Captive

Take every thought captive. 

How many times does stinkin thinkin come to your mind and tries hard to make it its home?  Negative thoughts about yourself or your mate, or your children, or your life, or even the world? 

2 Corinthians 2:10 talks about our warfare.  Yes we have a war that rages in our thoughts, sometimes we can take it captive and sometimes it may just go on it's own and that, my friend, causes anxiety and fear.  "³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."

We are captured at times by our thoughts, sometimes those negative thoughts are so destructive and so ridden with negativeness that they can destroy our perception of our own world.  We repeat those negative things over and over and over again until we really believe they are true. 

I am not a negative person, I try hard to capture those thoughts of unbelief before they become an unending cycle of disobedience. 

2 Corinthians 10 has a lot to say about this, lets look at the rest of this passage.


Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s.^{[a] 8} For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us^[b] for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed— ⁹ lest I seem to terrify you by letters. ¹⁰ “For his letters,” they say, “are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present.

Limits of Paul’s Authority

¹² For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. ¹³ We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. ¹⁴ For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you), for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ; ¹⁵ not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, ¹⁶ to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s sphere of accomplishment.

So, what thoughts do you have that try to run rampant in your mind? 

Okay for two days, try hard to pray over your head, your mind, by putting your hand on your hand and praying this:
Dear Lord, I am still struggling with anxiety. I worry often about everything and anything, so much which is not even in my control. Please help me! I pray that your peace will calm my heart and my mind.  Calm my mind with your love, show me all that you have for me at this time.  Lord, captivate me, show me your love. Please do not let anxiety hold me captive. I pray against anxiety, worry, and fear. You are my King and I will serve you! I trust you Lord. I feel burdened, as if so much is coming against me from all different directions. Thank you for being my refuge. Thank you for reminding me that you are my source of strength. I pray for today. I pray for my husband and I pray for me. May you go before us, leading us as you desire  I need you right now.  I bind the devil off my thoughts, off my mind, off my heart, off every single cell of me.  I bind you devil by the Blood of Jesus, by every stripe of the lashings He took for me.  Lord, forgive me for allowing these crazy thoughts that try to take me captive.  I purpose and choose to forgive myself for every thought that enters and I speak forth your grace and your mercy, your love. I cast all anxiety and worry to hell where it belongs!  You have forgiven me and I have forgiven myself.  In Jesus's Mighty Name Amen.

Proverbs 12:5

The thoughts of the righteous are right, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.

 

Proverbs 15:26

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, But the words of the pure are pleasant.

 

Proverbs 16:3

Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.

 

"SHAKE THE DUST OFF YOUR FEET Shake the dust off your feet and get ready to run. Take every thought captive, and no matter how your body feels; no matter how your circumstances look, don’t let go of My word. STAND. Stand firm on My word, call those things that be not as though they were and continue to press your way. Claim your breakthrough as you press your way towards the vision set before you." taken from pinterest.

 I love this Psalm 139, it's a great prayer using God's Word to get you through.  So when you speak those terrible, non-captive thoughts, remember these words, Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely Lord. 

So, do you think God likes knowing that the person He created in His image, worries, thinks negative about themselves, has fear or great fear, is the person He created you to be?  I struggle with one thought that continues to plague me, but I have to remember this as well.  The Lord created me in His Image, ME!  Now, when I think about this, how it amazes me to know that He Loves the person He created.  He created YOU too!  Take those negative thoughts captive! 

You are more than what you believe!  You are God's creation! 

You can get through and rid of your anxiety, it isn't always medicine that will take it away, that can be a mask but deep within, there needs to be forgiveness.  Forgiveness of your hurts, others who have hurt or attacked you, others who have trespassed against you.  You have to let it go and let God take it for you.  When you have pain in a memory, it has not been forgiven.  If you say "I will never forget", you have not truly forgiven either.  Pain in the memory says it's still important to let go and forgive.  Even if you were not the offender, forgiveness is for you and not for them.  I am not saying medicine is bad, but sometimes the root is deeper than the medicine can fix.  Read on about a Doctor who talks about forgiveness and it's effect.

This is from our own blog 3/12/11

It seems that fear and anxiety attacks are common and allow our bodies to become major testing labs for the medical professions.  I don't despise Dr's, but I believe that there is always a pinpoint to our illness or diagnosis.  It has started somewhere in our bodies for some reason we didn't know about.

One of these starters are fear and anxiety.  They cause so many problems in our bodies. 

 

Here's just a short list, but the list is so much longer: 

 

Acid Reflux

Resting Tremor

Phobias come from this too! 

Kidney stones are caused by self-bitterness, self rejection, fear and anxiety. 

PTSD is also caused because of fear and anxiety, guilt, worry, depression, self-hatred, trauma and shame. 

PMS does too but it has some other stuff with it too, conflict, fear of abandonment, depression, self-bitterness, anger and guilt. 

Memory loss can be caused by fear and anxiety too! 

Also insomnia! 

Tension Headaches

Migraines too!

Our bodies are incredible and they really only break down when we haven't taken care of the issues at hand.  Anything that produces adrenaline causes our bodies to break down.  Exercise produces this too but it is in a healthier way because it takes everything in your body to work.

For some people, it's the fear and anxiety itself that causes the whole problem! 

Isn't the devil sneaky?  He gets you to believe that this bad stuff takes meds to get rid of it.  I am not against meds, but I am for finding the pinpoint to the entry of the problem.  I don't believe meds are always the answers.  God created our bodies to run like well oiled machines and to do so is to find the answers to the problems.  

Let me share with you first, I have had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for 25 years!  When we began to pinpoint this for answers to it, we found that it is caused by anxiety, fear, unforgiveness, bitterness, trauma, and depression.

I had bitterness, but I didn't know it until the Holy Spirit showed me.  Then it broke whatever bits of depression I had which seemed to rear it's ugly head at inopportune times! So, I have worked on taking this off my list of ailments!  I have not had an episode in months. I claim that this is Holy Ground and the devil can't mess with Holy Ground!  I don't have fear and anxiety ever, and bitterness well that has been forgiven.  Trauma, yeah and depression- not really.

So, here we are, we are going to pray these prayers aloud, the devil has to hear you cast him on his tail and run like a crazy!  However, you may have to face other things in your life as well to keep him running away not toward you.

                                           Fear Prayer

  Beginning prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, we give you permission to try our hearts for any wicked way (pain or grief) and we covenant with you that when you reveal a wicked way (pain or grief) we will deal with it in forgiveness and repentance.  We set aside this time for you and ask the Holy Spirit to be in charge and In the Name of Jesus we bind all evil spirits and command them not to interfere.  Amen.

Repentance Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, In the name of Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for (specific fear).  I repent for not trusting you in this area of my life. 

I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from (come out of agreement with) (same as fear above). In the name of Jesus, I cancel all of Satan's power and authority over me in this fear in my life and in all my generations, because God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself. 

Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart, and tell me your truth about this situation.

(Remember, you will need to be still and know that He is God and listen to the Holy Spirit and write down what is said, seen, felt, or breathed on you.)

You may have to do this prayer for whatever fears you have, listing them singly so you can pinpoint the problem. 

When you have completed these prayers, don't quit, your almost done. 

After you have prayed through all known fear, close this ministry in fear with this prayer.

Closing Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus, I ask you to forgive me for any and all fear.  I purpose and choose to forgive myself and release myself from all fear.

In the name of Jesus, I cancel all Satan's power and authority over me in any and all fear in my life and in my generations.  God has forgiven me and I have forgiven myself.  It is done and over with.  In the name of Jesus, I command the principality of fear and all of its armor to leave me now.

Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart, and tell me your truth. Amen.

Don't forget to write down what He says to you.

Hope this helps break some strongholds in your life and you get your life back on track! 

This is 5 years later and I no longer have IBS, it's been healed.  I believe it's because I have prayed these prayers over it and released the toxins of unforgiveness.   I used to have such severe headaches and those are none existent now.  I just prayed this prayer again for that nagging thought that comes around. 

I have forgiven much and He has loved me much.  There are memories that I chose to forgive and have forgotten the pain with them.  I still have a few to work on but for the most part, gone.

Isn't He amazing!

What is a Vow?  We aren't talking wedding vows, but what is a vow, do you know? 

I am using the "Green Book- Wellspring School of Ministry, the Wellspring model.  How to Minister Workbook.  By Art and Patti Mathias

Have you ever said:  "I will never let a man (or woman) ever hurt me again?"
Or, "I will never put myself in that position again." "I can't trust anybody." "Nobody can do it right but me." "I will never be like my mother (or father)." "I will never be like that." "I will never share what I really feel, it is not safe."

Many men say this ab out their mothers, and then it transfers to their wives.  "Men (women) never do it right." "Don't share", etc.

Proverbs teaches us that as we think in our hearts, so we become (Proverbs 23:7a).  If we make these "vows", or statements, they are waiting to be fulfilled, and Satan will make sure they happen.  Many of these vows were said as children, yet they affect our lives as adults.  If you have ever made such statements, it is now time to go before the LORD, and repent and break the power of the curse that was placed on your life.

                                        
                                       Suggested Prayer

Heavenly Father, in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, and as an act of my free will.  I confess, repent, and renounce the vow of (specific words) in my life and in all my generations, clean back to Adam.


I ask you, LORD, to forgive me and all my family members and all my past and future generations for involvement in this vow.  I release myself from the curse of this vow. 


In the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, and by the power of His blood, I cancel all of Satan's power and authority over me because of the vow of (specific words).


Holy Spirit, heal my heart and cleanse me from the effects of this vow.  Please speak your words of truth to me.

The following is a list of typical vows:  (condensed)

• I don't matter
• I'm not good enough
• What the use in trying? I'll never be good enough.
• I am an outcast.
• It's too complicated.
• I can't do it.
• I'll just suck it up and go on. 
• I'll just pretend it doesn't hurt and go on.
• Nobody will believe me.
• No one will hear my heart, or listen to me, or validate me, or acknowledge me.
• Emotions don't matter.
• It's my fault.
• I'm worthless.
• I'd better be perfect.
• Everyone else gets what he or she wants.  I never get what I want.  When is it going to be my turn.
• I'm defective.
• I don't have time for emotions.
• I'm a victim.
• I am unclean.
• Men have to be tough, or strong.
• You can't teach an old dog new tricks.
• I'll always find a way out; I will survive.
• I have to be good.
• I have bad blood.
• I'm going to carry my cross and the thorn in my flesh.
• I'm depressed.
• It's so hard.
• What's wrong with me, I just can't get my life together.

This list is so much longer, but I hope you get the point.  When we speak words over ourselves, they may come to fruition. 

When we give a foothold to the devil, he takes advantage of us because we have allowed it. 

Steve and I have been working though this and have found that our bodies are being healed as we let go. 

There is so much more we will talk/teach about another day.  Today, I would love it if you asked the Holy Spirit to show you and tell you where you have made those vows.  Sometimes it takes just a quiet moment to bring up something that caused a hurt. 

Let me share with you what happened one night.  Steve and I are talking in bed, this is very usual for us. 

The Holy Spirit reminded me of running hard.  I looked and there were two girls behind me.  Those two girls spent about 3 years tormenting me, chasing me home and if I stopped they beat me up!  One day, a knock on the door and it was one of the girls who told my mom that I said she could use my roller skates.  I didn't.  I was beat up again.  It wasn't until we moved out to our new country home that it all ended.  I forgave this girl and the other one and forgave myself for holding on to all that yuk. 
I thought I had let it go, but I remembered how scared I was and that's what brought it forward. 
There are many more for another time.

For today, work on shining the light into the dark places.  Next time we will cover a few new things.  Our hope is you grow and let go and shine that light into the dark places so you can shine your light before men and you radiate with His Love all over you.  ZERO Debts!Another writing from 3/11

We found this article from Cancer Fighters Thrive Magazine Winter 2011!  It confirms what we with the help of Art Mathias - Biblical Foundations of Freedom book teaches! 

 

To Forgive Is Divine

 

A CANCER DIAGNOSIS

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the pastoral care team has added one more treatment option to the mix: forgiveness. What does forgiveness have to do with cancer and its treatment? According to new research, a lot.

Forgiveness and the Immune System

It turns out that time does not heal all wounds. In fact, research indicates that individuals who harbor resentment and ruminate on past wounds trigger a physiological stress response in the body. Over time this chronic stress—and the consequent flood of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol—has a dramatic impact on the immune system. Put simply, anger and hatred eat away at us from the inside.

The link between stress and illness is still emerging. Researchers understand that there is a connection between the two, even if they have not yet been able to quantify this link. Still, sometimes a connection is enough to warrant caution (as evidenced by the link between smoking and lung cancer).

Unforgiveness —defined as being unable or unwilling to forgive—creates chronic stress and anxiety that isn’t helping the immune system and just might be hurting it. In fact, harboring anger or unforgiveness has been compared to drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. is an overwhelming introduction into the world of medical terminology and treatment options. While you’re still trying to decipher the complex language of your pathology report, you’re suddenly faced with big treatment decisions. You may choose to undergo surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and any number of other treatment options.

Defining Forgiveness

Most people confuse the terms forgiveness and reconciliation, but they are not the same. Forgiveness refers to the cancellation of a debt or an offense. People who experience forgiveness have a sense of peaceful indifference toward a situation or person that formerly triggered an emotional response. Forgiveness requires only one person; you can experience forgiveness without reconciliation, but not vice versa.

Reverend Michael Barry, DMin, director of pastoral care at CTCA in Philadelphia, has been studying the link between forgiveness and cancer for years. His new book, The Forgiveness Project: The Startling Discovery of How to Overcome Cancer, Find Health, and Achieve Peace, is the culmination of years of research and experience working with cancer patients.

Rev. Barry says, "Forgiveness is the culmination of a miraculous process whereby a human heart, hardened by anger and hatred, is transformed into a heart released from these negative emotions. The process of forgiveness is not complete without this release.

"Forgiveness is often described by patients as a feeling of lightness," the minister explains. "It feels like you have literally been unburdened." In fact, one woman with breast cancer had a profound forgiveness experience and felt as if she had literally "gotten something off her chest."

If it sounds wonderful, that’s because it is. People who have found a way to forgive past transgressions radiate a sense of peace and joy. In fact, the number one trait of happy people is that they are forgiving.

Prescribing Forgiveness

We all know we "should" forgive. In fact, forgiveness is a basic premise of nearly every religious tradition. So, why is it so hard? And how do we do it?

With his new book and his forgiveness curriculum, Release!, Rev. Barry is helping cancer patients walk the path toward forgiveness. He says that forgiveness is not a simple step-by-step procedure but a unique process that unfolds differently for each of us.

Rev. Barry educates patients by removing barriers to forgiveness, including misperceptions about what it means to forgive. Forgiveness does not require reconciliation or condoning transgressions. It’s simply a way to empty oneself of hatred. Rather than offer steps, Rev. Barry offers insights that help lead patients on a journey of forgiveness.

He says that one of the primary ingredients necessary for forgiveness is the motivation to forgive. "Forgiveness from the heart begins with a decision to forgive and ends when you have an emotional shift that takes place. We can help you start a journey, and we can educate you, but a lot of it depends on where your heart is and whether you really want to forgive. I can be the best teacher in the world, but if the person doesn’t want to forgive, I can’t help them."

Rev. Barry explains that most of us employ avoidance tactics to suppress past hurt and trauma, but avoidance actually prolongs our suffering. Instead, he has patients face these wounds by writing about them. He prescribes a very intentional process whereby patients write for three 20-minute sessions within a 24- hour period. The idea is to spend time contemplating the trauma and dumping it out onto paper.

This narrative therapy begins the process of unburdening the pain and embracing forgiveness. By focusing on the situation, patients can remove the emotional charge associated with it. The process differs for everyone, but it begins with motivation and focused intention.

Finding Forgiveness

Rev. Barry sees himself as an educator. He tries to help people connect the dots and find their way to forgiveness. He has witnessed its healing power. He has studied the research. He believes in the inherent value of forgiveness, and his mission is to lead the horse to water, so to speak.

"I could not give you $25 million and tell you to go fall in love with someone. That’s not the chemistry of love," Rev. Barry jokes. "It’s the same with forgiveness. I could not give you $25 million and tell you to fall out of hatred, either. There’s essentially a little bit of mystery— an X factor, so to speak—with religious and spiritual dimensions."

In the end, forgiveness is a mysterious, spiritual experience that is unique for each person. "It’s a journey that people go on; and if their heart is in the right place, quite often it happens," Rev. Barry explains. "But there’s no guarantee. We don’t guarantee people will find forgiveness, but we can educate you and help you start a journey."

How will you know you’ve forgiven? "Oh, you’ll know," assures Rev. Barry. "You will no longer be overwhelmed by hatred and anger and you will know." CF THRIVE Magazine - Thank you!

Here is a link to his blog: http://theforgivenessproject.com/can-forgiveness-overcome-cancer/