Brick walls are a lot harder to bring down than sandcastles.
What does this have to do with us, though? So glad you asked…
Recently, I’ve found myself unearthing some long-believed lies. Attempting to start over and replace them with truths. Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit to heal parts of me I didn’t realize were actually broken – I just thought that’s how things were. It was just my cross to bear, so to speak.
But God said, “No” in no uncertain terms, so here we are, attempting to clear the terrain of my heart. And wondering where these deeply rooted and wholly inaccurate beliefs came from.
Satan is the accuser of the brethren, and the father of lies. So I’m fairly certain he has a lot to do with this. He also attacks us more on the basis of who we will become than he does on the premise of who we are now. He did it with Jesus in the wilderness too. Also how he got to Eve. Speaking in ways that would trip up any future they had.
Satan attacks us more on the basis of who we will become than he does on the premise of who we are now.
“If you are the son of God, throw yourself down (off the highest point of the temple).” Pretty sure suicide would have derailed the ministry of Jesus, even for just a moment.
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
“… and we take captive every thought…” Why, though? Every single thought? Kind of overkill, don’t you think? The average person has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. If I take the time to take every thought captive, I have no more time to work. And I need money.
Thoughts have the potential to ruin lives.
“… to make it obedient to Christ.” Oh. That’s why. So the thoughts that are already obedient to Christ don’t need to be captured. As a new creation in Christ Jesus, I might have a lot more of the already-obedient thoughts. So we just have to focus on the rest. And unfortunately, those thoughts have the potential to ruin lives, even if they are smaller in quantity.
What’s at stake if we don’t? Sandcastles and brick walls.
When it’s a thought, it’s no more substantial than a sandcastle. Kick it over. Go on about your day.
But when we don’t take that thought captive – the one that has set itself up against the knowledge of God – the thought becomes a belief. Beliefs are more like brick walls. They can still come down, but you either need a wrecking ball or the patience to dismantle the wall, brick by brick.
Brick by brick…
In my experience, God prefers the latter method.
Here’s an example. When I was younger (not much younger, but we’ll go with it), I wrestled with how I was perceived by others. What were they saying about me or thinking about me behind my back? So I replaced those sandcastle thoughts with what God says about me: I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, etc.
But after a while, I missed a few thoughts. And now I’m finding that some brick walls have been built around my heart. Thoughts left uncaptured have now taken root, and the issues aren’t what is said about me, but what is believed about me. By me. I’m not good at this. I’m not capable of that. Slowly but surely, I picked up each brick and stacked them on top of one another until I’d walled myself in, protected from hearing anymore.
And cut off from all that God might do if He had access.
Sandcastles and brick walls. And they both begin with a thought.
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