Written By: Dana Hoebek

Many Christians have read this verse. Most have no idea exactly how to do it. It seems like something we should do, seems important.

This article is written with the born again believer in mind. One who has accepted Christ as their Savior and is indwelt with the Holy Spirit. That is the only way this will work, is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The battle field of every human is the mind. It is where you become more like your surroundings and circumstances or more like Christ. It is where pride and self-sufficiency happen or surrender happens. It’s where you decide if you are going to live as who you are in Christ or how you and the world think you should live. You either have a defense built toward Satan and the influences of this world or you do not. Scripture says our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the Spiritual powers of this world.

This verse is revolutionary, especially in today’s world of self-centeredness. Through a heart- wrenching, life changing experience I have learned just exactly how important this verse is. There is a way to do this and based on the circumstances you are in, there are steps to success.

This verse is literally an instruction that will change the course of your life. I am talking big things like, never gossiping again, never picking up a drink for the alcoholic, staying sexually pure for those struggling with lust or impure relationships, not being cold-hearted and mean in your speech, stop swearing, and, in my estimation, a huge one- overcoming emotional trauma from abuse.

I’m going to list the ways I have learned to use this verse as both a guide post, reminder and support system. I will tell you up front, this is not a “one and done” type of thing. It is daily choosing Christ, putting on the full armor of God according to Ephesians 6:10-18. You have to be diligent and look to the future where Christ gets the victory and you are free!

• What it means– Any sinful thing, thoughts or otherwise that sets itself up against the Lord your God. Scripture is full of verses and descriptions of what sin is. If you are a believer and the Holy Spirit resides in you, He will tell you when it’s sin, you need to listen and heed the warning. To take captive the thought is to literally put it into bondage. It doesn’t get to rule, reign and wreak havoc. It doesn’t get to set up house and live in your head. It doesn’t get any control whatsoever. You are in charge of your thoughts and you are responsible for them and what you do with them.

• Recognition and Repentance- When you’ve been involved in something sinful, been abused, or have some sort of an addiction that won’t leave you alone, your thought life can be a nightmare. You can feel like you’ll never be freed from it. You’ve got to recognize what the thoughts are and where they lead you, take charge before they start to control you. Repentance comes when you’ve turned away from sin and do not want to do it any longer. Changing your thought life is exactly that, turning away from something old and changing it to something new.

• The Power in His Name- There is no way to do this without the power of Jesus. He’s the creator and sustainer of this earth and He created your mind, He has the power to change it. Your job is surrender. Believe me, I know it’s not easy and it doesn’t feel good to give up control- coming from a formerly enslaved control-freak. Did you see that first part “formerly”? I can tell you how to do this with some authority of experience because what I have had to walk through to find freedom is no small task and I am here to tell you it’s possible. When my thoughts would overtake me, crash down on me like a tidal wave, I knew in my heart I had to cry out to Jesus for deliverance. It came small and weak at first, but I was open to surrender because I had no other way, nothing else worked. As I practiced day in and day out, sometimes several times an hour, I began to watch the miracle work. I’d say “Lord Jesus, I don’t want these thoughts, I want to have the mind of Christ. I refuse to let them take charge over me, Lord please change my mind. Help me to think new thoughts, I give this to You and ask You to change me”. Sometimes it was more of a short plea “God I can’t do this, I need you to do this for me”. One thing I can tell you for certain, He hears your cry and comes to your aid. It is completely in God’s will for your mind to be transformed to be like Christ and when you ask that of Him, He’s all over it, no doubt about it!

• Do Not Give Up- Honestly, it’s tiresome. Some days I just want to be done and give up, Christ reminds me of how far we’ve come together and that he going to finish the work He started in me. What you will learn is true daily dependence on God. The issue you’ve got is that Satan has had a heyday putting up His wall paper of lies in your head. Your feelings of worthlessness, guilt and shame, hatred towards someone, desire for justice without mercy instead of love, selfishness with your time, talents or treasures, the overwhelming desire to talk about someone behind their back, to justify your bad behavior, make up lies or excuses, shift blame, lust after someone in your head and justify it by not telling anyone or blaming your circumstances, feeling entitled to your feelings no matter what they are because someone caused you to feel that way. ALL of those things and many more are things Satan plays with in your head. I’m telling you in all earnest, if you allow any of those to marinate in your head and you give them any time to ruminate around, you will have a terrible time being successful. This can create a foothold for Satan in your mind. If it stays there and you allow it to remain, Satan will always come back to that area and harass you with it. You have to be diligent to remind yourself you are changing and God’s doing a work in you. Take that thought captive, don’t let it go any further.

• What to do instead- Once you begin to take the thought captive and turn it over to God, you begin tearing down the wall paper Satan has put up. You’ve got to put up the wall paper of God’s Word in place of it or Satan will come back with a vengeance to take back what he lost. All that time you spent in those thoughts, whatever your circumstances may be, you now have to spend time reading God’s Word and becoming familiar with it enough to use it in time of need. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching and reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  You’ve got to read and find verses that help you through your circumstances and that replace the old sinful thoughts that lead to sinful behavior.

• Reimaging or thinking about it in a new way- Sometimes memories and thoughts are just so powerful and tangible that they bury you. I have learned to renounce the sin that was held in that memory or thought and declare out loud that it has no power over me anymore. There’s something powerful in the spoken word. When you can declare to that thing that you are forgiven and freed it begins to take a new shape in your head from something that was held over you and had power to condemn, to now nailed to the Cross. You can be free and can say so out loud! I have also had to make a new memory in an old place before, or even envision the cross around the memory.

• Examples and suggestions- I have had quite a myriad of experiences ranging from normal people problems of selfishness and gossiping to alcoholism, sexual immorality and abuse recovery. I understand exactly how hard this is but I also understand the irreplaceable feeling of being free and victorious. When you need verses for your circumstances, look in your concordance or in a topical scripture guide online. Ask God to help you think how He thinks about that person or thing you went through. Even if being loving and forgiving is the furthest thing from your mind, ask Him to do the work of changing your heart and mind, He will do it. Read the Psalms until you find yours. I promise you, it’ll jump off the page at you when you find it. God breathed those words thousands of years ago with you and your hurt in mind. When I was a struggling alcoholic, thoughts of drinking again would threaten to overtake me, and I’d pray immediately for God to help me and remove the temptation, to help me change my mind. Each and every time God was faithful. When you are overcoming desires to gossip you need to think about that person like Christ does. He died for them and loves them as much as He loves you. When you have been abused and you are haunted by images and memories, you must stop them the second they come into to your head and pray immediately. There is no other way to find victory. Time will be a helper and aid towards you not feeling physical pain at the reminders, but the only way to not allow it to overtake you and gain the control over you is to grab it without hesitation and pray. Pray asking God to change the memory, ask Him to remove it or to lessen the pain, ask Him to give you a new image like the cross around it, or a verse to quote when it threatens you. Sometimes memories are the worst part of recovery and that’s why this exercise is so important. God didn’t put it in the Bible to offer a suggestion, He put it in there knowing we’d need to actively practice it daily in order to allow Him to transform us into the image of Christ. These are the ways I have done this and have found victory. I hope it can be helpful to someone else

~Dana

Dana is saved by grace, grateful to the core. She is a mother of four teenagers and married to an incredible man for 19 years. Life up to this point has been an adventure for her with so many stories to tell. Her hope and prayer is that God can use her life’s story to reach others and make an impact for the Kingdom.

Written By: Shannon Geurin

Sometimes I get overwhelmed when I look back at the way God has carried me over the years. He has carried me during my darkest times. Times when I couldn’t feel Him. Times when I questioned whether he even loved me.  Listen friends, if He can heal me and bring freedom to me that He can do the same for you! We serve a big God my friends, and if you need proof today,

I got yo proof.

I went horseback riding while I was at New Life Ranch last weekend. It was quite the experience. My horses name was Stickers. Stickers carried me down a trail that was winding, rocky and steep. As he carried me up that oh-so-steep path I was reminded of the way Jesus carries us.

I was reminded of how strong my Jesus is. 

I don’t know how that horse did it. It was rocky. I’m not talking pebbles folks. I’m talkin’ rocks. Like-  big, sharp edged-y type rocks. The kind of rocks that I, in no way, shape or form would be able to walk on without tough soled shoes on my feet; much less added weight to carry?!! Stickers had no problem. He carried me up the trail. Not gonna lie, it was scary. At any moment Stickers could have gotten tired and dropped me or even fell. But he didn’t. He didn’t because he’s strong. When we got to the top, the view was literally INCREDIBLE. I thought to myself; wow…it was so worth it. The journey was worth it.

Jesus carries us you guys.

God carries us in his arms. Psalm 68:1 #hecarriesus #heisSTRONG

When you don’t feel him anywhere around He is carrying you. He’s holding you. If you’ll stick with him…if you’ll keep your eyes focused on HIM… He will carry you. He will carry you the whole way. When it’s rocky, He’s there. When it’s steep, He’s there. And when you finally reach the top, the view will be amazing. You can’t see the view if you don’t go through the rocky, winding road!

If He can bring healing and restoration to my marriage after it was completely wrecked by infidelity, He can do the same for you!

If He can bring freedom and heal this heart that was full of shame and guilt, wondering if I’d ever be able to be the wife and mother to my family, He can do the same for you!

He took my daughters, held their hearts and whispered “oh how I love you” into their child-like ears.

He healed my daughter’s brain when she was still in my womb, so listen up mamma- He can do the same for you!

He took my friend’s heart, after it had been trampled into the ground and He has given her wholeness and healing. This dear friend and her children have been through the darkest of times anyone can imagine and now she is getting ready to marry a man who truly loves her. I’m telling you, God is BIGGER.

Those are just a few of the things my God has done for me and those I love.

GOD IS BIGGER.

But just in case you still don’t believe me- here’s some scripture to back it up.

• Psalm 147:4 He counts the stars and calls them all by name.

• Isaiah 40:12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?

• Psalm 147:5 How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!

• Psalm 8:3-4 (one of my fav’s) When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers; the moon and the stars you set in place, what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

So- imagine that we’re having a cup of coffee together and listen to me and lean in.

God has you, do you hear me?

He did NOT bring you this far to let you sink!  NO.HE.DID.NOT.

He’s BIGGER than your fear!

He’s BIGGER than your doubt and unbelief!

He’s BIGGER than your mistake! SO.MUCH.BIGGER.

He’s BIGGER than your shame.

He’s BIGGER than your disease.

Oh, my dear friend…HE’S BIGGER.

Let God be big in your life so that the devil can be weak!

Let God be big in your life so that the devil can be weak! #GodisBIGGER

Good grief he made the ocean! Who does that?? {god} He knows how many hairs we have on our heads?! I mean…I have every confidence that my hubby loves the daylights out of me, every confidence in the world. But he doesn’t know how many hairs I have on my head?! He doesn’t love me that much???! But.God.Does.

God is huge. He’s infinite. Every part of life begins AND ends with Him. He is eternal.

That’s not the cool part, though. The cool part is that even though God is big…he stoops down ever so low tohear our hearts cry for help. There’s no one like Him. No one. Give your problems to Him. Draw upon His strength that He gives freely.

Are you going through a season of doubt? Hurt? Shame? Oh my friend -cling to His promises in the verses I quoted above. He’s there with you right now!

For Shannon’s story, click on the image below…

Written By: Bethany McIlrath

I had a problem. I called up a friend and in the midst of our chatting I determined to act on the words of Proverbs 12:15: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” I asked for her advice.

But her words took me by surprise: “I don’t think I have wise counsel to offer about that.”

How often do we hear about asking for advice, seeking counsel, and being humble enough to listen to the wisdom of others? At the same time, we tend to learn little about giving advice or wise counsel. Few of us have been encouraged to be humble like my dear friend was, saying “I don’t have wisdom about that.”

God’s word is clear that we’re to exhort, challenge, encourage, and support one another.

Sometimes that means keeping what you consider “advice” to yourself.

So, before you share those words, ask yourself:

1. Is This Fact or Opinion?

In 1 Timothy 6 and 2 Timothy 2 we are admonished to rightly handle the truth and to avoid “babbling” about false knowledge.

Some matters are open to interpretation. When you present your opinion, make it clear that you’re not stating facts. Be honest that your words and knowledge are your own and that you might be wrong. Seasoned speech leaves room for God to overrule.

2. Is This About Me?

You know the verse: “why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” (Matthew 7:3). These words aren’t just about criticism. Before you give advice, figure out if the “wisdom” you share is borne out of hypocrisy or a part of you projecting your own issues onto someone else.

3. Am I Qualified to Give This Advice?

Back to 1 Timothy (a letter rich in wisdom about words, advice, and relationships!). The first chapter alone mentions “speculation rather than stewardship,” “vain discussion,” and failing to understand “either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”

Would any advice you have to offer fall under one of those categories? If so, point to the Word of God or to those with more experience in the matter.

4. Is This Worthwhile?

If your advice is vague, non-committal, or a lot like thinking out loud, ask yourself if you might be speaking empty words (Matthew 12:36). There may be other words, apart from advice, that would be more meaningful. Try sharing a verse, a prayer, or speaking as a friend instead of as a counsellor.

~Bethany

A learner at heart, Bethany McIlrath believes that listening to the Lord’s Word and being attentive to all that He teaches her through daily life is a priceless blessing. Eager to share about her Savior, you can find Bethany’s writing on her blog: Firstandsecondblog.wordpress.com. She would love to connect with you on Twitter or Facebook as well.  

Written By: Dana Hoebeke

One of the blessings we get as parents is hearing a good report about your child from someone outside the family. A teacher praising their character or one of your friends commenting on their politeness while your child visited their home. We start to feel like maybe we are doing something right, our children are displaying character that we are trying so hard to teach at home. The kind of character that points to the proof of their relationship with Christ. Scripture calls it fruit.

I am the mother of four teens, one is graduated. It warms my heart so much for someone to stop me in the hallway at church to let me know what a gem one of my kids are. It’s like a win for the God-centered parenting team!

I think all of us realize that consistency with kids is the key to breeding good character. However, consistency in doing what? How do we get our kids to choose to do what is right when we aren’t there, giving them a “look”, or actually telling them what to do?

The whole point of parenting is to one day release independent young adults. Ones that are capable of making choices without us and we hope and pray that they rely on God for their guidance to those right choices.

No step program, advice from a professional, or practiced secular behavior is the answer.

There is really only one answer. I am fully confident in this answer because I believe God, I believe what He says in His Word is true, and I believe He is faithful and true to fulfill what He promises in scripture.

The answer is your children have to love Jesus.

John 14:23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

It sounds too simple right? Well let me tell you, it is simple. The key is consistency and open honesty with your kids as you are raising them. They have to know you are human and make mistakes too. Don’t forget your mistakes and lessons you’ve personally learned are not just for you. They always have a higher purpose. Your mess being turned into His Message is meant to be shared!

What we are really saying as Christian parents when we want our kids to choose to do right when we are not there is that we want them to follow Jesus, to not just obey us but ultimately obey Him.

Here are some pointed ways to help your children love Jesus, so they in turn desire to obey Him and live as a light in the dark world.

• 1 John 5:14-15 says “Now this is the confidence we have before Him; whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.” We don’t have the ability to love God. He places the ability to love supernaturally within us. We have to teach our children to ask Him to create the love for Him that drives the desire to obey Him.

• James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” and James 1:22 “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” We have to call it clearly what it is when obedience hasn’t happened. It is sin. Sin that needs to be confessed and repented from. Children are never too young to explain that wrongdoing, rebelling against God’s word, is sin. Keeping short accounts and a right relationship with God will ensure His Holy Spirit has free reign to sanctify them through and through, continually growing that love for Christ that enables the desire to obey.

• James 4:7 “Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” This is a small and very serious verse for them to understand. All Christ-like living begins with submitting or surrendering your will to God’s will. If you hold on tight to your will, your “want to”, and your own plans for life you’ll never be able to experience all the God has planned for you. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Before your children (or you for that matter) were even formed, God had their days planned out, with blessings and an amazing future that includes doing good works for the Kingdom! We need to teach our children that if they aren’t obeying God, seeking His face, reading His Word and praying, that we might not be in the right position to receive all that He has for us! I can’t imagine how many intended, ordained blessings I missed out on because I was following my desires instead of Christ’s.

• Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Our kids need to grasp that each and every little thing they do can be done to God’s glory or not. There really isn’t an in between on this one. You either are or you’re not. Doing house chores with joy and helpful attitudes, doing school work with diligence, being kind to siblings and choosing not to fight, choosing to obey parents on the first time, choosing to not mouth back. All of those things are completely within their power to do because it begins with a choice. Choosing Jesus over self.

• Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” And Deuteronomy 11:19 “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” The chapter of Deut. 11 is God speaking, telling the Israelites that they’d better teach their children about all the Lord had done for them because they were not present during their deliverance. The younger generation did not experience the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, the splitting open of the immeasurable obstacle of the Red Sea so they could walk right through it, the visible manifestation of the Sovereign God in the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, the manna falling from the sky, the water from a rock and so many other miracles. Those children needed to know their amazing God, the Great I AM, and the only way they were going to hear about it all was from their parents. That’s us! We have to diligently, consistently teach our children who God is and who they are in Christ. They are joint-heirs with Him to the treasure of being God’s Child! All the promises and glorious riches of our gracious Father are theirs!

When you have children that are not exhibiting Christ-like behaviour, remember your benchmark is not that they obey you, follow you or mimic any other person….their benchmark is the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not called to follow Christians, we are called to follow Christ. The desire to follow and obey Him is hidden in having love for Him. If we love Him, we will obey Him.

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

~Dana

Dana is saved by grace, grateful to the core. She is a mother of four teenagers and married to an incredible man for 19 years. Life up to this point has been an adventure for her with so many stories to tell. Her hope and prayer is that God can use her life’s story to reach others and make an impact for the Kingdom.

Written By: Kim Anderson

Proverbs 15:1- A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (NIV)

What kind of fighter would you say that you are in your marriage?  Are you the silent fighter type?  You cross your arms, raise your brows and hold your ground?  Are you a pride fighter? Do you say anything and everything to get in the last word?  Maybe you’re a repressive fighter? You let your frustration build up until you explode.  Or maybe you fight dirty. You bring up old stuff to deliver the knock-out punch.  

Me?  I’m a logical fighter.  I’ve spent much of my married battles trying to help my husband understand why I’m absolutely right.  When emotions flare, I have a hard time backing down because I’m convinced that five minutes of hashing out the scenario will clearly let him see that I know what I’m talking about.

Beyond being a logical fighter, I also have a nervous habit of cleaning when I’m frustrated.  A few weeks ago, after some heated words were exchanged I went into full throttle cleaning mode.  That night as I went to put my son’s clothes away in his room, the Holy Spirit whispered, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Shortly after this, my husband entered the room for round two.  In that moment I had a choice.  I could turn away wrath or I could stir up anger.  Stirring up anger would have led to round 3, round 4, and possibly letting the sun go down on my anger.

But instead, I just kept my mouth shut.  I didn’t say a word.  I didn’t communicate anything but focused attention with my eyes and mouth.  I chose what was better.  I may have lost the fight that night but I won the battle.

You see every day we are fighting a battle.  The Bible clearly defines who our enemy is.  1 Peter 5:8-  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

So the next time your ready to go toe to toe with your spouse, take a step back and remember who your real enemy is.  It’s not that man standing before you.  It’s a greater foe who longs for nothing more than to kill your marriage, steal your friendship and destroy your trust.  Reframe the rising conflict and put it into perspective.  You will have arguments and long winded, sometimes, heated discussions.  The question is, what are you willing to do to turn away wrath in this situation?  Will you let love shine by not being easily angered or keeping record of wrongs?  Will you lose this fight so you can win the battle?

Kim Anderson

Kim Anderson is that thrifty little mom, wife and lover of great deals.  Her blog ThriftyLittleMom.com is dedicated to helping families make the most out of what they have while finding joy in everyday living!