It is said that our inward thoughts are what drive our lives.  They can fuel our gains in a positive forward motion or hinder us from doing what is most needed to make such gains.

Proverbs 23:6 Do not eat the bread of a miser, nor desire his delicacies;  7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.  “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

In other words, he is saying something he doesn’t mean because, in his innermost thoughts, he has no desire to be generous towards you with what he has.  He keeps his stinginess to himself inwardly, but outwardly, he puts on a face to look as though he is happily generous.

He has secret thoughts known only to himself.  His thoughts interfere with his ability to engage as he should authentically.  In other words, his thoughts matter.

This battle is not isolated to just misers.  It is the reality of every human being in some way or another.  It is also real to every believer in Christ.  That’s why the Holy Spirit spoke through Paul as an apostle to say the following.

2Corinthians 10:4 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.

Our weapons are not according to our own strength and willpower.  They are mighty in God!

They are mighty in God for the purpose of pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.  God knows everything, so what He says about something is far more authoritative than any professional, expert, or intellectually superior human being.  If God says something is so, then it is so  He knows better than even science can know.

The basis of these arguments and high things is that they call into question the finished work of Christ at the cross.  They argue that something illegitimate now because of the cross should somehow have the right and the power to eliminate the promises of God.  Strongholds get established in our thinking when we allow our thoughts to align with our feelings and emotions in the situations we face to dictate what the truth and expectations should be for us.

But notice what we are to do with such thoughts.  We are to bring them into captivity.   Not captivity to our desired obedience which we perform.  But we are to bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  In other words, our thoughts that we linger over and give credence to should always be made to pass through the filter of what Christ did at the cross and how complete a work that is.  If they cannot pass through that filter, they are to be brought into captivity to Christ so that they cannot establish a stronghold of wrong thinking, which nourishes doubt and unbelief instead of hope and faith.  Long story short, thoughts really do matter.

How familiar are you with all that was accomplished at the cross on your behalf?  How confident are you in the finished work of the cross?  Are there thoughts occurring in your soul that battle against the idea of Christ having done all that was needed to forever make you right with God?  If so, it is time that you bring such thoughts to the truth of God’s word regarding the cross of Christ and how we have everything we need in Christ.  I encourage you to look to Jesus always!