Anxiety, a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome, is a condition that every person is familiar with to some extent. Being anxious is quite human, at least this side of heaven. Christians, however, are commanded to “not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6a) and to “take every thought captive” (2 Corinthians 10:5). But how do we put this into practice?
God knows and explicitly tells us, that worrying achieves nothing and cannot add a single hour to our life (Matthew 6:27). He also says in Philippians 4:6-7 that instead of being anxious, we should present our requests to God by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. It seems like such an easy solution, and yet, for those who battle full-blown anxiety, this familiar verse can seem insufficient to help them in their struggle.
The Bible, however, is comprehensive in dealing with the human condition. The verse “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) expresses the wisdom upon which the entire self-help industry is built.
God knows how important our thoughts are in determining how we feel and how we act; our minds are powerful and our thoughts shape who we are and who we will become. Anxiety is rooted in negative thoughts, and by stopping them in their tracks and turning them to the truth (for most negative thoughts are based on lies), we can indeed beat anxiety and become the joy-filled, peaceful people that God has created us to be.
5 Practical Ways to Take Every Thought Captive
Here are five practical ways to take every thought captive:
1. Realize and acknowledge the lies and negative thoughts
Our entire Christian walk is based on faith and belief – what we think and know about God through His Word. The devil knows this, and, as he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), he goes directly to our vulnerabilities, and plants lies in our thought life. So shrewd is his attack that we often do not recognize these lies in the first place.
Think of all the negative thoughts that you think every day, perhaps about your self-worth, or your abilities. There are few people who won’t be able to admit to feeling like a failure at a certain aspect of life at some stage, believing that they are unloved or unlovable, or that they are a bad person because of something they’ve done.
These are lies that go against the very nature of who God is and how He loves us as His children, made in His own image and worthy of His unconditional love not because of who we are or what we’ve done, but because we are His and He is our father. As you seek to overcome anxiety and take every thought captive, take time to acknowledge lies that you might have been believing; write out all the negative thoughts about yourself and your life, being completely honest about your feelings.
2. Understand the battle is won and you have tools at your disposal
If anxiety is a battle fought in the mind, it is worth reminding yourself upfront that it is a battle that has already been won! Jesus has already conquered Satan and freed us from being enslaved to all the desires of our flesh that can hinder us from working out the good deeds that Christ has given us upon our salvation.
We are fighting from a place of victory. Knowing that and internalizing it can give us much strength as we look to take every thought captive. The enemy might do his best to send everything he can to destroy us, but if we know we are safe in Christ then we will be encouraged to do what it takes to break down the spiritual strongholds that have taken occupation in our minds.
A stronghold is a place dominated by a particular group of people from which they can defend themselves – think of the fortified castles from the Middle Ages. A spiritual stronghold is like a fortified castle in our mind – built up through negative thoughts and beliefs and used by the devil to control us.
As you start to take every thought captive, you break them down and actively prevent new ones from being built. Remember that you have been called to “put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). This includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
3. Engage in battle with Scripture as your tool
Now that you’ve gained clarity about the lies that might be behind your anxiety, and strengthened yourself for battle, it’s time to act. While it’s critical to have and know God’s truth and to daily act in faith (choosing to trust God even when we can’t see the answers), God’s word, the sword of the Spirit, is the only offensive weapon in your armor.
“Sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12), God’s living and active word is your tool with which to take every thought captive. As you read through the thoughts you’ve written out, compare each one against a truth found in God’s word.
For example, if you are anxious about your finances and cannot see a way in which your needs will be met, compare this thought to God’s promise to provide for us in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” There are no exceptions when it comes to Scripture. It doesn’t say “everyone’s needs except yours,” and that is incredibly encouraging!
Write out verses that combat your anxiety and repeat them to yourself many times daily. As the lies pop up, replace the false belief with the truth found in God’s word. As you repeat this behavior, it’ll become habitual, and you’ll notice your anxiety decreasing as the strongholds are broken down. It may sound like a simplistic formula, but it is the practical outworking of what it looks like to take every thought captive.
4. Enlist an accountability partner
Lies and false beliefs flourish in secret, but when they are shared, they lose their power. As you share negative thoughts with a trusted friend, you’ll likely see how unfounded they are, and they will be able to reassure you and restore you to a more balanced viewpoint.
They will also be able to encourage you from God’s word and hold you accountable for the demanding work you’re doing to take every thought captive. It is so easy to experience the breakthrough, enjoy a new thought life and be free from anxiety for a period, only to relapse into old habits. The enemy is counting on this too, and so an accountability partner will help you to steadfastly persevere until the new habit is well-formed.
5. Keep going in faith – it’ll get easier
Like any new habit, the hardest part is at the beginning. But as you continue and see the fruits of your efforts, it’ll become easier and more natural to analyze thoughts that come into your mind, as opposed to believing them as gospel. You will also become more well-versed in God’s word and be able to combat anxious thoughts before they’ve been allowed to settle.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” is the call issued by the apostle Paul. This can seem difficult when we are full of anxiety, but it is possible to succeed in this once we are truly able to take every thought captive.
