the father of lies. He confronted the Pharisees, having aligned themselves not with God but with the devil.
“Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:42-44
We are to take every thought captive, and to not entertain lies, and evil thoughts. In order to know the truth, we have to spend time with the one who is called “The Truth,” that is Jesus.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6
And to know the truth, we to read the Word of God, and to spend time with the one who is called “the Word.”
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:14
We transform and renew our minds with the Word of God.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
It is Christ that makes us holy. It is his word that transforms our minds. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals the truth. So let us walk in holiness, and take all the lies, and the negative thoughts captive in the name of Jesus, and send them back to hell from which they came.
In addition, we not only take the negative thoughts captive, but we contemplate what is good.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
Just about a week ago, the Lord told me to stop watching television. And I believe that it is for this very reason. The Lord want us to control our thoughts by what enters our eye gates and our ear gates. If we spend our “free time,” with a steady diet of bad news, and fearful concerns, then our minds become focused on the negative. These negative thoughts can rob us of our peace and our sleep at night.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3
if we look at the problems instead of focusing on the Lord who is the answer, then we lose the peace that we would otherwise have. When we keep the Lord and his will and his ways in mind, he will keep us in that place of peace.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
We will not fret or worry for we know that the Lord has good intentions for us, and that everything that happens, whether it be a trial or difficulty, the Lord will have his way, and we will glorify him in that trial. God is good and he will provide what we need. Hallelujah!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
We need to trust God for all the things that concern us: for the outcome of our elections, for our children and our grandchildren’s salvation, for our loved one’s health, for a new job, or for a car that is reliable. Whatever the need, we must be willing to waiting upon him. And again this is an area that takes discipline in our thought life. Worry undermines faith. We need to take those worrisome thoughts captive and get in the word of God to build up our most holy faith.
Let us manage our thoughts so as not to succumb to fear, doubt and unbelief. How can we expect a miracle, if our innermost thoughts are full of doubt?
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. He should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man and unstable in all he does.” James 1:6-8
There is much to be done in the kingdom of God, so it is important that we take captive the thoughts and lies that produce fears, worries, and doubts. And think on things that are pure and noble. We need to be disciplined in our thoughts for the days are wicked. Deception is all around us, the election is coming up, and it has been fraught with lies, corruption and outright evil. And now we are entering one of the darkest seasons of the year: Halloween. It is time to deal with darkness, to expose things hidden in darkness to the light. It is time to pray in earnest for our children and grandchildren to whom we will pass on the baton. We want to leave our children with a nation that is in right standing with God. We want our children and grandchildren to be able to speak their minds, to declare in public, “In God we trust!”
We want our grand children to know freedom, to have the right to worship, and to assemble, to have the right to raise our children free of the indoctrination of harmful humanistic, and perverted views. We want our children to know that everyone regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation will be treated equally under the law. We want to pass onto our grandchildren a nation where laws are respected and enforced, and where peace and safety prevail. We want to pass onto them a nation where the innocent are protected, and where God is feared.
It is time for us to believe God for a revival across our nation and across the world. It is time to return to God and his moral standards. We want our laws to reflect God’s goodness, and his righteousness. Our nation’s laws need to change.
Please keep California in your prayers for they have just passed a bill that allows for the killing of newborn infants up to 28 days after birth! This is murder. It is an abomination to God and something that needs to be brought down. Please pray for the fear of God to be established in all our people, and the spirit of rebellion to be cast down in the name of Jesus!
Thanks for reading. Please share this post with others that need to know, and will appreciate the message. God bless you and your family.
