“I’m not good enough to speak in front of a group.” That thought felt true at the time. It held me captive when God called me deeper into my purpose. I’d always been confident in writing and in teaching or coaching others, whether one-on-one or in small groups, but public speaking was far outside my comfort zone. I allowed what I thought to hold me back again and again.
Eventually, choosing obedience despite doubt, my thinking began to change: “If God calls me to do something, He can use me just as I am.”
With this new belief, I finally found the courage to create my first workshop, something that had been on my heart to offer to the residents of a local homeless transition shelter. I never would’ve taken that step if I’d kept accepting that old thought and letting it define my decisions. That one shift in my mind allowed me to step more fully into what God was calling me to do and shifted the direction of my life.
My experience might be similar to yours. Believing an untrue thought or falling into a pattern of negative thinking can affect your life in unintended or undesired ways. We don’t always recognize that a thought is holding us back, and even if we do, it isn’t always easy to put into words.
Some thoughts only resurface in certain situations, while others linger for years. Even when we make progress, those thoughts return. Even when we know they’re not true, they distract us. Even when we know God’s Word, they still try to make us question it.
When we’ve grown used to our thoughts chipping away at our freedom in Christ, peace, and potential, it’s easy to believe they define us and determine the course of our lives. Our thought life is complex and life-altering, and it can leave us wondering: Can we really capture our thoughts? What you believe about that matters more than you may realize.
How Thoughts Shape the Life We Live
The thoughts we repeat through our words, choices, and actions form the patterns we live by. If we entertain thoughts that hinder us, they take root and hold us back from the life God intends. If we embrace encouraging thoughts, they bear fruit that transforms us from the inside out, helping us become who we’re meant to be. When we entrust our thoughts to Christ, aligning them with His mind and model, we learn to discern which thoughts to hold on to and which to release. What we think influences both our inner and outer lives.
Unchecked thinking can lead to fear, doubt, confusion, and discouragement. When we manage our mindset, we can live with greater faith, peace, clarity, and confidence. How you see yourself depends on the focus of your thoughts and shapes your sense of identity, both in Christ and as a unique individual. Unfiltered thoughts can lead to poor choices, strained relationships, unhealthy habits, and missed opportunities. Trusting God’s perspectives, rather than relying on our own, leads to wise decisions, positive connections, personal growth, and courageous action. What you think is possible affects how you respond to God’s calling, whether you move forward as He leads or fall back on your own perceived limits.
What the Bible Says About Taking Every Thought Captive
The Bible clearly answers the question of whether we can take thoughts captive. Although it’s not always easy, it is possible because Scripture instructs us to do just that, and God helps us. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV), Paul teaches us to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” In the original language, “take captive” means to bring under control. By doing so and capturing the thought, it’s no longer free to run unrestrained through your mind, leading you where it wants to go. Then you have the freedom to decide where to direct your thoughts.
Paul urges us to make our thoughts “obedient to Christ.” The original meaning of the word for obedience refers to obeying a person, in this case, Christ. This means submitting to Him and allowing His truth to guide what you believe and how you think. To capture your thoughts, examine what you’re thinking and compare it to Jesus’s teaching and biblical truth. When a thought doesn’t align, choose instead to trust and act on what God says is true. We take every thought captive by applying both spiritual and practical steps to reflect God’s Word and follow the leading of His Spirit.
How to Take Thoughts Captive Biblically
Throughout the Bible, we find examples of what happens when thoughts contrary to godly principles are allowed to take hold, and what’s possible when we practice taking thoughts captive. Eve and Peter both failed to guard their thoughts, taking unwise actions. Eve believed the serpent’s deceptive words that contradicted God’s command: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?...You will not certainly die…you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Acting upon her doubt and desire, she ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to her husband (Genesis 3:1-6 NIV). This act of disobedience led to sin entering the world and their banishment from the Garden of Eden.
Peter denied Jesus three times when he was recognized as one who had been with Jesus: “I don’t know him…I don’t know what you’re talking about!” His denial was driven by fearful thoughts. When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered Jesus’s words and “wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:54-62 NIV) Jeremiah struggled with his thoughts but kept turning his focus back to God.
He complained, “You deceived me, LORD…I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me…Whenever I speak…the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long.” Yet when he considered staying silent, Jeremiah said, “his word is in my heart like a fire…the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail…Give praise to the LORD!” Jeremiah struggled with thoughts of rejection and despair, and even cried out, “Cursed be the day I was born!” (Jeremiah 20:7-18 NIV) Though he wavered between his emotions and faith, he ultimately chose to trust God and continued his calling, later declaring God’s promise to the exiles: “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
Mary and Paul responded to their thoughts with faith in God. Mary was “greatly troubled” and “wondered what kind of greeting this might be” when the angel Gabriel appeared. When told she’d give birth to “the Son of the Most High,” she asked, “How will this be…since I am a virgin?” When Gabriel answered, she quickly shifted her thoughts from uncertainty to faith and obedience: “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:26-38 NIV)
Paul endured hardships such as beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, hunger, and danger from both Jews and Gentiles. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NIV) Yet while he was imprisoned in Rome, he encouraged the Philippians to rejoice and pray with thanksgiving instead of being anxious, and to think about “whatever is true…noble…right…pure…lovely…admirable…excellent or praiseworthy” to experience God’s peace. (Philippians 4:6-9 NIV) Though he acknowledged his many trials, Paul chose to focus on God’s truth and purpose for him. From these biblical accounts, we learn that our ability to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ grows as we…
-draw closer to God, know His heart, and trust His will,
-learn and live by the teachings and examples of Christ,
-recognize and follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and
-apply the truth and principles of God’s Word in every aspect of life.
We become better equipped to submit our thoughts to God by…
-recognizing His voice and discerning whether a thought is from Him,
-refocusing our thinking to believe what He says is true, and
-relying on His wisdom, strength, direction, and faithfulness to walk in His will with courage and confidence.
Spiritual foundations supported by practical steps help us continually bring our thoughts under the authority of God’s truth.
Practical Steps for Taking Captive Every Thought
As we capture our thoughts, we begin to experience the freedom God intended for our minds. A helpful part of this process can be identifying the sources of your default or persistent thoughts, which helps you understand why they form and which ones you need to examine before accepting them as true. Common influences include:
-Childhood upbringing
-Cultural traditions and views
-Past or present experiences
-Situations that act as triggers
-Words, influences, and expectations of others
-Comparison to others and worldly standards
-Media and entertainment
-Our own sin nature
-Spiritual attack
-Trauma or mental health struggles
For recurring or disruptive thoughts, especially those tied to trauma, mental health, or ongoing challenges, it’s beneficial to seek formal support alongside spiritual growth and practical application of biblical truth. While recognizing a thought’s origin can help, it’s not always possible. We find hope in bringing each thought to God and letting His truth guide what we believe and how we respond. Even when we begin to understand the source, managing our thoughts doesn’t happen automatically. Learning how to take your thoughts captive more consistently allows you to reflect your identity in Christ and become more available for God’s purposes. The following simple, practical steps outline a process for capturing your thoughts:
1. Recognize the Thought
"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts." - Psalm 139:23 NIV
God invites you to bring Him any thought that weighs on your mind or troubles your heart. Notice what you’re thinking and how it affects your emotions and actions. Consider what may have triggered the thought and whether it reflects God’s truth or stems from another source.
2. Refocus on God
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you." - Isaiah 26:3 NLT
When you recognize a thought that doesn’t line up with God’s Word, pause, pray, and shift your focus to His presence and what’s true about His character and promises.
3. Replace with Truth
"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 NIV
Identify Scripture that relates to your situation. Write and display verses or declarations with a godly perspective. Speak the truth in your mind, out loud, and within trusted relationships until it begins forming new thought patterns.
4. Renew your mind
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." - Romans 12:2 NIV
Deeply rooted thoughts require a regular surrender to God’s authority, allowing His Word and Spirit to transform how you see yourself and your circumstances. Taking steps of faith as God directs you and experiencing what’s truly possible reinforces new thinking as He works within you.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 NIV
As we commit to the inner and outer work of taking every thought captive, we begin to experience the lasting transformation that comes from trusting God’s perspective instead of our limited understanding.
The Power of Capturing Our Thoughts
The Bible gives us confidence that it is possible to take every thought captive when we choose to seek and trust God’s presence, promises, and power. Walking with Him to continually renew our minds equips and empowers us to glorify God in both our inner and outer lives. When we choose to capture our thoughts, we set ourselves free to grow in faith, become who God created us to be, fulfill what He purposed us to do, and experience the fulfillment only He can provide.
Connect with Arris on her website, https://liveinspiredbypurpose.com/, or through Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and YouTube.
